3,417 articles · 10 videos found · page 81 of 115
Monochrome
In 2023, Nivada Grenchen delighted enthusiasts with a faithful recreation of its original F77, initially introduced in 1977 to rival popular sports watches of the era, with a steel construction with an integrated bracelet. The relaunched F77 series brought back with the same intent decades later, featured versions sporting blue and black dials adorned with […]
Monochrome
Hanhart was established in Switzerland in 1882 and relocated to Germany in 1902, positioning itself as a formidable competitor to the pricey Swiss-made stopwatches. It became successful by offering timing devices of comparable quality at a more accessible price point. A significant milestone occurred in 1938 with the development of the Caliber 40 mono-pusher chronograph […]
Worn & Wound
Last year, Longines had something of an unexpected hit with their HydroConquest GMT. The dive watch with the “flyer” L844.5 caliber was much discussed in enthusiast circles, and I have my own personal theory as to why. For years, Longines has excelled at being expert curators of their own back catalog, releasing a seemingly never ending string of well considered vintage reissues important releases from their past. They never stopped making watches in a more contemporary style, but they kind of dropped out of focus in recent years. The HydroConquest overhaul, then, was somewhat unexpected, and really stood out in their collection. And it was just weird enough to set itself apart from a market full of divers that kind of all look alike. Now, less than a year after the new HydroConquest saw the light of day, Longines has added new additions to the collection, which surprise in another way altogether. Announced last week, Longines now makes the HydroConquest GMT in a new larger size, with a case coming in at 43mm. When I saw the press release for this watch, I did a double take. Was there a typo here somewhere? The trend in recent years, Rolex notwithstanding, has been for brands to downsize their sport models to a more universally accepted “medium” size. Think anywhere between 38-40mm. With last year’s HydroConquest GMT coming in at 41mm, I’d have bet the lion’s share of my watch fund that the next iteration of this watch would be somewhere in that sub 40mm ra...
Monochrome
Speake-Marin‘s response to the ongoing craze for luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets came from the Ripples collection, unveiled in 2022. Its debut garnered a mixed reception, as is customary in today’s critical landscape. However, the watch emerged as refreshingly original, staying true to the brand’s roots while incorporating signature Speake-Marin twists that captivate attention. […]
Fratello
Tiger bites kill, but marmot bites are just a tad annoying. Porsche Design decided to reimagine a military chronograph of the 1970s and position it in a more peaceful, civilian way. So the original U.S. Air Force tiger’s head made way for a screaming marmot. The medium-sized rodent is called a “Mankei” in Pinzgau, Austria. […] Visit Taking The Porsche Design Chronograph 1 Utility LE For A Ride to read the full article.
Fratello
Today, we’re taking a look at the latest entry from Titoni. The Heritage Bicompax Chronograph is, as you’d expect, a vintage-inspired piece that takes its cues from historic ’50s and ’60s models. It’s clean, uses a reliable automatic caliber, and is relatively affordable. Let’s take a closer look. As a fan of vintage watches, I […] Visit Hands-On With The Titoni Heritage Bicompax Chronograph to read the full article.
Fratello
Audemars Piguet is making sure its 5134 caliber gets a proper goodbye. The successor of the legendary 2120 movement is being discontinued…but not just in any watch. None other than John Mayer had the honor of coming up with one last dial and case design for a limited-edition Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar. In addition to […] Visit Audemars Piguet Lays Its Cards Out For 2024 - Including A Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar John Mayer Limited Edition to read the full article.
Fratello
After many months in the making, the VPC Type 37HW is here, and I have the distinct pleasure of penning this hands-on introduction. We often ask ourselves, “Is it impossible to be original when endeavoring to design a new watch? Have all paths in crafting this functional object truly been taken? Have we seen it […] Visit Introducing: The VPC Type 37HW to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Making full use of its recently established enamel workshop, Louis Vuitton debuts the Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Plique-à-Jour. Equipped with a skeleton tourbillon movement bearing the Geneva Seal, the new Voyager features a dial of translucent enamel in a gold lattice that is similar to stained glass. Initial thoughts The Voyager tourbillon was unveiled in its original format in 2016. I examined the watch at the time, and came away impressed by both the design and finishing, though I felt it was pricey. The case was elegantly proportioned and sat particularly well on the wrist, being just over 9 mm tall. And the movement was surprisingly airy while having a high level of decoration equivalent to that found in establishment haute horlogerie names. The plique-à-jour is essentially the same thing but with an enamel dial. The thickness of the dial adds to the case height, bringing it to over 11 mm, so the new tourbillon doesn’t have the slimness but it remains an elegant watch. The artisanal dial does add another level of appeal, particularly since this enamel technique is not often used in watches, particularly on the large surface of entire dial. Personally I would have preferred colours other than blue and grey for the enamel, but geometric, repeating “V” motif of the dial is attractive. As for the price, well, this is an expensive watch, though arguably not as much as in 2016.. Louis Vuitton has come a long way since as a watchmaker, with the br...
Worn & Wound
Timex has carved out a space in the realm of stylish watch collaborations that also manage to be affordable. Todd Snyder, Huckberry, and others–including of course, Worn & Wound–have teamed up with Timex to produce fun takes on the Timex line. Now it’s clothing brand NN.07’s turn. The resulting collaboration, nicknamed The Original Tick Tock, keeps the trend of winning collaborations alive. The new collaboration, Timex’s second with NN.07, is a take on the Timex Expedition North Field Post. It’s an attractive, function-first field watch, with a steel case and matching steel dial. The case, bracelet, and dial all feature a brushed finish, giving the piece some subtle texture. Yellow-green luminescent indices and hands provide welcome color to an otherwise monotone dial, along with a cobalt blue seconds hand. The seven o’clock index is also done in NN.07’s signature shade of cobalt, a tribute to the company’s founding year of 2007. The visibility of the indices in both light and dark, plus the date window, anti-reflective mineral crystal, screw-down crown, and 100 meters of water resistance give this watch everything you could want in a field watch. Inside the watch and providing the titular “tick tock” is a Japanese quartz movement. The caseback features the limited edition numbering and other details about the watch, and the bracelet has an NN.07 signature on the clasp. At 36mm the watch is perfect for wrists of all sizes, and at $200 it’s perfect...
Fratello
We still don’t know what the Barrelhand Monolith will look like, but we know it will be special. The 3D-printed case, for instance, will feature the Air-Lock crown system. Unlike a screw-down crown, an Air-Lock crown is always sealed. Inside the watch will beat the M1, a caliber that uses a Sellita SW300 as the […] Visit Journey To The Moon With The Barrelhand Monolith to read the full article.
Monochrome
There’s certainly no shortage of simple, versatile watches that can hang at the beach and complement a suit within a 12-hour period. The legendary Rolex Oyster Perpetual and related models always come to mind, but Traska’s Commuter collection brings this stylish versatility in affordable packages. Offered in 34.5mm, 36.5mm and 38.5mm cases, there’s truly a […]
Fratello
Cartier introduced three sizes of new Tank Must models in 2021. The Tank Must debuted in the 1970s, but we hadn’t seen any new models for years. Now it’s available again in “extra-large,” “large,” and “small” versions. The extra-large model features a self-winding 1847 MC caliber with central seconds and date, while the large and […] Visit Hands-On: Cartier Tank Must With The Photovoltaic SolarBeat Movement to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Everyone says that the sophomore album is what makes or breaks an artist. Well, how about a watch company? In this instance we have Imperial Watch Co.’s follow-up to their successful Royalguard 200, the Oceanguard GMT. The Oceanguard GMT builds off the Royalguard and takes advantage of Seiko’s affordable caller GMT movement, the Seiko NH34. Like the original Royalguard, the Oceanguard continues to pay homage to the Eberhard Scafograf 300, keeping a similar design language from its predecessor with some notable departures. It’s no secret that GMTs are popular among watch enthusiasts, so it seems like a natural progression that Imperial has added this complication to their new Oceanguard, while maintaining the same case proportions as the Royalguard. With a case diameter of 38mm, thickness of 14mm, lug-to-lug of 47mm, and lug width of 20mm, the watch will be just as wearable even with the added functionality. The Oceanguard release will contain four new models: three with black dials, and one with a white dial. There will be two models with a “Pepsi” bezel, one with a black dial and one with the only white dial in the bunch. The two remaining black dial models will have alternatively colored bezels: one with a coral and turquoise bezel, and the other with a fuchsia and cyan bezel. Each of the individual models will be limited to 25 pieces. Whether you like traditional looks or new funky color-combos, Imperial has you covered. The case and dial are the same as t...
Time+Tide
The Glashütte watchmakers finally cave in to the trend, but in their own Nomos way, of course.The post The Nomos Club Campus Nonstop Red and Endless Blue are fashionably late appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Even without mentioning the name, if I tell you these watches have an all-polished 36 or 38.5mm case, Roman and Arabic numerals, a hand-wound movement, and colorful dials with a contrasting sub-seconds hand, you’ll probably already know what watches I’m talking about. The Nomos Club Campus has become quite an icon for the young Saxon […] Visit Nomos Gets Ready For A Colorful Spring - Introducing The Club Campus In Nonstop Red And Endless Blue to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Today’s star is the Seiko Prospex Alpinist GMT, a fresh take on a cult classic. The SPB377 and SPB379 are based on the original 1959 Alpinist that became a full-blown phenomenon as watch collectors began to appreciate the watch’s toolish good looks and practicality. Today the Alpinist is positioned in the Seiko Prospex line, which is focused on purpose-built tool watches with serious specs. The additional GMT functionality is a welcome upgrade to elevate the Alpinist already storied reputation as a superlative explorer and traveler’s watch. Whether you reach for the blue-dialed SPB377 or the black SPB379, you can be certain you are getting a reliable timepiece with a celebrated history. As always, we encourage you to join our rewards program to earn points and save with every purchase. The Windup Watch Shop team is also available to schedule a consultation with you and answer any questions you have. Today’s star is the Seiko Prospex Alpinist GMT, a fresh take on a cult classic. The SPB377 and SPB379 are based on the original 1959 Alpinist that became a full-blown phenomenon as watch collectors began to appreciate the watch’s toolish good looks and practicality. Today the Alpinist is positioned in the Seiko Prospex line, which is focused on purpose-built tool watches with serious specs. The additional GMT functionality is a welcome upgrade to elevate the Alpinist already storied reputation as a superlative explorer and traveler’s watch. Whether you reach for the...
Worn & Wound
The watch industry is rife with examples of watch brands turning to the past for new releases. The interest in vintage designs has led to some fun and unique long-forgotten or long-inaccessible designs finding a new audience. Consider the Timex World Time 1972 Reissue bringing some 70s funk to the 2020s. Or the Tudor Black Bay 54 giving Rolex Submariner fans the closest thing you can get to an original Sub without spending tens of thousands of dollars. And now, in the last few years watch brands have seen fit to revisit one of the most interesting and obscure vintage designs out there: the California dial. The California dial is the nickname given to watches that have Roman numerals on the upper half of the watch and Arabic on the lower half, typically with lines at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock spots and a triangle at the 12. This unique dial has a strong association with Panerai, which has featured watches with the dial in its catalog for some time now, but, like many developments in watchmaking, it was actually created by Rolex. Patented in 1942, the dial was originally known as the “error-proof” dial, designed to be more easily read because the different style numerals “clearly distinguishes these two halves” of the watch and “the Roman numerals chosen are those which are the simplest to perform and the easiest to read.” (Seems unnecessary, but it certainly wound up looking cool.) The modern PAM01349 The error-proof dial picked up the “California” moniker w...
SJX Watches
Half a century ago, Casio unveiled the Casiotron QW02, the brand’s very first digital watch. Showing the time, month, date, and day of the week – with the calendar being “perpetual” – the Casiotron was a landmark and the ancestor of the G-Shock, one of the bestselling watches of all time. Now it has been revived Casiotron “50th Anniversary”, a limited edition that preserves the looks of the dinky original but enhanced with modern build quality and technology, including a solar-powered movement with smartphone connectivity. It is essentially a cutting-edge electronic watch in vintage dress. Initial thoughts As a Casio fan, I recognise the importance of the Casiotron, even though it is an inexpensive watch. It established the benchmark for digital electronic watches with its clean display and multi-functionality. Casio got it right by resurrecting this iconic retro design with contemporary upgrades, particularly since the 1970s styling harmonises with current preferences for integrated bracelets. The remake wisely retains the original design, right down to the fluted inner flange and applied logo. But the electronics are entirely 21st century, with the movement featuring the same solar-power module found in many modern-day Casio and G-Shock models. The Casiotron remake costs US$500, affordable in itself but pricier than Casio’s own digital offerings and also a fifth more expensive than the Tissot PRX Digital. However, the premium is justified simply because...
Monochrome
Drawing on its historical references, Vulcain has been building a strategy to resurrect its emblematic past collections. The newly added series is inspired by the elegant Vulcain Grand Prix watch from the 1960s. The original timepiece was introduced to commemorate the prestigious award bestowed upon the brand at the Barcelona International Exposition from May 29th, […]
Worn & Wound
You’ve got two options. First, you can craft or find a device that can bend space and time so that you can travel back to an alternate universe in which the MIL-W-46374F Type 6 SANDY 660 was widely issued and battle-worn, and readily available. Second, you could just pay closer attention to what Tornek Rayville (under its current MKII Watch umbrella) is doing and snag a version that’s better than the slightly obscure original. Maybe I’ve been reading too much science fiction lately, but as fun as the first option sounds, the second option is probably the right move. Today, we’re looking at Tornek-Rayville’s take on a lesser-known mil-spec watch with a short-lived history of service but plenty of potential. The spec called out for a navigator-style watch with a rotating bezel, quartz movement with antimagnetic properties, water resistance, and a focus on legibility. The TR Type 7B “Blakjak” is a modern take on the post Gulf War-era watch that improves upon the spec while adding some premium touches that us watch collectors will appreciate. Let’s dig in and take a closer look at the latest and greatest from Tornek Rayville. Case The first thing that struck me when unboxing the watch was the sheer size and weight of it. The 7B ships on a quick-release stainless steel bracelet and includes a nylon and rubber strap. I took it off the bracelet and popped it onto a nylon strap of my own for the initial evaluation. My wrist is pretty average, measuring in at 6.75...
SJX Watches
In an unsurprising move given recent fads, Piaget just announced the Polo 79, a yellow gold wristwatch that is essentially a remake of the original, with a slightly larger case that captures the proportions of the original and an impressively slim movement. Initial thoughts The Polo 79 is a predictable launch, coming shortly after the Vacheron Constantin 222 and IWC Ingenieur, which are of course products of Piaget’s sister companies. The new Polo sticks to the same formula, gently updating the aesthetics and installing a new movement, but largely preserving the same design. So the Polo 79 can’t be commended for creativity, but it is executed well. That said, creating a new design in the spirit of the original – namely geometric forms, slim, and sporty – would have certainly made it a more interesting watch. The Polo 79 is slightly larger than the original, but substantially thicker thanks to a self-winding movement. The original, on the other hand, was equipped with the quartz cal. 7P, an incredibly thin movement that fit the trends of the time. The increase in size means the new Polo feels like a bulked up version of the original, which was small and flat in keeping with 1980s style. To accommodate modern tastes, the Polo 79 sacrifices the thinness of the original. That is regrettable but forgivable, since it would not be possible to achieve sufficient water resistance (the Polo 79 is rated to 50 m) as well as automatic winding in the dimensions of the original c...
Fratello
The original Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II 1655 that debuted in 1971 is probably my favorite Rolex watch of all time. I wish I’d felt the same in the mid-1980s when you could pick up an unloved “Freccione” at a huge discount. Unfortunately, I only started warming up to the Explorer II with its steel […] Visit This Monday Morning, I Realized I Should Have Bought The Black-Dial Rolex Explorer II 16570 Instead Of The White One to read the full article.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Grand Seiko has released a new 9F-powered version of their famous "Snowflake" model for 2024. How does it stack up against the classic Spring Drive original?
Teddy Baldassarre
Since its landmark release in 1983, the Casio G-Shock has represented perhaps the watch world’s purest expression of high technology blended with trendsetting style. With more than 40 years on the market, the original “world’s toughest watch” today can claim its own hardcore cadre of fans and collectors; its diverse collection spans digital, analog, and ana-digi models, boasts levels of cutting-edge technology that few watch brands can equal, and still offers timepieces at prices accessible to just about everyone. Here is the story of how the G-Shock began, how it rose from humble beginnings to become a pop cultural institution, and why it's now a model that many serious watch collectors have begun to embrace. Foundations of Casio Like many successful businesses, the Casio Computer Company, based in Shibuya, Japan, traces its origins to a resourceful innovator and a niche product that met a heretofore unfilled consumer demand. Originally founded as Kashio Seisakujo in 1946, by a technical engineer named Tadao Kashio (pictured above with his younger brothers, and fellow founders, Toshio, Kazuo, and Yukio), the company’s breakthrough product was the yubiwa pipe, a finger-mounted, ring-shaped cigarette holder that allowed a smoker (of which there were many in Japan) to smoke the cigarette down to its nib without burning one’s fingers. In postwar Japan, cigarettes were a valuable commodity not to be wasted, or to be disposed of before consuming their entirety, ...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
A full review of the charming Timex Expedition T5K463 "Atlantis". Check it out to catch detailed specs, our analysis, and original photos.
Monochrome
Despite offering a plethora of well-designed and attractively priced watches, coupled with a rich history, Junghans relishes its somewhat under-the-radar reputation. Integral to Junghans’ contemporary image are the original Meister timepieces dating back to the 1930s and the iconic Max Bill collection, which debuted in the 1960s when the esteemed Bauhaus designer collaborated with the […]
SJX Watches
Grand Seiko is celebrating the 20th anniversary of 9R Spring Drive movement with a pair of limited editions featuring dials inspired by the sunrise at Mount Hotaka, a peak near the Grand Seiko workshop in Shiojiri. The first model is the Heritage Collection Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary “Pink Snowflake” (SBGA497) that revisits the first ever watch model with the 9R but with the trademark “snowflake” dial in pink. And the second is the Sports Collection Spring Drive GMT Caliber 9R 20th Anniversary (SBGE305) combining a black ceramic bezel with a dark red sunburst dial. Initial Thoughts The invention of the Spring Drive calibre is arguably one of Seiko’s most important achievements. It encompasses most of the advantages of mechanical movement while retaining the accuracy of quartz. Similar to a fully mechanical movement, it is powered by a spring rather than a battery, while timekeeping is regulated by a quartz crystal. As the first-ever commercially available Spring Drive variant, 9R marks an important feat for Grand Seiko. Nevertheless, despite the two new releases being celebratory models for the 20th anniversary of the 9R Spring Drive movement, they don’t seem to offer anything remarkable or unprecedented. Rather, the choice of a Hotaka mountain-inspired dial for both watches seems cliche, considering how pink and red colour dials have been relatively common in the brand’s catalogue. Plus, the inspiration behind Grand Seiko’s dial seems rather repetitive, a...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Reviewing the Raketa Polar 0270 reissue. Get insights from the watch's owner along with specs and original photography.
Fratello
This is the story of how a group of mates in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) banded together to turn their horological dream - an homage to an original RAAF watch - into a reality. If you have an interest in special military timepieces, this one is for you. It should come as no […] Visit The Story Behind A Special Royal Australian Air Force IWC Timepiece to read the full article.
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