Hodinkee
Hands-On: Victorinox’s Latest Titanium Diver – The Dive Pro
An industrial tool dive watch straight out of the land-locked hills of Switzerland.
Results for Snowflake Hands
3,923 articles · 384 videos found · page 82 of 144
Hodinkee
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Tudor Pelagos FXD 'Cycling Edition'
Can you get into this new cycling-inspired Tudor like riding a bike, no matter how unseriously you ride?
Monochrome
Hands-on – Love at First Sight, the Chopard L.U.C XPS Forest Green
Most days, you’ll catch me wearing a dive watch or a classic chronograph. This is what I most enjoy as a watch collector (yes, we are first and foremost watch fans at MONO). I like to wear watches that I don’t have to worry about, and I love a timepiece with some heft. Not necessarily […]
Monochrome
Hands-on – A Closer Look at the Sherpa OPS Compressor, with the Newest TRTS Edition
This task is no easy feat, for the story unravels like a rich tapestry woven with history, adventure, and revival. The latest Sherpa offering is the uncoated edition of the OPS, a version of a piece we reviewed last year alongside the Ultradive, made in collaboration with The Real Time Show (TRTS, a twice-weekly podcast). […]
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Updated Otsuka Lotec No.6 by Japanese Watchmaker Jiro Katayama
In May of this year, we introduced Jiro Katayama, an independent watchmaker from Japan, and his brand Otsuka Lotec, which, despite its distribution being limited exclusively to his home country, has gained recognition across the continents. We had the pleasure of experiencing one of his models, the recently updated Otsuka Lotec No.6, and here are […]
SJX Watches
Hands On: Tudor Black Bay 41 Ref. 7941A1A0NU
Among Tudor’s new releases for 2024, the most conservative is undoubtedly the Black Bay 41 METAS ref. 7941A1A0NU, which offers a monochrome, black-and-white alternative to the gilt-and-burgundy ref. M7941A1A0RU-0003 introduced last year. Initial thoughts The new Black Bay 41 (BB41) feels instantly familiar. In fact, it’s a little surprising that it wasn’t already in the collection, being about at straightforward as a contemporary dive watch can be. But what it lacks in surprise, it makes up for in simple, tangible quality. While the BB41 was the original Black Bay – launched a dozen years ago now – it now sits atop a range that also includes the smaller Black Bay 58 and even more compact Black Bay 54. The BB41 METAS’ dimensions of 41 mm by 13.6 mm thick mean it wears similar to a modern Rolex Submariner; those looking for vintage proportions should consider the BB58 and BB54. Of course, the big news is METAS certification for the MT5602-U movement, which now carries a “U” suffix to identify it as a METAS-certified Master Chronometer. The differences from the standard MT5602 used to date are likely minimal, since the movement has always had a silicon hairspring, one of the most important features for resisting the METAS standard’s 15,000 gauss anti-magnetism test. The difference, therefore, is that the movement’s high-performance specs have been confirmed by an independent test. Tudor is all about value, and the BB41 METAS is no exception. Available with...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hands-On Video Review: The Archimede 1950-4
A video review featuring the slim and manually-wound Archimede 1950-4. Check out the review for photos, pricing, specs, and our opinion.
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: the Haim Viajero Worldtimer
I’ll be honest, I started off my experience with the new Viajero coming from a pretty far off and distant place. No, not some cool and remote corner of the world, but as a person who was largely unfamiliar with both Haim as a brand and also the concept of a worldtimer. While I have a GMT in my personal collection, the idea of tracking several time zones via a worldtimer never seemed like something on my radar. Am I classy enough for this? Is a worldtimer even worth the typically large price tag that they command? I remember seeing an Omega worldtimer that was pretty cool…oh right, that’s pushing $10k and not exactly at the top of my spend-ten-thousand-dollars-on-a-watch list. When the Haim Viajero came across my desk, the first thing I thought was how interesting it is to get a worldtimer complication for a fair amount under a thousand bucks, and that’s exactly what the watch accomplishes. Pack your carryon and prepare for a few layovers, we’re going worldtiming. Case A 38.5mm diameter is a pretty nice spot to be if you’re a watch case. It often hits that goldilocks “just right” feeling, especially on my 6.75” wrist. At 45.5mm lug-to-lug and12mm tall, the watch is firmly in mid-sized territory. The Viajero is largely circular from the top down, featuring lugs that borrow heavily from the celebrated Vacheron Constantine “Cornes de Vache”. The result is nice and clean, and it looks as though the sharp, yet curved lugs are holding up the case in an ele...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Genus GNS2, Sleeker but Still Mechanically Fascinating
A masterpiece of ingenuity and complexity, the GNS1 dazzled the watchmaking scene with its incredible free-moving train travelling around the two central counters on the dial like a mechanical caterpillar. Marking the indie brand’s debut in 2019, the GNS1 was ten years in the making and protected by two patents. Earlier this year, Genus introduced […]
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: Four Flavors of the Nomos Tangente 38 Date Limited Editions
Earlier this year, Nomos released thirty-one separate limited edition versions of their Tangente 38 Date. If you ask most collectors and enthusiasts, the Tangente is the brand’s most recognizable design, and is usually found in somewhat staid and traditional colorways. That’s what made these limited editions so interesting. Here, all of a sudden, were thirty-one widely different and colorful executions of a design that many of us know like the back of our hand. We recently had four different examples of these LEs pass through our office, so we thought it would be a good excuse to send these watches out to our contributors to get their take. Here are first impressions from contributors Nathan Schultz, Griffin Bartsch, and Chris Antzoulis, as well as Managing Editor Zach Kazan. Nathan Schultz – Mauvegrün In just a few short years, Nomos transitioned from one of those best kept secret brands to becoming a prominent fan-favorite. Yet, as my enthusiast peers seemed to grow more excited with each minimalist release, my personal feelings toward the brand have remained relatively lukewarm. Don’t get me wrong, I find the elegant Bauhaus design at the center of their entire catalog to be charming. It’s just… subdued. Prior to Watches and Wonders 2024, their most exciting line was probably the Metro which features a colorful small seconds hand. But when the most vibrant (if you could call it that) dial is actually called “muted” red, it’s fair to say garnering exci...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: Revisiting Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak Offshore Grand Complication
Nearly thirty years later, some things have changed for the Royal Oak Grand Comps, and many things remain the same. But you can count on one thing: they're ridiculous in the best way.
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Breakpoint Watch… The Entirely New Bremont Supermarine 300m
Let’s go straight to the point. Bremont, one of the foremost British watch brands, is changing. The founding brothers, Nick and Giles English, are no longer the faces of the company, which has had a new CEO for about a year now: Davide Cerrato. As expected, his arrival has meant a new strategy, starting with […]
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner Concept Minute Repeater Tourbillon Blue Enamel
The Streamliner gets more complicated than ever before.
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Delightful Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Minerva Monopusher Chronograph
This spring, Montblanc introduced the latest addition to the Unveiled Minerva series, the Unveiled Minerva Monopusher Chronograph. Like the 2022-2023 releases, the Unveiled Secret Minerva Monopusher Chronographs, it showcases the beautiful mechanics of the underlying movement in an exciting and visually captivating way. The new Unveiled Minerva Monopusher Chronograph continues the inverted calibre concept with […]
SJX Watches
Hands On: F.P. Journe Élégante “Gino’s Dream”
Now a legend in his own time, François-Paul Journe is an independent watchmaker who has created some of the most complicated and most ingenious timepieces in contemporary watchmaking. But having quietly previewed it last year, Mr Journe finally launched a watch that is, on its face, surprising for his brand: the Élégante Gino’s Dream. Many brands have “rainbow” watches in their catalogues, but as is always the case with Mr Journe, his “rainbow” creation is done his own inimitable way. Based on his inventive quartz watch, the Élégante Gino’s Dream is set with synthetic gemstones of glass-ceramic composite. The colours and model name are a tribute to the late Gino Cukrowicz (1959-2021), one of Mr Journe’s best friends and a longtime business partner. Initial thoughts With the popularity – and value – of “rainbow” watches, it seems like every watch brand has one in its line-up, from the Patek Philippe Aquanaut minute repeater in rainbow stones from end to end to Tudor’s special edition for the VCARB Formula 1 team. So an F.P. Journe in those colours isn’t surprising, yet the Élégante “Gino’s Dream” is unexpected. As with much he has done, Mr Journe didn’t do a “rainbow” like anyone else. Instead of an exceptionally expensive gem-set watch – a favoured approach as a sure way to increase revenue without boosting production – he created something entry-level, more or less. And the watch has a deeply personal aspect to it – Gino...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Revised TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Date
Following a complete and welcomed overhaul of the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 Automatic collection in 2021, last month the brand introduced its latest updated models in the series, with five new Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and three Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT versions, with captivating new dials, slightly reduced case sizes, and powered by the […]
Hodinkee
Hands-On: Longines Legend Diver – Back And Better At 39mm
Down-sizing Longines' heritage dive watch makes all the difference.
Monochrome
Hands-on – The New MeisterSinger Neo Collection Exemplifies the Beauty of Simplicity
For obvious reasons, the watch world tends to glorify complexity and the accumulation of functions into a single watch. We, at MONOCHROME, are no better than the rest of the crowd and we can spend days contemplating a Grande Complication watch, or a timepiece with a novel, ultra-complex escapment. However, we also tend to forget […]
![[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Anoma A1](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2024/06/ANOMA_A1_9.jpg)
Worn & Wound
[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Anoma A1
The age of the circular watch has ended. The mid-century divers, chronographs, and Calatravas are out. Ok, not really, but it looks like shaped, asymmetric, and sculptural watches are the next coming trend. Kicking this new era off have been a few releases ranging from the high-end and exclusive by Berneron to the mid-tier and provocative by Toledano + Chan to the relatively accessible yet exotic Anoma, whose first watch I’ve had the chance to spend some time with. On June 6th, 2024, Anoma Watches launched the A1, an asymmetrical, triangular-shaped watch with an appealing, soft look. Like a weathered pebble of polished steel, the A1 mixes a sense of mid-century watch and industrial design with a modern sensibility, preventing it from feeling like a pastiche recreation. Well-sized at around 38mm and with a vibrant blue dial with a green tint, it’s a memorable launch from a new brand. In the video below, I discuss the brand, the context of the A1’s launch, the design, and what it’s like to wear it. As this is the only shaped watch I’ve ever worn for any period, it was an interesting experience. At first, it was a bit jarring, perhaps, but its quirky charm won me over. With collectors, new and old, having more choices and easier access to watches than ever, brands need to offer something that will stand out yet not be just a novelty. With the A1, Anoma has achieved this, at least in my opinion. Priced at £1,300, or about $1,650 USD, the Anoma A1 is available for pr...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Slimmer and Smaller Byrne Gyro Dial Meca
Customisation has fast become a watch industry standard, offering buyers a host of case materials, dial colours, strap options, etc… However, it’s not often that you come across a watch with four different faces, or rather, four different fonts for four revolving numerals on the dial. Designer and former watch restorer John Byrne’s Gyro Dial […]
Monochrome
Hands-on – Chasing Cancellara and Testing the Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Cycling Edition
Two years ago, Tudor announced its entry into the world of cycling, partnering with cycling legend Fabian Cancellara to create the Tudor Pro Cycling Team. Tudor soon developed a special edition Black Bay Chrono Dark for the team, which we discovered during a training camp with the team in early 2023. Just a few weeks […]
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Chopard L.U.C XPS And L.U.C Qualité Fleurier
A comparison of two solid new additions to Chopard's dressy high horology lineup.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Lange Datograph Up/Down 25th Anniversary
A. Lange & Söhne marks the 25th year of its landmark chronograph this year, with two commemorative editions so far – a tremendously expensive all-in-one edition and the relatively more accessible Datograph Up/Down 25th Anniversary. The first Datograph with a white gold case and also the first regular production model with a blue dial, the anniversary edition the result of a relatively modest cosmetic makeover – but unexpectedly compelling. Initial thoughts The Datograph in an imperfect watch – amongst other things it’s top heavy with a somewhat dated dial design – but it has an intrinsic appeal because its movement is outstanding. Even though it’s already 25 years old, the movement remains exceptional in terms of aesthetics. The fact that it’s 25 years old also makes the Datograph important, because Lange created such a movement long before such things became a thing. So the 25th anniversary of the Datograph is an occasion worth marking. Lange debuted two watches for the anniversary (with perhaps a third one to come): the complicated and expensive Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon Honeygold Lumen, and the more accessible Datograph 25th Anniversary. On its face the Datograph Up/Down seems a bit mundane for an anniversary watch. Both the blue dial and white gold case are unique for the Datograph, but together the watch doesn’t look or feel that different. But like the Datograph as a model, the anniversary edition is imperfect yet appealing. Though it is plain...
Monochrome
Hands-on – The Bold and Ultra-Modern Roger Dubuis Excalibur Titanium Monotourbillon
Mr Roger Dubuis founded his eponymous brand in 1995, swiftly achieving success with timepieces that deftly balance traditional watchmaking craftsmanship and bold, expressive designs. Since 2003, the brand has been renowned for its expertise in tourbillon watches, starting with the calibre RD03. This fully integrated manufacture has since become a specialist in architectural skeletonised tourbillons, […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hands-On Video Review: The Archimede Pilot 39
The Type A dial, Flieger-style pilot's watch has been something I've coveted since diving deep into the watch collecting hobby. If I'm not dreaming about some of the prohibitively priced stuff out there, I often think of some of the best affordable options if I were to make this kind of addition to the collection. A few names come to mind, but I've had a soft spot for Archimede since meeting them in San Francisco one year and photographing one of the coolest Archimede watches ever. As the in-house watch brand of the Ickler case company in Germany, Archimede produces some of the most well-crafted and affordable timepieces in this space while remaining family-owned. Today, we're looking at the Archimede Pilot 39, one of their most popular models, and a watch that I'm sad to say goodbye to after experiencing it on loan from Archimede.
SJX Watches
Hands On: Ulysse Nardin Freak S Nomad
For Ulysse Nardin, Watches & Wonders 2024 was all about the Freak S Nomad, which made its debut in a booth that featured a massive replica of the watch’s movement. While the Nomad is essentially just a new livery for an existing model, the aesthetic changes, which include a rotating guilloche dial, give the watch a sportier feel that suits the design. The Nomad is the second model in the Freak S collection after the original of 2022, and the latest in a long line of innovative watches that dates back to 2001. Interestingly, the Nomad is the first Freak to feature artisanal decoration, in the form of the guilloche dial, as compared to past models that have been more about technology than technique. Initial thoughts Mechanical watchmaking technology is fundamentally archaic, largely unchanged for more than a century. As a result, futuristically styled watches can easily come across as superficial. So it’s refreshing to consider the Nomad, which backs up its sci-fi styling with 21st-century materials and truly unique movement architecture that manages to be highly differentiated even a quarter-century after its launch. On paper, the Nomad is a large watch at 45 mm in diameter and 17 mm thick. Both of these numbers surprised me because after putting it on my wrist, it looks and feels smaller than it is. This is due, in part, to the lightweight titanium case, the muted colour palette, and the visual depth of the dial. Furthermore, the eye is naturally drawn to the central ...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Ming 37.08 'Starlight' With Aventurine Dial
The brand's time-only line gets a new, relatively affordable take on a captivating dial.
Deployant
New with hands-on Review: Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Smile-Day
Louis Erard partners with Alain Silberstein again to create the new Smile-Day Grey, using the iconic design language of shapes, colours and the emoticons.
![[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Raymond Weil Millesime Collection](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2024/06/RAYMOND_WEIL_18.jpg)
Worn & Wound
[VIDEO] Hands-On: the Raymond Weil Millesime Collection
Sometimes the little moments inform our collecting more than the big ones. A big moment might be the first time Dad trusted you to wear his watch. While formative, there’d be a lot more two-tone bracelets on Instagram if those moments drove purchasing decisions. My “big moment” came on my seventh birthday. After weeks of begging for a digital watch, I opened a package to be greeted by black resin and the coolest digital screen I’d ever laid eyes on. The subsequent victory lap through the kitchen resulted in a trip to urgent care. Though I still have the scar to remember the watch that unleashed the horological nerd within me, my watchbox is currently void of a single digital watch. On the contrary, little moments are constantly influencing how I think about and consume watches. These are often as simple as offhand remarks I hear at a meetup or a comment I read on Reddit. One of these little moments came while I was listening to Rico’s Watches Podcast a couple years ago. A RedBar chapter head was the week’s guest, and he made some brief, unflattering remarks about Raymond Weil. Sharing a story of buyer’s remorse, he cited a lack of demand on the secondary market and a design language that was an amalgamation of other brands rather than something original. These quick quips stuck with me. As a newer collector, I’d already discerned that anything with “mall watch” vibes might not receive the nod of approval from my enthusiast peers. And, having personally ...
Monochrome
Hands-on – Impressions about the Rubber-Clad AP Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding 43mm
Oversized watches are a thing of the past…? Well, on paper yes. For two to three years now, many brands have been scaling down their watches. Timepieces can move back to 40mm or sometimes even less. Yet, some models are made to be big and bold. 1990s and early 2000s Panerai, the IWC Big Pilot […]