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Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking

4,409 articles · 663 videos found · page 83 of 170

Rolex Bracelet Types Explained Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Aug 26, 2025

Rolex Bracelet Types Explained

Rolex has made many lasting contributions to the world of watchmaking since its foundation in 1905, not the least of which has been an array of massively popular and widely emulated bracelet designs. Here we take a close look at every type of Rolex bracelet, what makes it special, and which Rolex watches, if any, are using them today. Rolex Oyster Bracelet Rolex’s iconic Oyster bracelet is the template from which many other three-link bracelet styles have been drawn. Its name comes from its association with the Oyster case - introduced by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1926, and the most water-resistant watch case that had been made up to that point - and for which the original version of this bracelet served as an extension. Oyster bracelets are recognizable for their wide center links bordered by thinner end-links. Rolex patented the design in 1947 and fitted one on a watch in 1948. In the early versions, the links were riveted; these were phased out in favor of a “folding” style in 1967, which eventually gave way to the modern, solid-link style in 1975. Oyster bracelets come equipped with the accompanying Oysterlock clasp, a triple-deployant metal clasp with a safety-lock mechanism. Three-link bracelets like the Oyster and its various descendants are particularly popular on sports watches and dive watches, and this bracelet appears, as you’d expect on most of Rolex’s most popular “professional” models, including the Submariner, GMT-Master II, Explorer,...

Introducing – Vianney Halter and Massena LAB Launch the Old Soul Watch with Vintage Minerva Movement Monochrome
Massena Lab Launch Aug 26, 2025

Introducing – Vianney Halter and Massena LAB Launch the Old Soul Watch with Vintage Minerva Movement

The soul… This is what somehow defines independent watchmaking. Watches that have been designed and manufactured by individuals who have infused their soul into a timepiece that feels unique. On the topic of soul, design studio Massena LAB is presenting today its latest creation, a watch made with renowned and revered independent watchmaker Vianney Halter. […]

Introducing – The new Armin Strom Tribute 1 Sandstein Monochrome
Armin Strom Tribute 1 Sandstein Known Aug 26, 2025

Introducing – The new Armin Strom Tribute 1 Sandstein

Known for its complex watches with in-house movements using highly innovative solutions to improve accuracy, such as the spectacular resonance concept and the Gravity Equal Force, indie watchmaking brand Armin Strom decided in 2021 that it was time to offer something more focused, simpler, more elegant and yet distinctively its own. The result was the […]

Introducing: The Old Soul By Vianney Halter And Massena Lab Fratello
Massena Lab Over Aug 26, 2025

Introducing: The Old Soul By Vianney Halter And Massena Lab

Over the past few years, we have seen Massena Lab team up with several interesting brands. For this new creation, William Massena’s collaboration laboratory joined forces with Vianney Halter to produce the Old Soul. This timepiece blends the science fiction of steampunk with watchmaking references from the early 1900s. Additionally, it houses a vintage Minerva […] Visit Introducing: The Old Soul By Vianney Halter And Massena Lab to read the full article.

Maurice Lacroix Introduces the AIKONIC, a New Sporty Take on the Popular AIKON Models Worn & Wound
Maurice Lacroix Introduces Aug 25, 2025

Maurice Lacroix Introduces the AIKONIC, a New Sporty Take on the Popular AIKON Models

Since its inception in 2016, the AIKON line has been Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix’s bestselling collection. Nine years later, the brand is ready to kick it up a notch. The new aptly-named AIKONIC series packs updated mechanics and new materials into an upgraded case design with pops of color, promising innovation in the urban watch space while maintaining the original watch’s flavor. Does it land? Let’s take a look.  The first new aspect of note for the AIKONIC collection is the 43mm case; while it retains the familiar six double-wide “arms” around the bezel, a tactile grip cover is added to the crown. Both the bezel and the crown cover are composed of matt ceramic, which promises scratch-free usage for years to come. And while the case remains steel, it features both brushed and polished surfaces for visual and tactile complexity.  The carbon dial, too, is all-new on the AIKONIC. With carbon fiber strands running north to south in one direction as opposed to interwoven, each dial is slightly distinct from the next. Maurice Lacroix collaborated with a Swiss partner to create the dials, resulting in a construction that is fresh both structurally and aesthetically. The noth-south carbon pattern indeed gives each dial a vertical wave pattern, diversifying the design from both a textural and visual standpoint. Atop the dial sits silver text details, rhodium indices and second hand, and rhodium-facetted hour and minute hands. A sapphire crystal with anti-reflect...

First Look – The Ming 57.04 Iris, A Destro Monopusher Chronograph Launching the Fifth-Generation Design Monochrome
Ming Aug 25, 2025

First Look – The Ming 57.04 Iris, A Destro Monopusher Chronograph Launching the Fifth-Generation Design

Independent watchmaking thrives on daring ideas, and Ming is one of the few modern brands that embody this spirit vividly. Since its debut in 2017, the collective led by designer and photographer Ming Thein has built an impressive catalogue of over 75 references, each exploring a distinct facet of horology. The early 17-series brought the […]

Interview: Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling on the Past and Future SJX Watches
Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling Aug 25, 2025

Interview: Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling on the Past and Future

Appointed to the top job at Breguet just under a year ago, Gregory Kissling trained as a movement constructor and spent most of his career leading Omega’s product development. A native of the Vallee de Joux, Mr Kissling is now in charge of one of the most revered names in watchmaking, which this year celebrates its 250th year. Aided by his background in product and long tenure at Swatch Group, the parent of Breguet, Mr Kissling is off to a running start. He has already made his mark with anniversary editions like the Classic Souscription, a simple but smart creation I rate highly, and holds ambitions to elevate the brand to where it should be. He was recently in Singapore to open Breguet’s new boutique in Ion Orchard, a mall on the city’s premier shopping street, and I got my first face-to-face with him since he assumed the role. We discussed his plans for the brand founded by Abraham-Louis Breguet, ranging from an increased emphasis on artisanal craft, to Breguet design, and even one-off or custom watches. The interview was edited for length and clarity. SJX: You have one of the most interesting and exciting jobs in the Swiss watch industry; you have taken over one of its greatest brands. Gregory Kissling (GK): It is a fantastic brand and every day I learn something new [about its history]. The heritage and legacy are immense. And also the fact that Breguet has a true manufacture – we produce everything in house but also thanks to the sister company of Swatch Grou...

Prix Gaïa 2025 Awarded to Dr Helmut Crott for Scholarship SJX Watches
Aug 25, 2025

Prix Gaïa 2025 Awarded to Dr Helmut Crott for Scholarship

Awarded annually by the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH), one of Switzerland’s leading timekeeping museums, the Prix Gaïa recognises individuals who have contributed to watchmaking in three categories. This year’s winner in the “History [and] Research” category is Dr Helmut Crott. Best known for having founded the eponymous auction house, Dr Crott is also an author, scholar, and former owner of Urban Jürgensen, amongst other roles. In 2021 he authored Le Cadran, an in-depth study of dials and dial making techniques of 20th century wristwatches. Le Cadran by Dr Helmut Crott Past winners of the Prix Gaïa include Reinhard Meis, Jonathan Betts, Pierre-Yves Donzé, Kathleen Pritschard, and Ludwig Oechslin, all scholars and authors who have contributed substantively to the body of knowledge in the field. Alongside Dr Crott, this year’s winners are Jean-Jacques Paolini for “Entrepreneurship”, and Roger W. Smith for “Craftsmanship [and] Creation”. As the successor to Georges Daniels’ brand of English watchmaking, Mr Smith now produces watches under his own name, with his achievements and timepieces well known. Jean-Jacques Paolini Mr Paolini, on the other hand, is less known outside the industry, but he is arguably most responsible for building the enterprise that’s the largest employer in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1980, Mr Paolini took over his family’s case and bracelet manufacturing business, developing its operations sufficiently that it was acq...

First Look – The new Holthinrichs Signature Ornament LAB Series 1.24 Monochrome
Holthinrichs Signature Ornament LAB Series Aug 24, 2025

First Look – The new Holthinrichs Signature Ornament LAB Series 1.24

Headquartered in the historical centre of Delft, The Netherlands, Holthinrichs Watches, named after its founder Michiel Holthinrichs, is one of the rising stars of the indie watchmaking scene. The brand has a truly unique approach to design and manufacturing, combining advanced metal printing techniques (yes, 3D printed cases are THE signature feature there) with high-end […]

Louis Erard Introduces the Gravée Main, with a Fully Engraved Case Worn & Wound
Louis Erard Introduces Aug 22, 2025

Louis Erard Introduces the Gravée Main, with a Fully Engraved Case

Of all the artisanal specialities in watchmaking, case engraving has to be among the most obscure and unheralded. I think there are a few reasons for this. One, the dial is where the action is on most watches, and applying a time consuming artistic craft on the case might be seen by some watchmakers as a waste of valuable time. Another factor is that to a large extent, we’ve all been trained to appreciate a particular type of case finishing. We see crisp transitions between brushed and polished surfaces, and that registers as being of a certain level of quality that we expect in a luxury watch. If those elements aren’t there, even if they’re substituted by something that might be visually striking, our reptile brains feel like there’s something missing. The latest in Louis Erard’s ongoing Métiers d’Art series, however, is a good opportunity to appreciate complex case engraving in a new way.  The whole idea behind how Louis Erard approaches Métiers d’Art, and to a certain extent the brand’s focus more generally, is to make craft accessible. The new Gravée Main is perhaps their most ambitious attempt in this area to date. Virtually every steel surface (the case, bezel, lugs, crown, and buckle) is hand engraved. According to the brand, each watch takes upwards of 50 hours to engrave by hand, and only 99 will be made.  Engraving is one of those things that really comes alive when you look at it closely and imagine that painstaking work that went into creat...

"Are Tissot Watches Good?" Teddy Baldassarre
Tissot Aug 20, 2025

"Are Tissot Watches Good?"

Tissot is one of the world's largest Swiss watchmakers and can look back on a rich history upon which it is still building today. In the modern era, Tissot is widely known for its large and diverse portfolio of watches, which ranges from dressy to sporty to high-tech, for its high-profile sports timing presence, and for its incredible value for the money. But there is a lot more that you may not know about Tissot and its many contributions to watchmaking history. Here, we delve into the highlights and tackle the easily answerable question of "are Tissot watches good?". (And if you're interested in learning more about particular Tissot Watches that are available now, check out our companion article on the Best Tissot Watches for Men.) Tissot’s Watchmaking Milestones Began in 1853 Tissot is one of the oldest watch manufacturers in the world, tracing its history back to 1853. Its founders were the father-son watchmaking team of Charles-Félicien and Charles-Émile Tissot, who turned their home in the Swiss Jura town of Le Locle, where the company remains headquartered today, into a small factory. By 1858, the family firm had gained a major foothold in Tsarist Russia, which became the largest market for the savonette pocket watches that were its specialty at the time. (At one point, Charles-Émile’s son, Charles Tissot, the third generation of the Tissot family to join the business, moved to Moscow to open an office there.) Tissot is recognized as the producer of the first...

Introducing – The New Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in Pink Gold Monochrome
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph Aug 19, 2025

Introducing – The New Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in Pink Gold

Roger Dubuis introduced the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in 2023, debuting it in a lightweight carbon case inspired by supercar engineering and embodying the brand’s vision of hyper horology – bold, expressive, and technically advanced watchmaking. Also in 2023, the Excalibur Spider Revuelto Flyback Chronograph was unveiled alongside the launch of the actual Lamborghini Revuelto. […]

Hands-On With The New Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II Fratello
Oris Aquis New York Harbor Aug 19, 2025

Hands-On With The New Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II

We know Oris as a watchmaking company dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and supporting good causes around the globe. Today, I got a chance to go hands-on with the brand’s latest effort in that spirit. This is the Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II. This 2,000-piece limited edition supports the Billion Oyster […] Visit Hands-On With The New Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II to read the full article.

The 15 Best British Watch Brands (2026) Teddy Baldassarre
Aug 18, 2025

The 15 Best British Watch Brands (2026)

While Switzerland is regarded today as the world leader of watchmaking, Great Britain can lay claim to a wealth of horological milestones throughout its history as well. From Thomas Mudge’s development of the lever escapement in 1755 to John Harrison’s invention of the marine chronometer in 1759 to the innovations of clockmaker Thomas Tompion and his protegé George Graham in the areas of science and astronomy, England was an undisputed leader in timekeeping throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The 20th century brought the decline of the British Empire and, with it, British watchmaking, as nations like Switzerland, Germany, and (for a while) the United States stepped in with modern mass-production techniques while the Brits held fast to traditional, artisanal methods. The United Kingdom essentially ceased being a major producer of timepieces by the end of World War II, but as the 21st Century dawned, a handful of entrepreneurial Britons have made great strides in bringing high-end watchmaking back to their native land, establishing new brands - and in some cases, resurrecting old ones - to make watches that appeal to today’s discerning enthusiasts in the U.K. and across the world. Whether the focus is military-style tool watches, avant-garde complications at approachable prices, or ultra-high-end pieces for well-heeled collectors, each brand boasts an identity that is proudly British and at the same time distinct from its peers. Here are 15 British watch bran...