Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Baltic x Perpétuel Gallery Tropical Tricompax Is The Duo's Best Release Yet
It's a Middle East-twist on the microbrand-meets-vintage format that I immediately fell in love with.
4,363 articles · 1,785 videos found · page 87 of 205
Hodinkee
It's a Middle East-twist on the microbrand-meets-vintage format that I immediately fell in love with.
Worn & Wound
Zenith has teamed up with our friends at Time & Tide for a second time to release a new Defy Skyline dubbed the Night Surfer 2. The theme began with the Defy Classic in the original Night Surfer released in 2021, playing with black and blue tones around the openworked dial and case. The Defy Skyline Skeleton replaces the outgoing Classic, a move we may not be entirely comfortable with just yet, but the Night Surfer colorway works equally well here with the redesigned dial and frantic running seconds hand at 6 o’clock. This is a watch we’ve looked at in-depth in both its closed dial, and open dial forms, and this might be the biggest personality we’ve seen from this watch to date. Night Surfer 1 at right, Night Surfer 2 at left We see plenty of blue dials in the watch world and I’d count this as one of the more interesting executions. Like the original, the new four-pointed star structure that comprises the center of the dial is treated to a dynamic application of blue that is darker toward the top, and lighter toward the bottom, with the center of the bridge structure bifurcated by a white line creating a sharp contrast to the deep blues underneath. It’s a visually striking dial as a whole that’s framed by the uniformly finished matte titanium case and bracelet. The 41mm case is angular, without a curve in sight. It’s aggressive in a way, but the dark finish it’s received here means it doesn’t interfere with the dial. It’s the same story with the brac...
Worn & Wound
Oris expands their ProPilot X collection this week at the Dubai Watch Week event, with the introduction of the ProPilot X Laser. The watch continues with the theme of the ProPilot X, bringing the same trim titanium case and bracelet to the party, but this time mated to a very different dial experience than we’ve seen before in this collection. There are big changes and some smaller ones that we appreciate seeing here, as this represents the biggest departure from the standard trio introduced last year. Oris has never been afraid to wade into experimental waters with their dials, and this ProPilot X continues that trend in a new way. The latest ProPilot X is called Laser thanks to the technique used to create its dial, a method which Oris claims has not been applied in watchmaking before. Oris enlisted the help of a research lab affiliated to the prestigious ETH Zürich university to bring the concept to life. The result is something bordering ethereal in person, with a constantly changing palette of colors rendered in the unique texture. The iridescent effect is quite powerful and Oris has demonstrated a deft hand in making sure it’s the focal point of this watch. We’ve been spoiled by some truly amazing dial creations in recent years from the likes of Grand Seiko, Czapek, Arcanaut, and yes, even Oris. My first thought upon seeing a truly compelling dial is to how it fits in with the rest of the watch. For instance, the Arcanaut Arc II Fordite boasts a unique color...
Hodinkee
Drawing on Büsser's love of 1960s design, the new watch has more rooms than a New York City apartment and is one of the most fascinating MB&F; designs yet.
Deployant
MB&F; adds to their Horological Machine collection with the new HM11 "Architect", and introducing their 21st caliber, inspired by architecture of the 1960s.
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SJX Watches
Unveiled barely a week after the reasonably traditional Minute Repeater Alarm ref. 1938P, the Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater ref. 5260 is unexpected, over the top, and entirely logical. It’s available in two variants, the simpler ref. 5260/355R-001 on a strap and the no-expense-spared ref. 5260/1455R-001 that’s set with gemstones on practically every surface, even the hour and minute hands. Now the most expensive ladies’ watch in the Patek Philippe catalogue – the ref. 5260/1455R-001 on bracelet costs CHF2.5 million with taxes – the ref. 5260 is a first in several ways. It’s the first Patek Philippe sports model with a minute repeater, and also the first ladies’ sports model with a “grand” complication. In fact, the ref. 5260 is the most complicated sports model of any kind, with the next-most-complicated being the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar ref. 5740. The ref. 5260/1455R-001 Initial thoughts I can certainly comprehend the appeal of the ref. 5260, even though it’s evidently not a watch catered to me. As far as crazily over-the-top ladies watches with impressive sertissage and impeccable horological credentials go, it doesn’t get any better than this. Mechanically the ref. 5260 is identical to Patek Philippe’s revered minute repeating models since it is powered by the R 27, the longstanding self-winding movement found in the current ref. 5178 and all the way back to the ref. 3979. In acoustic and watchmaking terms, the Aquanaut repeater...
Hodinkee
Less than 10 Film Compax examples are known; this week, another one appears.
SJX Watches
Much lauded at its launch last year, the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronomètre Contemporain II (RRCC II) was originally available only in two guises of rose gold or platinum, each with a matching enamel now. Now Rexhep Rexhepi has quietly debuted a small run of the RRCC II in the same metals with gemstone hour markers to match. The platinum version features a black enamel dial with baguette-cut diamond indices that give it a stark, formal beauty. And the rose gold model has a cream enamel dial with ruby markers. Initial thoughts Discreetly glamorous gentlemen’s watches with diamond hour markers are a well established tradition in watchmaking, particularly so during the mid-20th century at high-end brands like Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. The new RRCC II is clearly a reference to such historical watches. Despite being a modern watch, and clearly recognisable as such, the diamond-set RRCC II manages to capture the subtle, elegant nature of its historical inspiration thanks to its compact case with graceful lugs inspired by vintage Patek Philippe models, including this ref. 2551. A possibly unique Patek Philippe ref. 2551 dating from 1957 with a white gold case and diamond indices that sold for almost CHF360,000 at Phillips in 2022 Interestingly, even though the RRCC II was not originally conceived as a gem-set watch, the dial accommodates the diamond hour markers perfectly. The glossy surface of the enamel dial complements the diamonds’ sparkle, while the alternating track ...
Worn & Wound
Oris has a seriously capable modern diver on their hands with the Aquis. What’s more, they’ve created an original design that’s easily associated with the brand in the process. Oris have dabbled into more niche diver territory with things like the Aquis Depth Gauge, but never into extreme realms. Until now, that is. This year, Oris has upgraded the Aquis Pro from a 1000M diver, to a 4000M diver. The change doesn’t make much practical difference for most of us, but adds a heap of bragging rights to the Aquis name as it joins some elite company in the world of ultra-deep divers. The new Aquis Pro is a statement from Oris, and places the watch within a unique niche of the dive acth genre in the process. Ultra deep dive watches are a strange breed. Not only are they tricky to design and build, they’re also quite hard to pressure test properly without highly specialized equipment. We’ve seen brands go as far as building their own apparatus to validate depth ratings, particularly as they go beyond 3,000 meters, or 10,000 feet. In the case of the deepest divers, like the Omega Planet Ocean Ultra Deep and the Rolex Deepsea Challenge, which both go well beyond 10,000 meters, or 30,000 feet, pressure testing is rigorous and complex, and can even involve real world validation strapped to the exterior of vessels traveling to the depths of the sea. $6200 [VIDEO] Hands-On With the Extreme Oris Aquis Pro 4000M Case Titanium Movement Oris caliber 400 Dial Blue wave degrade L...
Worn & Wound
Former Olympic cycling coach Dave Brailsford once said, “If you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improved it by 1%, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together”. The new Bell & Ross BR 03 features several small tweaks to its most iconic line of watches, and although not every modification is objectively ‘better’, the combination of all of the changes give us a watch that somehow feels less intense and therefore significantly more wearable. I’ve spent some time with the new BR 03 Military Ceramic to work out just what makes it feel so different. On the face of it, not much has changed. A reduction in case diameter from 42mm all the way down to 41mm isn’t earth-shattering. Without seeing the two side by side you would be hard-pressed to know which one you are looking at. The other case changes are just as subtle. The shape has been altered slightly to round the corners a little more. The introduction of the BR 05 in 2019 saw a much softer ‘square’ shape from Bell and Ross. The new BR 03 remains much closer to the square instrument panel shape the brand is famous for, but the silhouette reshaping is one of those 1% changes mentioned above. $4300 Hands-On: the New, Smaller, Bell & Ross BR 03 Case Micro Blasted ceramic Movement BR-CAL.302 Dial Khaki Lume Numerals and hands Lens Sapphire Strap Khaki rubber Water Resistance 100 meters Dimensions 41 x 50mm Thickness 10.6mm Lug Width 24mm Crown Pu...
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Worn & Wound
When you look at Baltic’s lineup, you may have noticed the absence of a field watch. After tackling dive watches, GMTs, and other platforms, all with an eye toward a specific type of vintage elegance, Baltic has released the Hermetique Tourer - their take on the classic go-anywhere, do-anything field watch. Field watches are great, don’t get me wrong, but when so many are built to a specific military specification, they start to get a little bit stale. That’s not the case at all with Baltic’s newest field-ready wrist companion. The Hermétique takes those classic defining elements of a field watch and elevates them with style to fit Baltic’s overall aesthetic. Let’s jump in and take a closer look at this fun, reasonably-priced, and feature-packed entry into a new category of watches from Paris’ own Baltic Watches. $590 Hands-On: the Baltic Hermetique Tourer Case Stainless steel Movement Miyota 9039 Dial Green Lume Yes, hands and markers Lens Sapphire Strap Tropic rubber, stainless bracelet Water Resistance 150 meters Dimensions 37 x 46mm Thickness 10.8mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Integrated, push down Warranty Yes Price $590 Case At first glance, the 37mm case looks surprisingly sleek. In case you missed it, the crown on the right side of the case pushes in to a point where it’s flush with the lines of the case, giving the Hermétique a largely circular appearance. While we tend to praise field and pilot watches for their large, accessible crowns, it’s nic...
Worn & Wound
We love a good riff on an existing concept around here, and there’s one candidate in particular that’s ripe for experimentation. The Oris Divers 65 (of Divers Sixty-Five if you’re not into the whole brevity thing) has proven rather malleable in recent years, hosting a variety of colorways, material combinations, dial designs, and even movements. And to its credit, all of them seem to work pretty well. Enter Collective Horology, who are using this watch as a base to their latest collaboration, the C.04, in a shaggy ‘70s inspired take on the watch dubbed, naturally, the Divers Seventy-Five. The Divers Seventy-Five brings back the dateless dial with the retro Arabic numerals marking the cardinal hours. The design feels right at home in the new color scheme, which consists of brown and orange tones throughout the steel case and bracelet. The result is a look that certainly won’t be for everyone, but offers one of the more inventive takes on the watch we’ve seen yet. The color scheme at work here takes inspiration from ‘70s California design according to Asher Rapkin and Gabe Reilly of the Collective, and when set into that context, takes on a slightly different character than your typical brown dial or two-tone watch. The Divers Seventy-Five is built into a 40mm steel case that’s accented by Oris’ bronze bezel and affixed to their bi-metal steel and bronze bracelet, leaning fully into the funky vibes that start at the dial. This is a case we’re fond of ar...
Worn & Wound
“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. This week’s Watches, Stories, and Gear is sponsored by Citizen. Check out the Citizen Promaster Skyhawk Collection below. Share your story ideas or interesting finds by emailing us at info@wornandwound.com The Tactile Turn Nitro If you’re not yet familiar with Tactile Turn, well, now is the time. They make some of our favorite pens, fully machined in-house at their Texas facilities, with a unique finely ribbed finish that’s just a pleasure in hand. Their latest seasonal release, the Nitro, just hit their website, and is available for pre-order through December 31. The side click pen is milled from titanium, and has a brown Cerakote coating that evokes your morning coffee. There are plenty of little details throughout that make this one special, including a laser engraved, anodized lightning bolt mug icon on the clip, and metallic gold paint mixed into the coating to give it extra depth and luster. Head over to Tactile Turn for more info, and to place an order. The Citizen Promaster Skyhawk Citizen’s Promaster Air collection takes style, versatility, and performance to new heights with the new Promaster Skyhawk. With cutting-edge durability, accuracy, and perfo...
Hodinkee
Taking the tried-and-true S302 diver and making it a bit more ready for the road.
SJX Watches
Arguably the most storied Rolex model in history, more so than the “Paul Newman” Daytona, the ref. 6062 triple calendar is beautiful, and unusually for Rolex, complicated. At the same time, the ref. 6062 boasts the trademark water-resistant Oyster case, something that its closest cousin, the ref. 8171 “Padellone” triple calendar, lacks. Soon to go under the hammer at Phillips in Geneva is a particularly impressive example of the ref. 6062. While there have been more storied examples of the ref. 6062 sold in recent years – including the “Bao Dai” owned by the last emperor of Vietnam – the upcoming ref. 6062 is possibly the best preserved. It is a steel example, and while a steel ref. 6062 is rare, the condition of this watch truly sets it apart. The case appears original in shape and detail, though it shows wear; modest wear considering the seven decades since the watch was made. Phillips describes the case as “unpolished” and while that cannot be ascertained with absolutely certainty, the claim is certainly a credible one. The Oyster case has its full shape, defined edges, and even the tiny step at the very top of the bezel where it meets the crystal. More so than any of the other external components, the case back of this model typically shows the most obvious wear as the engravings are shallow. But here the original engravings look almost like they did fresh out of the factory, right down to the rectangular blocks separating the two lines of text. Int...
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Worn & Wound
As hard as it is to create a certifiable hit watch in the cutthroat independent watch space, it’s perhaps even more difficult to deliver on a follow up. The sophomore slump is a real concern, and I imagine many indie darlings have thought long and hard about how to make good on the promise of an exciting, popular debut. Studio Underd0g burst onto the scene a few years ago with colorful chronographs that conjured a surprising variety of culinary delights. Everything from pizza, to blueberries, to their iconic watermelon chronograph, pleasing watch enthusiasts with designs that are pure fun. They’re also quite unapologetically transgressive, and part of the exciting thing about Studio Underd0g is the idea that we’re seeing a brand that exists at an affordable price point write their own rule book. It’s a sensibility that is more attuned with streetwear, or contemporary art, than old-school watchmaking. $900 Hands-On: The 02SERIES Field Watches from Studio Underd0g Avoid the Sophomore Slump Case Stainless steel Movement Sellita Manual Winding SW210-1 Dial Multi layer full lume/sapphire Lume Yes Lens Sapphire Strap Leather Water Resistance 100 meters Dimensions 37 x 46mm Thickness 12.6mm Lug Width 18mm Crown Push/pull Warranty Yes Price $900 So the question really becomes: where do you go artistically after an initial success that’s objectively kind of weird? Thinking it through, a brand like Studio Underd0g has two options. They can double down, get stranger, an...
Hodinkee
It's only a color change, but it made a bigger difference than I expected.
SJX Watches
With “indies” all the rage now, auction catalogues usually have a generous helping of independent watchmaking. Amongst the many offerings from the genre this season, a handful stand out, including the Philippe Dufour Simplicity prototype no. 000 in Phillips’ Geneva watch auction that takes place on November 3 and 4, 2023. This is one of three prototype watches Mr Dufour made for the 2000 Basel fair when the Simplicity made its debut. Two of them were in white gold with a silvered guilloche dial – Mr Dufour himself frequently wears one of them – and the last was this watch, which is pink gold with a white lacquered dial. Initial thoughts Today Philippe Dufour has grown beyond the personality and is essentially a brand, an evolution that arguably took place after the 20th anniversary Simplicity was launched 2020. In contrast, this Simplicity prototype, along with the first 200 examples Mr Dufour made, encapsulates the artisanal beginnings of the man and his brand. At the time of the Simplicity’s launch, and for more than a decade after, Mr Dufour found neither fame nor fortune, given that he only made a handful of Simplicity watches each year and sold each for about US$40,000. The early watches are perhaps purer creations that capture the essence of Mr Dufour’s vision, which was to pay tribute to the heyday of Vallee de Joux watchmaking. Mr Dufour, of course, managed to do it slightly better, explaining why his creations are often regarded as having the best m...
Worn & Wound
If you’ve listened to the podcast, follow me on Instagram, read what I write here on the website, or even have just had a five minute conversation with me about something innocuous, like who makes the best fast food cheeseburger, there’s a good chance you already know that I’ve kind of become obsessed with Hublot. I try not to waste an opportunity to be sure people know that to overlook this brand on the basis of their perception in the larger watch community is to be, frankly, a snob. I don’t much care for snobs, or gatekeeping, or for not looking beyond the surface of a particular watch or brand, so the widespread Hublot-hate that cuts across the watch community is a continued annoyance. Because the thing is, Hublot is very good at doing what they set out to do, and judging them on the merits of fulfilling their intention seems like the only fair way to evaluate them, or any brand for that matter. Hublot, as it exists today, is essentially a brand full of statement pieces, but made with intention and a real focus on materials. The common gripes that they’re gaudy, or over-the-top, or even overpriced miss the point entirely. They are exactly what they are supposed to be. For a watch to be “gaudy” it would have to be so unintentionally, and as far as I’m concerned, a watch that’s over-the-top should wear that attribute as a strength. As much I like and admire Hublot for being a weird mix between class clown, Rebel Without a Cause, and, I don’t know,...
Worn & Wound
Zenith has taken a methodical approach to fleshing out the collections of their 4 families of watches, balancing a weighty heritage against an ethos that forces progress. How they’ve gone about this has been the subject of several of our reviews, and even editorials about the brand’s more recent history. Their newest collection of watches, released earlier this year at Watches & Wonders, explores another realm of the brand’s past: pilot watches. Zenith first filed a trademark for the French term “Pilote” in 1888, decades before the Wright brothers made history in Kitty Hawk, and to this day are the only brand permitted to print the word on the dial (they trademarked the English word “Pilot” in 1904). Zenith has made some unforgettable pilot watches in their day (the A3822 being a personal favorite), but it’s been many years since they’ve done so in a way that’s captured modern enthusiasts. Zenith has a checkered recent past when it comes to pilot watches, with releases dotted through the 20-teens not quite hitting the notes they needed to lay the groundwork for a permanent collection in the same way their classic sport watches have. But then, Pilot watches are a different breed altogether. Zenith’s approach with their newest collection of Pilot watches feels very different from those recent efforts, and feels like a genuine, modern approach to building a collection with some legs. To get a better sense of that direction, we spent some time with the ...
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Hodinkee
A brand new line expands the brand's continued work in watchmaking.
Time+Tide
Calling it their "second album", Studio Underd0g seem to have a greatest hits contender on their hands with the new Field.The post Studio Underd0g launch the Field collection, and the sequel is just as good as the original appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Even for those who don’t follow menswear closely, I’m sure you’ve undoubtedly heard of Rowing Blazers in the last year or so. Whether it be from their limited releases with Seiko or Tudor, or their recent partnership with Target, Rowing Blazers’ star continues to rise and it’s due, in part, to their proven success in the collaborative business model. Released today, their latest collection shows how deeply a collaborative spirit is ingrained into the spirit of the brand. The limited edition 42mm “Yacht-Timer” Carrera by Rowing Blazers is the product of founder Jack Carlson, industry veteran Eric Wind, and Bamford Watch Department to bring to life a reimagining of the classic TAG Heuer Yacht-Timer of the 60’s and 70’s. The original Heuer was used by competitive sailors during regattas and it was this sporting history and colorway that stuck with Carlson as they began to design this watch. With a white dial, bright blue text, and hits of red, blue, green, and pale yellow, it was only a matter of time before this preppy color scheme was incorporated into a Rowing Blazer project. By partnering with Eric Wind of Wind Vintage and George Bamford of Bamford Watch Department, the trio was able to create a timepiece that is deeply inspired by the original while still making it a uniquely modern interpretation. The stainless steel Carrera case sits handsomely at 42mm with a matching steel bracelet. The dial of this watch takes elements of the original’s colorway...
Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward seems to have gotten some divine intervention with the latest release of theirs, the Twelve Halo. Based on the sporty series that boasts a dodecagonal (that’s 12-sided for those of you who failed geometry, like me) case, the Halo has a luxurious update with a ring of gold around the dial. The gold itself is the perfect accent against the otherwise plain appearance of the watch, showing that simple is sometimes the best. Contrasting against the brushed steel case, the 18-karat gold is a bit of mixed-metal done right. While the choice of either a silver or black dial only adds to the simplicity of the overall offering, meaning nothing is detracting from the Halo’s minimalism. Whether one is picking the silver or black dial, you’re treated to small, intentional design features which tie the whole thing together. Gone is a distracting day-date, indices, or numbers and what you’re left with is a lumed handset and a rose gold logo. While I shudder at the term, one can’t deny that this restraint is quiet luxury in its truest form. Coming in at just 36mm, the Twelve Halo is suitable for both men and women. The exhibition back lets one see the Sellita SW 200-1 automatic movement in action. Both models are available on an integrated steel bracelet with a price tag of $2,555. The Twelve Halo is available now via the Christopher Ward website, with delivery expected in December. Christopher Ward Images from this post: The post Christopher Ward Introduces the ...
SJX Watches
Following the release of the 1970s diver reissue and a solar chronograph inspired by a 1990s design, Seiko has reintroduced another historical model as the Prospex Land Mechanical GMT Limited Edition SPB411. This remake draws inspiration from the Navigator Timer from 1968, the brand’s first dual time zone watch with a 24-hour rotating bezel. Now it’s been given a modern update with a new calibre and tweaks to the dial design while retaining the retro tonneau-shaped case. Initial thoughts The Navigator Timer is not quite as famous as its diving or chronograph counterparts, but still an important vintage “tool” watch amongst vintage Seikos. The Japanese brand has executed its long-awaited revival admirably, offering a contemporary interpretation with a modern movement while maintaining the essence of its original design. It’s worth noting that this reissue should be more accurately described as a dual time zone watch with an independently adjustable 24-hour hand, rather than a genuine GMT with an adjustable local-time hour hand, a feature usually seen in higher-end Grand Seiko models. This distinction means that setting the watch for different time zones involves a few extra steps. However, given its price point, this compromise remains entirely reasonable. Priced at US$1,600, it’s a US$100 increase from the standard Prospex Diver’s GMT. Despite this modest cost bump, opting for this limited edition still offers great value. That said, collectors might be less...
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