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Two Broke Watch Snobs
Mido darkens its integrated sports watch with the all-black Multifort 8 One Crown Black PVD, keeping the octagonal bezel, textured dial, and 80-hour Calibre 80.
SJX Watches
A visual staple of grande sonnerie watches is a pair of large, highly finished and intriguing-looking click wheels. Continuing our exploration of various horological energy systems — including winding efficiency and the fusee and chain — we examine the linkage of ratchets, clicks and wide-toothed gears that comprise the winding works of some of the industry’s best chiming watches. A Patek Philippe grande sonnerie movement from 1915. One crown for two barrels The grande sonnerie is rightfully considered the pinnacle of chiming complications. With the ability to automatically sound the hours and quarters, a grande sonnerie requires heaps of power to keep it going over the course of a day. As a result, most grande sonnerie movements rely on a second mainspring barrel that is isolated from the timekeeping going train. The requirement for independent barrels stems from the different rates at which the barrels unwind. The striking works require a faster-turning barrel that’s only active for short periods, while the going train feeds from a slow and steady barrel. Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie pocket watch crafted by Philippe Dufour. As the barrels discharge unevenly, it makes sense that they cannot be wound in sync. Winding both mainsprings in sync would typically over-strain one of them since their winding states are rarely the same at any given time. Although the two barrels themselves are separated, they often share the same winding train. Now a signature of Vallée...
WristBuzz
No crown, no hands, an oil-filled dial and a founder from industrial design. Ressence started in Antwerp in 2010 and just released its first fully in-house calibre. here is the whole story.
SJX Watches
IWC’s history was dotted with landmark innovations such as Albert Pellaton’s pawl winding system, Kurt Klaus’ famous perpetual calendar, and Richard Habring’s split-seconds chronograph module. Though IWC has arguably been thin on such innovation in recent years, the ProSet perpetual calendar is a long overdue return to form. The calendar’s clever features make it true to IWC’s identity as an engineer’s manufacture. Set entirely via the crown just like the Kurt Klaus calendar, ProSet can also be adjusted forwards and backwards, making it both idiot-proof and convenient. A smaller Big Pilot This bidirectional perpetual calendar module made its debut earlier this year at Watches & Wonders inside the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet, which blends the manufacture’s latest engineering feat with the beloved styling of the pilot’s watch. The ProSet system is currently only available inside the 42 mm Big Pilot. Powered by a downsized base calibre, the 42 mm ProSet is the first Big Pilot under 46 mm to include a perpetual calendar. IWC has a tweaked and scaled down the its signature Kurt Klaus module in the past for the 42 mm Portugieser and some Portofinos, but somehow it never made into the reduced Big Pilot collection. Unfortunately, these smaller watches lacked the now-iconic digital year display, and instead featured a subtler (but more forgettable) leap cycle aperture. The ProSet brings back the four-digit year display, making this watch almost ...
SJX Watches
On the morning of March 30, 1937, 16-year-old King Farouk I of Egypt visited the workshops of Vacheron & Constantin in Geneva. He had been on the throne for less than a year. His father, Fouad I, had died in April 1936, leaving him the crown, the palaces, and a collection that included one of the most complicated watches the Swiss had ever produced. The welcome was formal, as the company’s records and the following morning’s edition of La Suisse both confirm. The young king was received by the company’s directors and shown the workshops. He was already, by multiple accounts, deeply interested in watches as objects to be understood from the inside — the tour of the manufacture was a pilgrimage. Vacheron Constantin, before Plan-les-Ouates. Image – SJX composite/Vacheron Constantin At some point during the visit, Farouk made a remark that passed into the house lore of Vacheron & Constantin and into several of his subsequent biographies, though seldom accurately. The original French, as La Suisse reported it, was precise: “C’est qu’on n’abîmera jamais autant de montres que je n’en ai abîmé étant enfant!”, which translates as “One will never ruin as many watches as I ruined as a child.” Secondary sources have rendered this with démontées — dismantled — in place of abîmé; a small but telling substitution that transforms an admission of destruction into evidence of mechanical curiosity. A child who dismantles watches is a nascent watchmaker. ...
Monochrome
The crown is one of those watch components we rarely think much about. It has been there for well over a century, mainly performing two essential tasks: winding the movement and setting the time. We now have all sorts of crowns, including hidden crowns and even retractable crowns, yet very few have questioned whether any […]
Fratello
Another Friday, another list! This week, we dive into the world of the modern Rolex Daytona. It’s one of the most debated watches among watch enthusiasts. Whether it’s about the Daytona’s aura, the fact that it’s become an unobtainium, or its design, people have a lot to say about The Crown’s iconic chronograph. Despite all […] Visit The Top 5 Current Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Models to read the full article.
SJX Watches
In the run-up to the 57th anniversary of mankind’s first steps on the moon, Swatch has launched the Swatch x Omega MoonSwatch Mission to the Moon 1969, a watch that follows the proven MoonSwatch formula but enhances the value proposition with a substantial amount of 18k MoonShine gold. In fact, the 11 g of 18k gold contained in the dial, crown, and pushers is worth nearly twice the retail price of the watch at today’s spot price. In addition to the historical “OM” designation found at six o’clock, the dial is also engraved “Au 750” denoting its solid gold construction. Initial thoughts The anniversary of the moon landing, which took place July 21, 1969, is an annual reminder of the Omega Speedmaster’s legendary status as ‘the moon watch’. It’s an old story, but it remains a good one. The MoonSwatch leans heavily on this heritage, and the latest iteration is arguably the greatest, borrowing several aesthetic motifs from the so-called “Nixon” Speedmasters that were gifted to American astronauts and government officials — namely the gold dial and black inlay for the hands and dial markers. Substantively, the Mission to the Moon 1969 is much like any other MoonSwatch, with a plastic case that’s a dead ringer for that of the Speedmaster Professional. An ETA quartz chronograph ticks inside, and the battery — now protected by a scratch-resistant cover — is accessible from the case back. That said, the Mission to the Moon 1969 is an atypical Moon...
WristBuzz
Ref. SSX01B700: solid 18K Moonshine gold dial, gold crown and pushers, 11 grams of the good stuff, and CHF 500 because Swatch decided to charge 1969 gold prices. Only 1969 pieces. ESTA lottery is live.
Fratello
Doxa is marking what would have been Clive Cussler’s 95th birthday with a new take on its most emblematic dive watch. The Doxa Sub 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler keeps the shape of the 1967 Sub 300 but features a case, crown, case back, and even the dial crafted from Grade 5 titanium. This COSC-certified chronometer […] Visit The Titanium Treatment: Introducing The Doxa Sub 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler to read the full article.
Fratello
It’s Sunday morning, so it’s time for a fresh cup of coffee to accompany a good ol’ watch brawl. This week, we picked two Rolex Oyster Perpetual models to go up against each other. Both were introduced during Watches and Wonders in April and were The Crown’s main releases for this year. The two new […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yellow Rolesor Vs. Oyster Perpetual “Jubilee” to read the full article.
Monochrome
Presented in 2025, the Pulse collection was a significant departure for Chronoswiss. While retaining signature elements such as the onion crown, coin-edge bezel and layered dial construction, it introduced a newly designed case with an integrated-style bracelet and a very contemporary aesthetic. Earlier this year, the collection welcomed the Pulse GMT models, namely the Enamel […]
Monochrome
In 2019, Ulysse Nardin launched the Freak X. More compact, more accessible and equipped with a conventional crown, it retained the essence of the original Freak (no hands, no dial, and no crown) introduced in 2001 by visionary watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, while adapting it for everyday wear and a broader clientele. Now, as the manufacture […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The now-discontinued Rolex Cellini forever changed the Crown's repertoire, adding elegance and decorative flair still felt in the brand's modern era.
Worn & Wound
Following a tradition that began with a limited edition Big Crown Pointer Date made in tribute to Roberto Clemente, and later continued with a similar watch honoring Hank Aaron, Oris has just unveiled a new baseball themed watch in honor of New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig. Lou Gehrig’s legacy is bigger than baseball. His address to a Yankee Stadium crowd upon his retirement from the game is one of the most famous moments in the history of the sport, and often referred to as “baseball’s Gettysburg address.” When Gehrig retired from baseball in 1939, he ended what at the time (and for decades) was thought to be an unbreakable record of consecutive games: 2,130 in a row over a 15 season span. Nicknamed the Iron Horse for his durability throughout his playing career, his retirement due to complications from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is all the more poignant. Gehrig passed away at the age of 37, just two years after retirement, and in the years since the Yankees and Major League Baseball have raised millions of dollars for ALS research. Like the Clemente and Aaron watches before it, the Lou Gehrig Limited Edition is a tasteful tribute that can be appreciated well outside the sphere of baseball fandom. The watch has a number of details that fans will recognize as tributes to Gehrig’s life and career, but they are pretty subtle in their execution. The “4” in the date ring on the dial’s perimeter is highlighted in blue, which honors Gehrig’s jers...
Hodinkee
What We Know We're in the thick of baseball season, and Oris has pulled a doubleheader, of sorts. Yesterday brought us the new Hölstein edition, and today we're getting a new baseball-themed watch. Oris is the official watch sponsor of the New York Yankees, and this year, they're releasing a special watch to support one of the team's all-time legends, Lou Gehrig. The newest Big Crown Pointer Date is a special watch supporting the Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation. The watch, in 40mm-by-12.2 mm stainless steel (with a 48.2mm lug-to-lug), is certainly inspired by the colors of the Yankees. The silver dial is surrounded by a black date ring with the "4" in blue (for Lou Gehrig's number), a blue minute track that matches the blue surrounding the hour markers. They've used a combination of Arabic numerals and stick hour markers for a sporty look. The movement is the Oris Caliber 754, with a 41-hour power reserve and automatic winding. It's delivered with a NATO strap in Yankee colors and a brown double-stitched strap that looks like a baseball glove. The caseback is engraved with a portrait of Lou Gehrig and the watch's number within the production total. There are 2130 pieces available, one for each of the consecutive games he played across 15 seasons, before his death in 1941 at the age of only 37. The retail price is CHF 2,400. Oris says that they will contribute to the work of The Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation. What We Think The Pointer Date is probably O...
Monochrome
Watchmaking in India got a fairly late start, but the importation of Swiss watches began in the 19th century for the wealthy and royalty. The British Crown had direct rule over India for almost a century between 1858 and 1947 (a period known as the British Raj), so European luxury imports were prized among the […]
Monochrome
Kross Studio has never been about conventional watchmaking, whether through its openworked designs or collaborations tied to everything from Star Wars to Batman. Last year, the Geneva-based brand introduced the MT1 Tourbillon, a manually wound tourbillon with a smooth lug-less case, crown-free construction, and fully openworked movement design. It was also a watch that carried […]
WatchAdvice
The short answer: Yes! The Cartier Tank Américaine is a standout watch that looks and feels a lot more versatile than it lets on. Let’s find out why! What We Love: A versatile yet elegant design A sportier remix of a legendary icon Wears comfortably on the leather strap What We Don’t: Readability suffers in the first and third quarters The crown is small and fiddly Where’s the display caseback? Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8/10 I think that, since I began working at WatchAdvice, my opinion on Cartier has changed the least. I’d already heard so much about it from every corner of culture; rap songs and rom-coms sing equal praise of the Parisian powerhouse. So, when this opportunity came along, it simply allowed me to get closer to a brand I had already learned to appreciate. With closeness, though, comes closer scrutiny. Cartier bears the weight of a rich legacy on its shoulders, and even the smallest deviation can have Cartier fans questioning their loyalty. Its model lines, in both jewellery and watchmaking, have become so iconic that remixing them is a massive risk. Getting it wrong, depending on who you ask, is intolerable. These are the stakes Cartier faces with the Tank Américaine. How could they possibly change the formula of such a universally popular watch collection while preserving the original DNA? That’s what I aimed to find out when I took the Tank Américaine for a spin some time ago...
Fratello
Another Friday, another list. This week, we decided to dive into the world of regatta timers. Rolex’s big introduction this year during Watches and Wonders was the updated Yacht-Master II. In itself, the updated watch proved to be a huge improvement compared to the previous generation of The Crown’s regatta timer. In both usability and […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Rolex Yacht-Master II to read the full article.
Hodinkee
What We Know Want to see a magic trick? No, not the kind the Joker pulls in "The Dark Knight," but instead something pretty cool that Ming has cooked up with their new 29.06 "Peep Show." The watches below look markedly different, but the only thing that's changed is the direction the hands point. When Ming Thein showed me this watch last fall, I immediately got what was going on as he turned the crown. If you were doing the same, you'd see that the guilloché dial with a multiphase color-shifting coating (like on the 57.04 "Iris") slowly fades in and out of visibility, turning from a dazzling view to pitch black as the hands move. Any guesses on how it works? Well, it's kind of a trick question, because the hands aren't actually hands. Instead, they're polarized sapphire discs with a hands made of Super-LumiNova X1 fill. The two pieces of sapphire are linearly polarized, so when they're aligned (on top of each other or directly opposite each other), the polarizer lets light in, and you can see that metal disc with color-shifting treatment. As the hands rotate, you see less and less of the dial until it turns black when the two discs are at 90º to each other. When you learn the effect, it's pretty simple, but it's certainly effective in person. All this is in a 29-series case, which is a bit more reserved than the 57-series case. It's made in lightweight Grade 5 titanium, measuring 40mm by 11.8mm, with a 22mm lug width. The case has a 50-meter water resistance. Inside the ...
WatchAdvice
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, we thought we’d revisit the review on the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional Solargraph. A perfect watch for Mother’s Day! What We Love The elegant but sporty look Great size for smaller wrists It’s light-powered, so no battery! What We Don’t The crown and protectors protrude a little Maybe on the thicker side for some as a smaller-sized ladies’ watch Clasp took a little while to get used to wearing being larger than an integrated bracelet with a butterfly clasp Overall Rating: 8.5 / 10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 This was originally published as The TAG Heuer Aqauracer Solargraph Review: Now With Diamonds! The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph in the pink dial and diamonds was a piece that came out just prior to Watches & Wonders in mid-March, along with a few other Aquaracer Solargraph drops. Similar to the Northern Lights collection that dropped at last year’s LVMH Watch Week it adds to the smaller 34 mm-sized Solargraphs with a choice of coloured dials and diamonds on the dial and bezel. Now, this isn’t a piece I would wear, but I could see many ladies out there having this as a daily watch. I mean, what’s not to love about it? It is a great size at 34mm, so it’s not too small or too large for smaller wrists. It has the diamond indices which give it a little more of that elegant or dressy look, and the pink dial is a nice pop of colour for thos...
Time+Tide
Bausele's Elemental makes a return, this time with a Coorong Beach-inspired dial, cleverly incorporating beach sand in the crown
Monochrome
This year was a big one for the Rolex group, as the Crown was celebrating the 100th anniversary of its emblematic Oyster case, while Tudor turned 100 years, being founded in 1926. With this in mind, expectations were high, and some predicted fireworks of novelties, huge innovations, entirely new collections all around… And the celebrations […]
Monochrome
With its unmistakable avant-garde design, the DB28 is De Bethune’s most recognisable model. Making its debut in 2010, the DB28 is characterised by its futuristic silhouette with floating lugs, a delta-shaped bridge at the centre of the dial reminiscent of the Starfleet Commando logo in Star Trek, and a crown at noon. Ever-evolving, the DB28XS […]
Time+Tide
A new collection of perpetual calendars from IWC marries its mastery of the pilot's watch with crown-set QPs.The post The New IWC ProSet Brings Practicality to the Perpetual Calendar appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
After the large impact of the main release of 2025 for Rolex, the highly discussed, technical and unexpected Land-Dweller, it is time this year for the Crown to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the legendary Oyster case. And for that, the main focus of the year is the entry-level, playful Oyster Perpetual collection. But that’s […]
Monochrome
The Historiques American 1921 is one of Vacheron Constantin’s most recognisable heritage revivals: a cushion-cased, asymmetrical wristwatch inspired by early-1920s designs. Made for the American market in 1921, the distinctive wristwatch, with its 45-degree-rotated dial and unconventional crown placement, made it practical for motorists who could read the time without taking their hands off the […]
Monochrome
For about a decade, the classic blue dial TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11, also known as the “Steve McQueen” edition, has been one of the most recognisable chronographs. The square case, the vivid blue dial, the left-hand crown and the bi-compax layout are burned into our collective memory. Yet, while the Monaco series was used […]
Monochrome
IWC Schaffhausen continues to expand the modern Ingenieur line by once again pairing the 1970s Gérald Genta-inspired integrated case and bracelet with the crown-operated perpetual calendar developed by Kurt Klaus in the early 1980s. Following the steel version launched last year, this 2026 release introduces a full-titanium construction; meet the Ingenieur Perpetual Calendar 41 in […]
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