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Results for Submariner

420 articles · 10 videos found · page 9 of 15

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Wiki · Guide
Crown Guards

Integral case projections protecting the crown from impact; introduced on Rolex Submariner ref. 5512 in 1959.
Reference · Guide
All Rolex Submariner References Rolex

Every Rolex Submariner from 1953 ref. 6204 to today: years, dials, bezels, movements, nicknames.
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Is the Rolex Submariner the most iconic watch ever?

Seventy-two years, one silhouette, and the single most recognised watch on earth. The Submariner survived James Bond, Steve McQueen, the quartz crisis, the wait-list era, and its own ubiquity. Time to answer the question everyone tiptoes around: is it actually the most iconic watch ever?
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Submariner Rolex

The 1953 Rolex diver. James Bond's watch and the template every dive watch copies.
Traska Watches Review: An EDC American Brand Teddy Baldassarre
Omega Speedmaster was Mar 11, 2026

Traska Watches Review: An EDC American Brand

When we look back to mid-century watchmaking, some of the industry’s most iconic designs were originally conceived as essential, life-saving instruments. The Rolex Submariner, for example, was originally created for professional divers working in cold, deep waters while breathing compressed air. The Omega Speedmaster was a vital analog calculator for astronauts traveling through the vacuum of space. The Rolex Explorer is another example, forged to survive the brutal, oxygen-deprived ascent of the Himalayas. These tool watches were designed with a clear purpose and were built to endure knocks, scrapes, and harsh conditions without missing a beat. Fast forward to today, and while modern iterations are undeniably better engineered than their vintage ancestors, boasting superior metallurgy and tighter tolerances, their exorbitant price tags have put some collectors off regular, daily use. A modern steel sports watch can easily demand anywhere from $6,000 to well over $15,000 at retail, and that’s assuming you have the willpower to ensure the waitlists to acquire one. And while some collectors are happy to invest that kind of money, others are on the lookout for something more accessible. Enter Traska watches. This psychological friction has spawned a new enthusiast community for the ultimate Everyday Carry (EDC) watch, or the “go-anywhere, do-anything” (GADA) watch. Many collectors today are looking for a watch that slides effortlessly under a tailored cuff during a hi...

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Hands-on - Nomos Goes Precious, with the Elegant Tangente Gold and Ludwig Gold (Incl. Video) Monochrome
Nomos Goes Precious Mar 4, 2026

Hands-on - Nomos Goes Precious, with the Elegant Tangente Gold and Ludwig Gold (Incl. Video)

Every brand at one point dreamt of having an icon on their hands. A cornerstone model that stands the test of time, design trends, and, more importantly, captures the hearts of fans and collectors worldwide, indefinitely. Watches like the Lange 1, the Submariner, the Nautilus, the Speedmaster or the Royal Oak. For Nomos, even though […]

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James Bond Watches: 50 Years of 007's Timepieces Teddy Baldassarre
Breitling Top Time; You Only Live Feb 20, 2026

James Bond Watches: 50 Years of 007's Timepieces

James Bond has been a pop culture icon for more than half a century and his watches have been a subject of intense discussion, debate, and speculation for nearly as long. From Connery to Craig, from Rolex to Seiko to Omega, and with other iconic actors and notable timepieces in between, here is the complete guide to the eclectic watches worn throughout 50+ years of James Bond movies.  And for anyone interested in this topic, we are really excited to share our new video The Watches Of James Bond hosted by none other than Mark Bernardo, our very own verifiable font of knowledge for all things 007 and watches. This is a feature video so we recommend getting comfortable, having some snacks and beverages ready, and watching it on the biggest screen you've got. This is going to be fun. [toc-section heading="1962-1971: The Sean Connery Era"] Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964) - Rolex Submariner Ref. 6538; Thunderball (1965) - Breitling Top Time; You Only Live Twice (1967), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) - Gruen 510 Precision The speculation over what wristwatch James Bond would or should wear on his demanding missions is one that predated even the first movie, 1962’s Dr. No. Ian Fleming, Bond’s creator and the writer of the original novels that inspired the long-running movie series, was known to wear a Rolex Explorer, specifically Reference 1016. On the relatively rare instances in which Fleming (below) refers to Bond’s watch in print, he e...

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The Best Tudor Watches for Every Type of Enthusiast Teddy Baldassarre
Tudor Watches Feb 12, 2026

The Best Tudor Watches for Every Type of Enthusiast

What are the best Tudor watches in the current lineup? It really depends on what type of watch ticks all the stylistic boxes for you - whether it’s a classic diver, a dual-time travel companion, or a racetrack-ready chronograph; a sturdy, outdoorsy timekeeper you can wear on a nature hike, or something elegant and uncomplicated that you can wear to the symphony. Using as our starting point some of the style categories in which Tudor's parent brand Rolex has excelled, here we attempt to home in on the best Tudor watches for each taste. [toc-section heading="For The Casually Stylish Diver"] Tudor’s answer to big brother Rolex’s megapopular Submariner series is relatively easy to spot. The Black Bay collection is the undisputed flagship of the 21st-century Tudor lineup and has played a huge role in Tudor stepping out from under Rolex’s substantial shadow to establish an impressive identity all its own. Improbably, It did so by deftly combining elements from earlier Tudor dive watches, most of which were clearly inspired by the Rolex dive watches that preceded them to market. The so-called “snowflake” hour hand that is so emblematic now to the Black Bay family was drawn from the Tudor Submariner Ref. 7016 from 1969 that was famously supplied to the French Navy, whose divers found two distinctly different hands to be beneficial in reading the time underwater.) The large screw-down crown, with engraved Tudor rose emblem, was introduced on the 1958 "Big Crown" model...

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The Dawn of Heuer Dive Watches: How A House of Chronographs Saved Itself By Embracing The Depths Worn & Wound
Piaget Feb 3, 2026

The Dawn of Heuer Dive Watches: How A House of Chronographs Saved Itself By Embracing The Depths

Few other watchmakers enjoyed as much success and cachet as Heuer, especially during the fervent 1960s and 1970s. Not only had it launched one of the world’s first automatic chronographs, but it pushed the envelope on modern design with midcentury-cool chronographs like the uniquely square Monaco. Heuer was riding high on the glamor of Grand Prix: the Heuer shield was as indelible to the backdrops of Monza and Le Mans as Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren themselves as the official timekeeper of Formula One.  But, inevitably, the quartz revolution came for Heuer. Jack Heuer was the third-generation CEO of the company that bore his name, and he had been a savvy marketer, personally hawking chronographs to drivers like Jo Siffert and Nikki Lauda. By the 1980s, however, he found himself backed into a corner, and in 1982, he was forced to sell the company to Piaget and Lemania-a humiliating low point in his life, as he recounted in his autobiography.  Yet, before he departed, he gave Heuer one saving grace. In 1979, he commissioned Heuer’s first dive watch, the Professional Series. At a trade show Jack had overheard a brief conversation about the unreliability of existing dive watches, and he aimed to emulate Rolex’s success with the Submariner and Sea-Dweller. (Incidentally, Rolex owned half of Heuer’s stock market shares, and nearly took over the company around this time.)  Photo by Blake Rong Heuer had spent the decade building an electronic timing division, which b...

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My Father’s Longines HydroConquest GMT, Two Years On (Owner’s Perspective) WatchAdvice
Longines HydroConquest GMT Two Years Dec 13, 2025

My Father’s Longines HydroConquest GMT, Two Years On (Owner’s Perspective)

The Longines HydroConquest GMT is one of Longines’ most modern references, but has it stood up to two years’ worth of my father’s ownership standards? Let’s ask him! Purchasing Expectations: A utilitarian watch, fit for my dad’s lifestyle Clever micro-adjustment system A Flyer-style GMT, helpful for international travel Ownership Reality: Some design elements we disagree with Durability of the rubber strap Can you see the date? Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8/10 When it comes to dive watches, very few can genuinely be called underrated. It’s a thoroughly complete subgenre of horology, filled with some of the most iconic collections in watchmaking history. Submariner, Fifty Fathoms, Seamaster, Aquaracer, Black Bay… these are just a few names that define the dive watch enthusiast’s vocabulary. But more often than not, the price-to-performance ratio is heavily skewed. These collections carry not only cultural weight but a sense of luxury as well, and their prices rarely reflect their intended purpose. Tangentially, I told a friend earlier this year that I believed Submariners are the most mistreated watches in history: built to withstand extreme pressures, yet typically left to gather dust in a safe. Diving Into The New Longines Hydroconquest GMT 43mm One dive watch that avoids this fate is the Longines HydroConquest. Luxurious yet fairly priced, high-performance without pretension, it has consis...

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Rolex 1908 Review: The Dress Watch For A New Generation Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex 1908 Review Dec 4, 2025

Rolex 1908 Review: The Dress Watch For A New Generation

It’s easy to see Rolex exclusively as a sport watch brand, if even a luxury oriented one, thanks to collections that have helped to define their respective genres, such as the Submariner, the GMT-Master, the Explorer, and the Daytona. While they undoubtedly are just that, Rolex has another dimension to be discovered in more formal territory, and it’s a side we probably don’t see as often as we should, at least if their latest 1908 collection is anything to go by. Following the discontinuation of the Cellini collection in 2023, Rolex revealed its replacement in the 1908, sporting a familiar yet novel design language, and an entirely new movement in the caliber 7140. It was an immediate breath of fresh air, and a rare truly new release from the brand.  [toc-section heading="Some Rolex Design History"] Rolex has more than a century’s worth of design language to draw upon, and it would do exactly that with the design of the 1908. From the shape of the case, to the details of the bezel, and even the design of the hour numerals, the 1908 feels like a love letter to the history of Rolex. As a result, it’s a design that doesn’t feel entirely formal in nature, landing in a more versatile space than you might imagine, especially in the right spec. This is a watch that feels appropriate in a wide range of uses, from dressed to the nines in a suit and tie, all the way down to t-shirt and jeans affairs, this is a truly dynamic platform.  From the first oyster style cases ...

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Slimmer, Sharper Seamaster: Omega Updates the Planet Ocean SJX Watches
Omega Updates Nov 26, 2025

Slimmer, Sharper Seamaster: Omega Updates the Planet Ocean

Omega marks the 20th anniversary of the Seamaster Planet Ocean with a full redesign, introducing a sharper, faceted case and a slimmer profile that addresses long-standing concerns about about the model’s thickness. The fourth generation design retains the headline 600 m water resistance and METAS-certified movement, but adopts a more contemporary silhouette that differentiates it from earlier generations. The anniversary launch spans three colourways - black, blue, and the signature orange - with the latter now priced in line with the Rolex Submariner. While the refresh enhances everyday wearability, it also moves the Planet Ocean slightly away from the recognisable aesthetic that has defined the collection since its 2005 debut. Initial thoughts The Seamaster Planet Ocean is a watch that carries a lot of nostalgia for me personally. The first generation model, launched in 2005, was the first mechanical watch I purchased for myself in my student days and while my watch, powered by the slim cal. 2500C, has seen the inside of the Omega service centre more times than I would have liked, it still has a place in my regular rotation, especially when the weather turns warm. The appeal of the Planet Ocean is its fresh interpretation of historical Omega motifs; it features details like the broad arrow hands without attempting to be a vintage remake. The collection was refreshed in 2011 and again in 2016, but it seemed to get chunkier with each new iteration, to the dismay of ...

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The Next Generation of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean is Here Worn & Wound
Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Nov 19, 2025

The Next Generation of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean is Here

You have to give credit where it’s due: Omega teased a big update to their Seamaster Planet Ocean, and they delivered. The collector community will surely debate every aspect of the new fourth generation Planet Ocean, but this is not an iterative change or a minor tweak. It’s a fairly radical rethinking of the style and aesthetic of Omega’s premier professional diving watch, and when you put an early version of the Planet Ocean next to the new gen, it’s honestly hard to see the connection between them. Not impossible, but by “iconic dive watch” standards, which keeps stalwarts like the Submariner and Fifty Fathoms looking much like the watches that they started life as, this is a different kettle of fish entirely.  We’ll start with the case, because that’s really where the heart of the Planet Ocean’s rethinking really comes into play most clearly. The knock on the Planet Ocean, since its inception, has always been that it’s overly thick. Of course, being that this is a pro diver with double the water resistance of most other consumer oriented divers, a little heft is to be expected. Still, the general proportions of previous Planet Ocean cases were always a cause of consternation among a subset of die hards.  The new watch measures 42mm in diameter and is 13.79mm thick, a significant reduction over the previous Planet Ocean’s 16.1mm case height. The new case also benefits from a flat sapphire crystal and a new titanium caseback, both of which ought ...

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Zenith Introduces a Limited Edition Defy Extreme with a Lapis Lazuli Dial Worn & Wound
Zenith Introduces Nov 18, 2025

Zenith Introduces a Limited Edition Defy Extreme with a Lapis Lazuli Dial

I love the Zenith Defy. I never miss an opportunity to tell people that it’s my favorite sports watch line of all time. I’m guessing that I’ve had a version of this conversation so many times over the years that my colleagues and watch-friends can feel it coming at this point. I can sense that eye roll is not far behind me going over once again how the Defy has always represented the ideal meeting place between the avant-garde and true sports watch engineering. Look, I make no apologies. If you can’t see that the Defy has been a subtle influence on everything from the Royal Oak to the most generic Rolex sports watches, well, stay tuned for my long threatened multi-part solo podcast series unpacking my personal obsession with these watches.  One of the things that has always fascinated me about the Defy is how it can be anything. The watches in this collection have never fit neatly into a specific mold, and unlike, say, the Rolex Submariner, which has basically looked like the same watch since its debut, the Defy has always been a shapeshifter. The only thing steady about the design has been that it could always morph and change into something radical and different, and often something that is not to everyone’s taste (even longtime fans of the collection). That’s basically what’s been on my mind since learning of the new Zenith Defy Extreme Lapis Lazuli, a maximal take on the sports watch that latches on to some current trends.  This is a Defy Extreme, so it...

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Review: the Debut Releases from Kiwame Tokyo Worn & Wound
Kurono Tokyo are Nov 11, 2025

Review: the Debut Releases from Kiwame Tokyo

One of the most unexpected but delightful trends to emerge in watches over the last few years is the rise of the “Japanese Calatrava” style watch. Even if you haven’t heard this term thrown around, you probably know exactly the type of watch I’m talking about, as there have been several that have emerged relatively recently. The small dress watches made by Kurono Tokyo are an obvious example, and perhaps the genesis of it all. Brands like Kikuchi Nakagawa and Noaya Hida are also part of this conversation at the more luxurious end of the spectrum, and of course there are a variety of affordable watches that sit nicely in this category or are tangential to it, like Kuoe and Orient (which admittedly has been doing this for many, many years).  I like this trend because it feels like a small segment of the watch world is pushing back on the dominant force in watches over the last decade: the vintage inspired sports watch. I’m no hater – I own a few vintage inspired sports watches and can appreciate the good ones, but they are so ubiquitous it’s tough to see them as anything but generic. The simple Calatrava style watches coming out of Japan are of course similarly generic, but are a welcome flip side to the sports watch coin, and I like the idea that someone entering the hobby now might find themselves down a rabbit hole of small dress watches as opposed to Submariner-style divers. I’d be very curious what that collector has in their watch box five or ten years...

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The Best Luxury Sport Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date There Oct 30, 2025

The Best Luxury Sport Watches

Luxury Sport watches are probably one of the most popular categories out there with no shortage of excellent options from the most mainstream to the most niche independent watch brands. While names like the Rolex Submariner and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak are seen as the staple watches in this category to aspire to, we asked our editorial team here to share their personal picks in this admittedly crowded category. So without further ado, let's take a look at our favorite luxury sport watches. Glashütte Original SeaQ Panorama Date There are dive watches that you wear to go diving and there are dive watches that you wear - well, maybe afterward, to the country club where you go to talk about diving. The Glashütte Original SeaQ is a prime example of a watch that can actually fill both roles.  While it was established relatively recently, in 1994, Germany’s Glashütte Original can trace its lineage as far back as 1845, which also happens to be the year that watchmaking essentially arrived as an industry in Germany. As I cover in much greater detail in this article, a full century of horological tradition, centered in the town of Glashütte in the state of Saxony, came to an end with Germany’s defeat in World War II. It was replaced by a new era in which a state-owned conglomerate of once-independent heritage watch manufacturers, the Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe or GUB, shifted focus from artisanal techniques and luxuriously decorative timepieces to mass-produced tool watch...

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Tudor Black Bay 58 Burgundy Review: Tudor's Best Dive Watch Yet? Teddy Baldassarre
Tudor Black Bay 58 Burgundy Oct 27, 2025

Tudor Black Bay 58 Burgundy Review: Tudor's Best Dive Watch Yet?

The Tudor Black Bay 58 Burgundy was released at this year's Watches & Wonders to nothing short of acclaim by enthusiasts. Not just a fresh color, this is a redesigned Tudor Black Bay 58, essentially from top to bottom. What you’re looking at is the next generation of everybody’s favorite Black Bay size, and it debuts in a color you simply cannot ignore, and one tied to Tudor history. The Burgundy Black Bay 58 took the burgundy color usage of Black Bays from the past while leaning into the bright color scheme much more boldly than before. Rather than just adding another bezel color, Tudor decided to make the whole dial and front of the case a study in this shade of red. Where the past few years have seen Tudor experiment with satin-finished dials in its hardcore sports watches, from the Pelagos to the Black Bay 54, the 58 range has been steadfast in its use of matte or textured dial surfaces. That all changed with this iteration, as we get a punchy, sunburst burgundy dial color. You might think this is an infusion of modernity in a model known to harken back to the past, but it isn’t. It’s just harkening to a different moment in time – to a watch that Tudor never technically released. Indeed, that would be a certain 1990s Tudor Submariner Ref. 79190 prototype that had a similar red bezel/red dial combination. And while that watch never made it to the production stage, it heavily influenced the brand’s decision when it released the very first Black Bay with a bu...

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Rolex Daytona Rainbow: When An Icon Goes Colorfully Gem-Set Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Daytona Rainbow When Sep 19, 2025

Rolex Daytona Rainbow: When An Icon Goes Colorfully Gem-Set

Aside from the watch that was made legendary by Paul Newman - and which would forever, unofficially, carry the famous actor’s name - there is probably no version of the Rolex Daytona that is more coveted than the “Rainbow” models that bring a meticulously designed and eye-catchingly beautiful assortment of colorful precious stones to the bezel, case, and dial of the motorsport-inspired luxury chronograph. Here is the story behind the Rolex Daytona “Rainbow” and why it has become yet another smash hit for the Crown in the 21st Century.  To start off, it’s worth answering the question, “Why is the Rolex Daytona so famous in the first place?” The model’s success story begins in 1962, when Rolex, hot on the heels of other genre-defining watch releases like the Explorer, GMT-Master, and Submariner several years earlier, became the official timekeeper of the “Great American Race,” the Daytona 500. In celebration of the partnership, the Swiss brand introduced its original “Cosmograph” racing-inspired chronograph watch the following year. The watch, notable for its tachymeter bezel and three-register dial design, adopted the name “Daytona” shortly thereafter and really took the enthusiast community by storm when actor, director, and part-time racecar driver Paul Newman began wearing one regularly. Newman became a big-screen icon in the 1970s, around the same time that auto racing took off in popularity as a spectator sport, and this confluence of...

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News - Rolex to Release its Second Authorized Book “Oyster Perpetual Datejust - A Watch that Made History” Monochrome
Rolex Sep 12, 2025

News - Rolex to Release its Second Authorized Book “Oyster Perpetual Datejust - A Watch that Made History”

Exactly one year ago, Rolex, with the help of author Nicholas Foulkes and publisher Wallpaper, took us by surprise when releasing the first-ever Crown-authorised book, The History of the Oyster Perpetual Submariner Watch. While such initiatives have been done on multiple occasions by other brands, a historical book receiving the stamp of approval of Rolex […]

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Rolex Bracelet Types Explained Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Bracelet Types Explained 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,...

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Rolex GMT-Master II Review: The Bruce Wayne Rolex Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex GMT-Master II Review Aug 12, 2025

Rolex GMT-Master II Review: The Bruce Wayne Rolex

Before getting into the so-called "Bruce Wayne Rolex," let's establish some context. The Rolex GMT-Master is one of the Crown’s most popular models when it comes to the Professional line. It’s been an icon going back to its release in 1954, born out of a partnership with PanAm (in reality, it was a masterfully executed piece of marketing) that gave way to a new jet-setting, time-zone-malleable timekeeper. Since then, the GMT-Master (now the GMT-Master II, incorporating an even more user-friendly dual-time indication) has stood alongside the Datejust and Submariner as a core icon for the brand. It has also represented a platform for innovation for Rolex, being the first model line to see the brand transition to its “Super Case” format and its use of Cerachrom bezel tech. This paved the way for the introduction of a new, steel GMT-Master II in the late aughts with a black Cerachrom bezel insert, a green GMT hand, and green dial text. This stood for years as the most under-the-radar option for potential GMT-Master II buyers that didn’t feel comfortable slapping on a "Batman" or a "Pepsi." However, like many other popular models, it was discontinued. We saw echoes of its design materialize in form of the “Lefty” GMT, with its bi-color green-and-black bezel and matching green GMT hand. But the “Sprite” didn’t strike the same chord as that discontinued OG. Then the 70th anniversary of the GMT-Master rolled around in 2024, and Rolex surprised us all when it re...

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Watches, Stories, and Gear: Splashdown With Tudor, Yashica’s City 300 and The OGR2 Worn & Wound
Tudor Yashica’s City 300 Jul 26, 2025

Watches, Stories, and Gear: Splashdown With Tudor, Yashica’s City 300 and The OGR2

“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. SPLASHDOWN While you might know the story of how the Omega Speedmaster became the official Moonwatch, you might know the story of Navy-UDT Frogman who were tasked with safely recovering astronauts as they returned to Earth. Just as the astronauts relied upon their speedmasters,  the UDT Frogmen had their own piece of critical time keeping kit: the Tudor Submariner 7928. While these divers would preform critical roles in supporting Nasa’s splashdown recovery program, their story remained largely untold, until now. On Thursday, June 24th, Tudor unveiled a short film dedicated to these men, aptly titled “Splashdown: The Little-Known Story of Navy Frogmen and the Space Program”.  Featuring members of the team, their family, and even Jack Carr, the short film can be watched on Tudor’s website alongside various historical images. Little Camera, Big Punch Yashica, a Japanese camera company, has announced their newest compact camera, the City 300.  Similar in size to a point-and-shoot camera or the Ricoh family of cameras, the new City 300 combines a 50MP sensor, a fast F/1.8 lens, and what appears to be a flip/tilt screen; all for an estimated US retail price of $4...

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Opinion: The Culture of the Royal Oak Has Overshadowed the Watch Itself Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet was not Jul 24, 2025

Opinion: The Culture of the Royal Oak Has Overshadowed the Watch Itself

I can remember the exact moment I realized that Audemars Piguet was not the brand for me: I was listening to an episode of Hodinkee Radio in early 2019 featuring an interview with then current AP CEO François-Henry Bennahmias during which he boasted that he does not read books. For whatever skills Bennahmias has as an executive, and whatever objectively nice qualities come through in the watches made under his tenure with the brand, something about this statement immediately turned me off. In the parlance of 2025, you’d say it gave me “the ick.”  Over the last few years, I’ve thought about this moment a lot as integrated bracelet sports watch mania has waxed and waned, and my own taste has solidified somewhat. Back in 2019, my exposure to Royal Oaks was fairly limited. I basically knew what watch media and the burgeoning watch collector’s scene on Instagram told me. And the narrative, by and large, was that these were the crème de la crème of the high end, a watch that every collector should strive to own. In those days, it really was that simple: there were a handful of watches from big brands that seemed to be on everyone’s hit list at one time or another. The Submariner, the Speedmaster, the Royal Oak. It was drilled into my head, and all of our heads, that watches like this – the icons – were worthy of our universal devotion.  I eventually owned both a Speedmaster and a Submariner. Both of which, I’d eventually realize, were not for me for a vari...

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Tudor Black Bay Chrono Review Teddy Baldassarre
Breitling Jul 23, 2025

Tudor Black Bay Chrono Review

The Tudor Black Bay Chrono hit the market, somewhat unexpectedly, in 2017, boldly elevating the already red-hot Black Bay collection into a new tier of horological prestige and marking the debut of a collaboration (again, rather unexpected) between Rolex-owned Tudor and its Swiss sport-watch competitor Breitling. Nearly a decade later, the model still represents the highest level of complication in Tudor’s 21st-Century lineup, and yet this Tudor chronograph also remains very manageable, as a subfamily, in terms of material, size, and colorway options - an area in which the larger Black Bay collection, some might argue, has gone a bit far in the opposite direction, now encompassing three distinctive iterations: original Black Bay, Black Bay 58, and Black Bay 54 (which we reviewed here), all touting different sizing and multiple colorways and materials. And this doesn’t even include the other “complicated” extension of the line, the Black Bay GMT, which recently debuted in the “58” sizing and which seems to unveil a new bicolor bezel or dial color every year since its 2018 debut. Originally called the Heritage Black Bay - as it was clearly an homage to vintage dive watches from Tudor’s watchmaking history, which began in 1946 - the OG Black Bay model traces its aesthetic roots to the Oyster Prince Submariner, released in 1954, one year after big brother Rolex rolled out its own much more famous Submariner watch. This original version, Ref. 7922, used the ...

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Paul Newman Rolex Daytona: The World's Most Valuable Watch Teddy Baldassarre
TAG Heuer Jul 2, 2025

Paul Newman Rolex Daytona: The World's Most Valuable Watch

If you are into watches and watch collecting, you have heard of the “Paul Newman Rolex,” have heard of it spoken of with reverence and awe, and have perhaps even longed to possess or at least see one yourself. But how did this watch - a very specific version of the Rolex Daytona - become the celebrity watch of all celebrity watches, as well as the né plus ultra representing the absolute highest echelon of watch connoisseurship? It’s a story of watch marketing savvy and market serendipity that spans the globe from Geneva to Daytona, from Cleveland to Hollywood. Rolex was riding a hot streak of successes in the 1950s and early ‘60s. The Swiss company had already introduced to the market the definitive luxury divers’ watch, the Submariner; the quintessential luxury travel watch, the GMT-Master; and even an understated, rugged outdoor watch, the Explorer, that became a star in its one right by virtue of its role in the historic summit of Mount Everest. The one popular category that Rolex had yet to really crack was the emerging genre of motorsport-inspired wrist chronographs, an area in which brands like Heuer (today’s TAG Heuer), Longines, and Breitling had a substantial head start. Rolex boldly jumped into the fray, introducing its first “pre-Daytona” wristwatch chronograph, Ref. 6234, in 1955, and its successor, Ref. 6238, in 1962. Both were 36mm steel watches outfitted with manually wound Valjoux 72 calibers, and both had dials that read simply “Chro...

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Rolex Explorer 36mm 124270 Review Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Explorer 36mm 124270 Review Jun 26, 2025

Rolex Explorer 36mm 124270 Review

The story of the Rolex Explorer 36 124270 began at Watches & Wonders 2021, which represented an important anniversary for Rolex in marking 50 years of the Explorer II, and expectations were high on what we might see the brand do with the collection. Contrary to some of the wilder predictions, Rolex played things relatively conservatively, bringing the new 3285 movement into the line while retaining the model's 42mm case. Ironically, a reversion to classic proportions did come, but it would be in the Explorer collection and a new Reference 124270, which moved back to a 36mm case size for the first time since the 39mm 214270 was introduced in 2010. This was seen as a very un-Rolex move at the time, but today, more than three years later, it’s a watch that makes a lot of sense, not just on its own, but for Rolex as a brand. The Rolex Explorer 36mm next to the older 39mm Rolex is a brand that generally moves in one direction and, until relatively recently, doesn’t go out of its way to acknowledge its past in any overt way. While Rolex still isn’t making throwback or vintage-inspired watches, the company has taken a slightly different approach in embracing its historic design DNA while transitioning its full range to the 32xx series of movements. Examples of this include the current generation of the Submariner, which has gone back to a thinner, more traditional lug; the Sea-Dweller Reference 126600, which uses a bit of red text on the bottom of the dial; and the most ove...

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The Best Dive Watches (2026) Teddy Baldassarre
Omega Seamaster Jun 23, 2025

The Best Dive Watches (2026)

For everyone from the most passionate watch collector to the total watch novice, dive watches are one of the most popular timepiece categories - despite the fact that almost no one goes diving with a watch. So what gives? Why should regular people on the street want a watch originally designed for use as a tool in the ocean’s murky depths? For most of us, the enduring popularity of dive watches stems from several factors: Because dive watches obviously need to be water-resistant, they are as a rule over-engineered and solidly built, making them more than stout enough for rough-and-tumble everyday wear on dry land. Since divers require at-a-glance legibility underwater, dive watches also tend to have some of the cleanest dial designs. Finally, dive watches are culturally associated with a strong sense of cool, from James Bond’s Omega Seamaster, to Steve McQueen’s Rolex Submariner, all the way to the military watches worn by U.S. Navy SEALs. Whether you’re a "desk diver" or actually want to get your watch wet, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of 62 of the best dive watches on the market - from entry-level to well into the world of luxury in price range. Of course, the usual suspects are in here, but we're also aiming to share some new pieces with you. Before the keyboard aquanauts attack, let me state upfront we’re looking at both professional-level dive watches, i.e., meeting the ISO 6425 specifications, as well as "dive-style" watches here. Enjoy. Casi...

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Sunday Morning Showdown: Tudor Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” Vs. Breitling SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automatic 40 Kelly Slater Edition Fratello
Breitling SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automatic Jun 22, 2025

Sunday Morning Showdown: Tudor Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” Vs. Breitling SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automatic 40 Kelly Slater Edition

It’s Sunday morning, so it’s time for another heated Sunday Morning Showdown. Two recently released summer divers take center stage in this week’s battle. The first is the colorful Tudor Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue.” The watch reintroduces the aesthetic of the 1990s Tudor Submariner ref. 79190 with its mirror-polished bezel. It is combined with […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Tudor Black Bay 54 “Lagoon Blue” Vs. Breitling SuperOcean Heritage B31 Automatic 40 Kelly Slater Edition to read the full article.

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The Most Expensive Rolex Watches Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Watches Admit it you’re Jun 20, 2025

The Most Expensive Rolex Watches

Admit it, you’re here because you googled “Most Expensive Rolex Watches” in the hopes of gathering up some horological bar trivia, right? No? You say you’re here because you really, truly are interested in buying one of the most expensive watches Rolex currently puts out? Well, good news. We’ve updated this article to incorporate both.  Photo: Sotheby's Founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex is today the most globally recognized Swiss luxury watch brand, one of the leading innovators in the watch industry from the 20th Century to today, and the maker of some of the most popular and coveted watch models in the world, from gents’ classics like the Datejust and Day-Date to sport-luxury icons like the Submariner, Daytona, and GMT-Master. As one might expect with such a horological pedigree, Rolex watches have also become some of the most valuable watches on the secondary and auction markets, with the most elite and exclusive pieces selling for $1 million or more. (Disclaimer: obviously, for the most avid and well-connected Rolex customers, it is the legendary “off-catalog” models - like the "Rainbow Daytona" pictured above - that both project the most mythical aura of exclusivity and command the most stratospheric prices. The problem with accurately reporting on which of them is really the “Most Expensive” is built into their rarity: such models change hands without an actual MSRP ever being declared publicly, and whatever that original purchase pric...

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Hands-On: the Monta Oceanking Blue Worn & Wound
Omega Aqua Terra alternative Jun 13, 2025

Hands-On: the Monta Oceanking Blue

It has been a while since I last had a Monta watch on my wrist, so it was nice to approach this one with a fresh set of eyes. As one of the longer-standing smaller brands, Monta seems to be a bit of a known quantity at this point. They have very specific targets in both what they offer and their demographic, and seem to nail it almost every time in a very calculated way. Looking for an Omega Aqua Terra alternative for a fraction of the price? Check out the Monta Noble. You have a Rolex GMT Master II on your wishlist but can’t reasonably afford it, and need an alternative option? Well, there’s the Monta Skyquest for you. Thirsty for a Rolex Submariner but only looking to spend about one-third the retail price? Then, chances are good that you have already looked at previous iterations of the Monta Oceanking. I was in that camp almost a decade ago. Staring at older versions of the Aqua Terra online while signing up to be notified of the next restock of Monta Triumph models. No, I wouldn’t consider them one-to-one comparisons, as Monta does inject a bit of their own design language into each piece. However, while so many brands introduce new models year after year, chasing trends and sales, Monta instead takes the approach of refinement. Rather than pumping them out, they take in community feedback, look at their manufacturing capabilities and target price point, and make subtle but meaningful tweaks. That is how we’ve wound up with the Monta Oceanking in its third ver...

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