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Quill & Pad
A. Lange & Söhne celebrates the birthday of a legendary watch, the watchmaking flagship of our time: the Lange 1 collection featuring outsize date, asymmetrical dial, and an outstandingly finished mechanical movement is now extended with four new limited edition models.
SJX Watches
Porter, a Japanese cult brand famous for its functional nylon bags, has lent its signature colours to Zenith to create the Pilot Central Automatic Porter and the Pilot Big Date Flyback Chronograph Porter. The new Pilot duo retain the familiar aviation-inspired design, but in green with orange accents, including for the first time a case in khaki green ceramic. Both models are delivered with two straps: a conventional Cordura-effect rubber strap and a green nylon strap made by Porter. Initial thoughts While the Pilot Porter isn’t an iconic classic like Zenith’s El Primero, it is a unique take on the traditional aviator’s watch that is different but still functional, not unlike Porter bags that are popular for their no-frills quality. The green and orange livery is appealing and avoids the usual pilot’s watch look, but remains entirely legible and utilitarian. Priced at US$11,300 for the time-only variant and US$15,500 for the chronograph, the Pilot Porter is priced comparably to the equivalent regular-production Pilot models. Though both are more expensive than Zenith’s offerings in steel, they are priced reasonably enough considering the material and movement, as well as the competition. Khaki green Porter is the most famous label owned by Yoshida & Co., a Japanese maker of luggage and bags. Usually in dark-coloured nylon with contrast-colour lining, Porter bags are multi-pocketed and useful (and also quite pricey for nylon bags). The Pilot Porter models adopt th...
Teddy Baldassarre
The Stern family has been at the helm of Patek Philippe since the 1930s, and for all intents and purposes the family has been responsible for – or, at the very least, overseen – just about every notable iconic release from the brand in the modern wristwatch age. Sure, split-seconds chronographs and the first Patek perpetual calendar wristwatch pre-date the Stern legacy, but when it comes to pure iconography across known collections spanning the Calatrava, the Nautilus, the Ellipse, and the Aquanaut – names that make boutiques quiver at the notion of adding yet another name to a medieval scroll’s worth of a waitlist – we can all thank generations of the Stern family. And now we can add the Patek Philippe Cubitus to that list. Brothers Jean and Charles Henri Stern invested in Patek in 1932 and were tangentially a part of the brand when the first Calatrava launched. Henri Stern oversaw the development and release of the Ellipse, followed by a watch that has come to define the brand by the general salivating public: the Nautilus (though the ultra-thin Ref. 3940 is just as deserving of praise). Philippe Stern took over in 1993, and it was under his stewardship that Patek followed up on the Gérald Genta-designed Nautilus with a new take on the format: The Aquanaut. Patek loves to delight and surprise, and so, for a deeper look at Patek launches over the years, read Mark Bernardo’s piece here. You might be thinking to yourself that a whole host of watches are missin...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
As I explained in my last piece, I am something of a Black Bay collector myself (picture the meme), having fallen for the 79220N Heritage Black Bay in 2015. Prior to this, however, I had already decided two years previously that I would buy a Rolex Submariner one day, somehow. Today, I want to focus on the 79220N Heritage Black Bay, the 79000N Black Bay 54 and the 124060 Submariner in my collection.
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe’s new launches for 2024 included novel complications like the World Time Date ref. 5330G and a “salmon” face for the flagship perpetual calendar ref. 5236P, and also a watch that exemplifies formal simplicity, the Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R-001. The new Golden Ellipse is a two-hander in the model’s largest size, but stands out for its bracelet. The only men’s watch in the current catalogue with an integrated bracelet that isn’t a Nautilus, the ref. 5738/1R has a “chain-style” bracelet made by Wellendorff, a German jeweller that has long supplied bracelets to a variety of watch brands. Initial thoughts The Ellipse is one of Patek Philippe’s trademark models but relatively under the radar, especially compared with its famous integrated-bracelet sports watch cousin designed in the same era. But the Ellipse has its appeal, particularly as a no-frills formal watch. Most commonly seen on a strap, the Ellipse feels strikingly different on a bracelet, although it is still easily recognisable. The gold bracelet evokes the mesh bracelets popular in the 1970s and gives the ref. 5738/1R a pronounced retro feel. The bracelet is finely wrought and supple. Up close, the bracelet also reveals a surprisingly intricate design that contrasts with the simplicity of the case. The fact that the bracelet is made by Wellendorff is both a strength and weakness. It has the flexibility of fine jewellery but also the open-ended clasp typical of a jewellery, instead o...
Fratello
Last week’s Sunday Morning Showdown saw two very dressy watches pitted against each other. We continue the formal streak this week but in a much more wallet-friendly manner. These two dressy numbers were positively received here at Fratello, even if they don’t represent the ultimate in horology. The big question today is: if you want […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Raymond Weil Millesime Vs. Frederique Constant Classics Moneta Moonphase to read the full article.
Monochrome
Last year, Certina ventured into the popular 1970s-inspired integrated-bracelet sports watch category. In this space, fellow Swatch Group brand Tissot has made waves with its highly successful and accessible PRX series. While the 2023 Certina DS-7 Powermatic 80 models offer a simple time-and-date functionality, they bring a more contemporary, slimmer, and less angular design, setting […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Back in the 1950s, Blancpain produced about a dozen chronographs for the United States Air Force. While these were never commercially produced, they are now highly sought-after collector’s pieces. In fact, I don’t think there has been one offered on the market since 2019 when one went at auction for about $150,000. It’s hard to guess what it would fetch in today’s market, but considering hammer prices for limited-run pieces with this kind of historical provenance, I would venture to say it would be quite a bit more. So, with such an attractive and storied Flyback Chronograph in its archives, it was no surprise 2019 also saw the release of Blancpain's limited-edition Air Command Flyback Chronograph reissue, followed by a titanium iteration done in blue/back in 2021. This was followed by the introduction of a 36mm case joining the existing 42.5mm model which-while less true to the 42mm of the original- made a splash with collectors who have found themselves fatigued with beefier cases. Now Blancpain has released a limited-edition pair of these titanium Air Command watches in an excellent camouflage green with options in both smaller and larger case size. While I was only able to get my hands on the smaller Blancpain Air Command in the 36.2mm wide case, I have actually tried on the previous blue model in the larger case and found myself preferring this more compact size. It’s been a while since I checked my wrist circumference (yes, watch nerds sound crazy to ...
Deployant
Just in time for the Singapore Grand Prix 2024! Bell & Ross is back with their racing watch! This time, they have broken free from any tie ups and have created the handsomest BR-X5 till date! The Bell & Ross BR-X5 Racing. Lights out and away we go!
Fratello
A flyback countdown chronograph with a date at 9 o’clock and a 3Hz beat rate… A mic-drop meme would be enough now to introduce the seemingly unique Airin Regatta Chronograph that resurfaced in France. I have been following French graphic designer and watch collector David Renou, aka @Super.Compressor on Instagram, for quite some time now. […] Visit #TBT A Colorful Airin Regatta Timer With An Impressive Valjoux 237 Movement to read the full article.
Monochrome
This year’s Geneva Watch Days was perhaps the hottest edition to date, both in actual daytime temperatures and in watches. With the thermometer hitting 30° Celius pretty much the entire week, we were impressed by the amount of genuinely innovative and creative watchmaking on display. From a skeletonized ultra-thin version of the Speake Marin Ripples […]
SJX Watches
MB&F;’s sculptural clocks made by L’Epee 1839 have ranged from sci-fi spiders to robots. And now the pair have debuted their most elaborate and expensive desk clock to date, the Albatross. Inspired by the airship of the same name in the Jules Verne novel Robur the Conqueror, the steampunk Albatross does more than tell the time. The clock also incorporates an hourstriker as well as a propellor automaton that activates alongside the hourstriker. Initial thoughts The Albatross is more interesting mechanically than MB&F;’s past collaborations with L’Epee, which were mostly about the form of the clock. This, on the other hand, incorporates mechanics into the design with the propeller automaton linked to the hourstriker. Coupled with the chiming and spinning propellors, the sheer size – 60 cm high and some 17 kg – makes the Albatross a truly impressive object. But the Albatross costs about CHF120,000 before taxes, which is a big number even considering its complexity. While the impressive mechanics and careful construction of the clock arguably justify the price, the price tag puts it in competition with a lot of compelling watches, at least for a watch collector. For someone looking for an impressive desktop object or the ultimate in home decor, this has arguably less competition. Jules Verne’s airship Made of steel, brass, and aluminium, the Albatross contains two separate movements. The first is a twin barrel, eight-day movement for the timekeeping and hourstriker...
SJX Watches
Earlier this year Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled the refreshed Duometre line, with the entry into the new collection being the Duometre Quantieme Lunaire, the only steel model in the line-up so far. The dual train movement is used to power two separate sets of indications, one is the time with hours, minutes, and seconds, and the other a combination of the date, moon phase, and lightning seconds. Made up of several models sporting an all-new look, this year’s Duometre collection is the first substantial facelift of the model line since its launch in 2007. While the original models had an aesthetic that brought to mind A. Lange & Söhne, the redesigned Duometre models have a more vintage-ish look that incorporates elements that are popular today, including a domed crystal and decorative recesses on the lugs. In terms of mechanical function, however, the new Duometre models are fundamentally the same. The “duo” barrels of the Duometre Initial thoughts The new look is a good one. It’s attractive and still fairly original; although it is vintage inspired, the design avoids looking generic, thanks in part to the distinctive Duometre dial layout. The domed crystal and dial result in the new model looking slightly bigger than the original, but at the same time it feels thinner. The dial layout is essentially the same as on the earlier generation Quantieme Lunaire as the movement is essentially identical. The recognisable double barrels-and-trains construction is evident, wh...
Time+Tide
While everyone may be scrutinising Rachael "Raygun" Gunn's breaking routines, as watch geeks we just want to identify the watch on her wrist.The post Does viral breakdancer Raygun wear Casio as a go-to? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Having been first seen as a one-off for a charity auction, the Konstantin Chaykin Stargazer is now part of the watchmaker’s catalogue. Originally conceived as a unique piece for the postponed Only Watch 2023, the Stargazer is the independent watchmaker’s most complicated wristwatch to date. Arguably the most successful Russian watchmaker today, Mr Chaykin has long had a passion for astronomy and astrophysics – he created a Martian-time watch in 2018 – so it is unsurprising that the Stargazer is heavily focused on astronomical complications, including a star chart and sunrise-sunset indicator. The complexity of the Stargazer places it in the same rarefied niche of watchmaking occupied by similar grand complications from Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and F. P. Journe. Initial thoughts Virtually identical to the Only Watch unique piece, the regular-production Stargazer remains an exceptional watch. Its complexity is all the more remarkable coming from a small independent outfit, as compared to similar watches developed by large manufacturers. The Stargazer has a strong design with distinctive lines, with a style that evokes some of Mr Chaykin’s past space-inspired watches. This unique aesthetic differentiates it from most other astronomically-oriented timepieces, which are primarily classical. Additionally, the brand’s trademark Wristmon format is put to good use here, because the Stargazer is indeed a two-faced horological beast. The unique piece cr...
Time+Tide
The smallest modern King Seiko to date tells the story of how influential Ivy League style has been on Japanese fashion, with a new 36mm case.The post King Seiko goes preppy with Ivy League inspiration and a new case size appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
MB&F; movement constructor for LM Perpetual,Stephen McDonnell’s focus was split between ease of use, durability, and packaging. Ease of use comes in the form of an independent corrector for each of the day, date, month, and leap year. Unlike most perpetual calendars, the MB&F; LM Perpetual has a permanent freestanding button for advancing each display; no separate tool is required.
SJX Watches
Established two years ago by Jean-Claude Biver and his son Pierre, Biver has just named the first outsider to its management ranks with James Marks as chief executive officer. The longtime head of Phillips Perpetual, the auctioneer’s watch boutique headquartered in London, Mr Marks is now based in Zurich for his new role; he remains a consultant to Phillips. (Pictured above, from left: James Marks, Jean-Claude and Pierre Biver.) Now 74 years old, the inimitable Jean-Claude Biver is something of an industry legend for having resurrected Blancpain and Hublot, but his eponymous brand is the first venture that is his own. Or more specifically, a Biver family affair: his youngest son Pierre, who is turning 25 this year, was cofounder of the brand. Mr Marks, who is 44 years old, will both help lead the brand as well as manage the transition from one generation of Bivers to the next. The movement of the one-off Biver Catharsis Minute Repeater Carillon Mr Marks is a longtime watch enthusiast who was a fund manager before he joined the watch industry six years ago. Soon after he set up Perpetual, a then-novel concept for an auction house where watches were available for sale year-round and not only during auction season. One of his earliest hires was Pierre Biver as an intern. Both an industry insider and outsider, Mr Marks is expected to bring a new perspective to Biver. Although the brand has only sold a few dozen watches to date, it has garnered volumes of praise and criticism...
SJX Watches
Blancpain just unveiled an all-ceramic bracelet to match the Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe models in black ceramic: the time-and-date, flyback chronograph, and Quantième Complet (or triple calendar). Positioned as the entry-level model in the Fifty Fathom collection of historically-inspired dive watches, the Bathyscaphe has long been available in ceramic, so a bracelet is long overdue. According to Blancpain, each link of the bracelet unique in shape and size, so each link has to be manufactured individually, requiring an enormous amount of skilled labour – which helps to explain the price of almost US$8,000 for the bracelet. All three are now available with a matching bracelet Initial thoughts Though it was a pioneer in the dive watch as we know it, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms has remained fairly under the radar, despite its relatively strong price-quality ratio. The ceramic bracelet for the Bathyscaphe helps it stand out, as few brands offer a matching bracelet for ceramic watches. While ceramic watch cases are common and found across the price spectrum, ceramic bracelets remain relatively uncommon, especially bracelets that are hand finished with a brushed surface like this. All links are manufactured individually, with each link differing in shape and size The ceramic bracelet is expensive – it costs just under US$8,000 extra compared to the same on a strap. That means the three-hand diver costs US$21,300, while the flyback chronograph and triple calendar are both US$...
Worn & Wound
The last time we brought you news of a Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein collaboration, it was one of their most ambitious efforts to date, a Swiss tourbillon coming in under CHF 16,000, which brings a different angle to Louis Erard’s stated goal of making luxury watchmaking accessible. When that watch was released, Louis Erard promised additional collaborations to follow, and today we see the next step in their partnership. The Louis Erard x Alain Silberstein Smile-Day adds a new colorway to a fan favorite format, and shows that there’s still gas left in the collaboration tank. The Smile-Day is a stand-alone version of the “La Semaine” concept that we’ve seen Louis Erard and Silberstein experiment with a few times now. This watch essentially takes a day-date complication and replaces the “day” with a series of smiling emojis. It doesn’t actually help you keep track of the calendar, but it’s a fun and whimsical idea, and has always felt like a great match to Silberstein’s playful use of color and shape. The wearer is invited to adjust the “day” to the emoji that most fits their mood, or perhaps the emoji that most fits the mood they want to be in. Previous versions of this watch have appeared with black and drab green dials, but this has a very different personality with a light gray dial. It’s complemented by light blue hour markers and a matching oversized minute hand, with a red hour hand and bright yellow seconds hand. As with earlier exampl...
Worn & Wound
Another week, another green Oris Divers Sixty-Five. Just six days ago, Oris unveiled what could possibly be the ideal, enthusiast focused version of the Divers Sixty-Five. That model has a versatile 38mm case, the brand’s high-spec manufacture movement, no date, and a dial in a color that’s very much of the current moment. The new(er) reference has some on-the-surface similarities, but the details will likely make this one appeal to a very different customer. That’s part of what makes Oris such a compelling brand for both new and old enthusiasts and collectors, though – there’s an incredible variety, and truly something for every taste, even within a single collection. What we have here is a 40mm Divers Sixty-Five with a green dial that Oris says is inspired by the dense forests that surround the company’s original factory in Hölstein. The tone here has a subtle fumé effect, reading as a light, almost pastel green at the dial’s center, transitioning into something more lush and quite a bit darker at the outer edges. With the slightly larger case, we also get a date at the 6:00 position, a function of the Oris Calibre 733 movement that powers the watch. This movement is a rebadged Sellita and offers 41 hours of power reserve. Oris deserves credit, I think, for continuing to produce interesting variants of the Divers Sixty-Five with this more affordable but completely respectable workhorse caliber. Many brands, after introducing a new caliber family like ...
Monochrome
Abraham-Louis Breguet is often regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern watchmaking. Through numerous inventions and the so-called unmistakable signs, he firmly imprinted his mark on the industry. On this date, June 26th, 1801, A.L. Breguet patented what would become his most famous invention, the tourbillon regulator. As a tribute to the genius […]
Worn & Wound
An altimeter is a device used to measure the altitude of an object or a person above a particular fixed level, usually sea level. There are various types of altimeters, including pressure, sonic, radar, laser, and GPS. In this instance, we will be focusing on the kind that uses atmospheric pressure to make measurements, as these are commonly found in aircraft and used by skydivers, hikers, and mountain climbers. The technology is relatively straightforward: the higher the altitude, the lower the atmospheric pressure. An altimeter is a device used to measure the altitude of an object or a person above a particular fixed level, usually sea level. There are various types of altimeters, including pressure, sonic, radar, laser, and GPS. In this instance, we will be focusing on the kind that uses atmospheric pressure to make measurements, as these are commonly found in aircraft and used by skydivers, hikers, and mountain climbers. The technology is relatively straightforward: the higher the altitude, the lower the atmospheric pressure. The post How An Altimeter Works And Why We Think They’re Cool appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Fratello
Thus far, we’ve seen brands that mix horology with space and land exploration, car racing, coffee, and food. “But what about literature?” you may ask. Well, friends, I’m glad you want to know because, today, we’re going to take a look at Buci. This is a brand hailing from Paris, France, with a first collection […] Visit Introducing: Buci - Where Poetry Intersects With Horology And Horology Meets Vandalism to read the full article.
Time+Tide
This beefy yet innovative watch uses a complex six-barrel system that's wound by a typical automatic rotor to mechanically power LED backlights.The post Panerai’s innovative Submersible Elux LAB-ID features mechanical luminescence – without using a dynamo appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Sotheby’s has just announced that Sam Hines will be Chairman of Watches, the top job in the watch and clock department, starting end June 2024. Mr Hines (pictured above left) will be based in Hong Kong, where he has lived for over a decade. Having been expected by the industry for several months, Mr Hines’ new role sees him to return to a traditional auction house four years after he left Sotheby’s to join online auctioneer Loupe This. Mr Hines was also a freelance consultant during that time and continued to work with Sotheby’s. He was instrumental in securing several high-profile timepieces for the auction house, including the Patek Philippe ref. 2526 with movement number 760’000 that once belonged to J.B. Champion and sold for over US$731,000 including fees earlier in 2024. Alongside Mr Hines’ appointment, Sotheby’s also announced the promotion of Geoff Hess (above right) to Global Head of Watches. Previously the head of department in the Americas, Mr Hess will continue to be based in New York. Prior to joining Sotheby’s in August 2023, Mr Hess was a watch specialist the Phillips.
Worn & Wound
It feels like not too long ago, TAG Heuer had completely revamped their Aquaracer line of dive watches, and for the most part, they were well received by the public at large. However, many collectors felt they had not gone far enough, especially with their 300m Professional series. TAG Heuer has listened and updated for 2024, with tweaked and revamped versions of the Aquaracer Professional 300 Date and GMT. At first glance, you may quickly mistake these for the previous generation, but rest assured, the refinements are there, and they are considerable. Let us begin with what they have kept. The general shape of the watch is identical to the previous one, however they have slightly downsized the case from 43mm to 42mm. This may not be too noticeable, though proportions feel enhanced. They have also kept the quirky and unique polygonal hour indices, as well as the color matched ceramic bezels with a blue lumed triangle at the 60-minute mark. The latter matches the lume color on the minute hand, while everything else glows green, as it did before. The bracelet also remains the same and it retains the tremendous on-the-fly micro-adjustable clasp, which was introduced with the prior incarnation. The case back still features the neat diver’s helmet engraving and is screwed down by a proprietary key. Lug-to-lug length has been shortened by 2mm and is now 48mm, which should make these watches even easier to wear for more people. These new models will be available in black, blu...
Time+Tide
Chronographs with date wheels that go up to 39, maharajas' pocket watches, and vintage Breitling are the stomping grounds for this gentleman.The post Eastern connection: a conversation with author and super-collector Aashdin K. Billimoria appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
To celebrate Inter Milan’s recent triumph in the Serie A – a 20th title for the Italian football club – Tudor has created the Black Bay 58 “Inter”. This limited edition Black Bay 58 (BB58) features a gradient blue dial with the club’s emblem above the six o’clock marker, flanked by two gold stars – one for each of the football club’s 10 league titles. First presented to the club’s players, the watch will be also available to the public as a limited edition of 1,908 pieces, available only at Tudor boutiques and retailers in Italy. Initial thoughts Football aside, the BB58 “Inter” is a good looking watch. The blue ombré dial is striking and different from the usual Tudor aesthetic, and it compliments the vintage-inspired aesthetic well. At the same time, the Inter Milan logo and twin stars are also fairly discreet, while serving as visual balance for the Tudor logo above. The rest of the watch is identical to the standard model, which means a compact, easily wearable case, high-spec in-house movement. Pricing is also comparable to the regular production model, which makes it a great value proposition. The BB58 “Inter” presented to French footballer Marcus Thuram. Image – Inter Milan I Nerazzurri Already associated with the America’s Cup, Formula 1, and pro cycling, Tudor is now furthering its involvement with football. Already the official timekeeper for American soccer club Inter Miami C.F., Tudor is now partnered with one of the most famo...
Fratello
Hello, and welcome! Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of Fratello Talks. Today, Nacho, Morgan, and Daan pick their desert island watches. Say one day you were unfortunate enough to become stranded on a desert island; which watch from your collection would you want there with you? Now, let’s say it’s not a […] Visit Fratello Talks: Desert Island Watches to read the full article.
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