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Monochrome
In 2021, Zenith introduced the Chronomaster Sport, equipped with the innovative and seriously revised version of the El Primero, calibre 3600, incorporating modern materials and manufacturing techniques, elevating its functionality. Fast forward three years and the Chronomaster Sport has seamlessly integrated into Zenith’s catalogue. A contemporary and legit embodiment of vintage-inspired elegance, it stands out […]
Quill & Pad
Most will agree that re-painting a dial is a big no-no. Vintage pieces with re-painted dials can be had for a steal as they are difficult to shift and mostly unwanted. But not all dial restorations are created equal, and we do encounter varying degrees of “upgrades.” Some of these upgrades are purposeful deception, while others are not. Here is what one watchmaker feels about the subject.
![[VIDEO] Inside the Collection: Seiko](https://wornandwound.com/library/uploads/2024/01/ZSW_SEIKO_COLLECTION_2.jpg)
Worn & Wound
In this edition of Inside the Collection, Zach Weiss and Kat Shoulders examine what collecting Seiko has meant to them over the years. It’s a common collecting trope that Seiko is the gateway drug for many watch collectors just getting their start, and as you’ll see here that’s certainly the case for Zach and Kat. But Seiko also endures in both of their collections years later, and in surprising ways. There’s so much variety in the Seiko collection (going back decades) that it’s impossible to ever get bored of the brand, and there are always new things to discover beyond the familiar dive watches and entry level Seiko 5. Zach Weiss The greatest thing about Seiko watches, or the brand/company as a whole, is that no matter where you are in your collecting lifecycle, there is likely a watch that will appeal to you. From Seiko 5 to Prospex to Grand Seiko to Credor, there is something to find that will suit a taste, need, and budget. And to be clear, that doesn’t exclude a Credor customer from picking up a new Seiko 5 and vice versa. As a collector, that has kept them as a constant for me over the years. Starting with the Seiko 5 SNK field watches that one could pick up for a song a decade ago, then heading to vintage-styled Prospex divers, and now mining for oddities like the Seiko Sportura Kinetic Chronographs (not to mention Grand Seiko’s delights) there is simply always something for me to look for. It’s quite dangerous as I often find myself bored wit...
SJX Watches
A year after revamping Pilot collection with fresh-faced aesthetics, Zenith releases a pair of boutique editions – the Pilot Automatic and Pilot Big Date Flyback. Both feature blue dials with a linear horizontal pattern inspired by stamped aluminium body panels of vintage aircraft. Initial thoughts Zenith is best known for El Primero of 1969, a high-frequency chronograph calibre now in its second generation, which is the movement found in both new Pilot models, although the former is not a chronograph. Both, however, share the same design that defines the current Pilot line-up. Unveiled last year, the Pilot has a friendlier, more modern face than most aviator’s watches that tend to be military-inspired. It has all of the hallmarks of a pilot’s watch, including large Arabic numerals and legibility, but manages to look distinct from all the other pilot’s watches on the market. Although blue is hardly a novel colour, the new patterned dials adds to the contemporary look, being even less military-esque than last year’s models in conventional black. The Pilot Automatic retails for US$7,500, while the Pilot Big Date Flyback retails for US$11,500. The time-and-date automatic is relatively pricey for a simple watch, although the high-beat, in-house movement helps justify the price somewhat. On the other hand, the chronograph is competitive against similar watches from rival brands, particularly since the calibre inside is the latest generation of the El Primero. Moreov...
Monochrome
When you look at this watch, you might think that someone opened a wooden drawer in the attic of a venerable manufacture, found a dusty box and opened it to reveal a well-preserved late-1930s watch. A representative of the brand’s heritage, which would become the base for a re-edition. Except that here, we’re talking about […]
Video
Monochrome
Frederique Constant, renowned, among other things, for its remarkable price-to-quality ratio, surprised the watch community with its original Slimline Perpetual Calendar model 2016. This competitively priced (under EUR 10,000) watch, equipped with the brand’s FC-775 perpetual calendar calibre, quickly gained recognition. In 2022, Frederique Constant presented an unexpected update to this model through a collaboration […]
Worn & Wound
The Lunar New Year is set to begin on Feb 10th, coinciding with the date of the new moon, which will fall at 22:59 UTC on February 9th. This will be the Year of the Wood Dragon, which is said to bring authority, prosperity, and good fortune. We are in luck, as the good fortune starts early with multiple releases from many brands celebrating the new Lunar Year. Here are three stand out releases. First up, the Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon Dragon. Since 2020, the Blast Tourbillon has been Ulysse Nardin’s symbol of unconventional know-how and for this Lunar New Year, they are quite literally releasing their inner dragon. They have crafted a 5N rose gold hand-sculpted dragon that coils its way around and through the skeletonized “X” structure. The entire case is made of 5N rose gold and DLC coated titanium. Limited to 88 pieces, it is 45mm in diameter and the MSRP of $100,600. Next up is the Blancpain Villeret Traditional Chinese Calendar. In 2012 Blancpain achieved a world first, with a watch that combined both the complex Chinese calendar and a Gregorian date and moonphase. To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Blancpain has engraved a dragon on the red gold rotor flanked by a red ruby. This ultra complicated movement has 464 individual components on 6 layers and its complexity nearly matches that of a minute repeater. The dial has been created in full fired grand feu enamel, its green color harmonizing with the red gold case. Limited to 50 pieces, it is also 45mm in d...
Deployant
Looking to kickstart 2024 with a timepiece that has an excellent value proposition? We are here to help, with a selection of six great watches to consider.
Monochrome
A visually faithful re-edition of a vintage dive watch, the classic version of the Nivada Grenchen Depthmaster – which we reviewed here – combines the charm of an old watch with the ease-of-use of a modern watch, built with contemporary features and materials like sapphire crystal. And in all fairness, this is a perfect package […]
Worn & Wound
Behrens 2012 is one of the most exciting young brands working in the ever growing affordable avant-garde space. Based in China, Behrens has developed a cult following as of late, riding primarily on the strength of the impressive “Ultralight,” a futuristic design that is typical of their house aesthetic, weighing in just 20 grams. Given the Ultralight’s impressive specs and unique design, the $7,600 price tag feels almost like a bargain, but a look through the Behrens catalog reveals that they have a number of gems at prices that are truly affordable. Their latest watch, the Orion One Automatic, is a little more approachable in terms of price point, but is perhaps the brand’s most outlandish design yet. It’s yet another example of a watchmaking aesthetic that was previously reserved for six figure timepieces working its way down into the affordable segment. The case of the Orion One recalls something between a spaceship and what you’d see under the hood of a modern supercar. It’s the kind of thing that barely resembles a watch, at first, but reveals its form and complexity as you observe it. The first thing you notice is likely the array of gears under the sapphire crystal window at the top of the case, where you’d normally find a dial. Here, the only time telling function is a running seconds hand at the center. Time is read through a “twin roller” time display system at the 6:00 position. It’s fairly intuitive, but in a position that you’re li...
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SJX Watches
Twenty twenty-one was an important year for Grand Seiko as it saw the introduction of the brand’s latest-generation mechanical movement, the cal. 9SA5. A modern movement with attractive aesthetic and proprietary escapement, the cal. 9SA5 debuted in the Heritage “White Birch” SLGH005. But Grand Seiko didn’t stop there. Building upon the flagship calibre, Grand Seiko created the cal. 9SC5 and launched the Grand Seiko Tentagraph SLGC001. A large, sporty watch but entirely in lightweight titanium, the Tentagraph is a milestone for Grand Seiko (GS) as the brand’s first-ever mechanical chronograph. “Tentagraph” is self-explanatory, an acronym outlining the key features of the watch and cal. 9SC5 within: TEN beats per second, Three-day power reserve, Automatic winding, and chronoGRAPH. Initial thoughts The Tentagraph has all the tactile features expected in a modern, high-spec sports chronograph, namely substantial proportions and crisp, smooth pusher action. As expected for GS, it boasts high quality finishing inside and out, with the case in particular having category-leading finishing and detailing. And from a technical perspective, it is notable for being the high-frequency chronograph with the longest power reserve on the market – the balance runs at 36,000 beats per hour, or 5 Hz, and the power reserve is 72 hours, or three days. Aesthetically, the Tentagraph is refreshingly modern. It retains the characteristic GS design, but tweaked to accentuate the sport...
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. Share your story ideas or interesting finds by emailing us at info@wornandwound.com The Sopranos Turns 25 This week marked a major anniversary for Sopranos fans – it’s been 25 years since the show premiered on HBO, and quite literally changed television forever (mostly for the better, we’d argue). There’s been no shortage of retrospectives this week looking back on the show, its stars, and the many amazing TV moments we’ve all enjoyed over the course of 6 seasons and too many rewatches to count. But one of our favorite pieces this week was found in the New York Times, and focuses on the distinctive production design and real New Jersey locations used for filming. There was a level of authenticity that was always apparent in the The Sopranos that felt markedly different from other mafia stories told on the screen, and a huge part of that is the cast (made up largely of local NJ and NY actors with Italian ancestry) and the lived-in, familiar locations. Check out the story here. The 150 Greatest Science Fiction Films, According to Rolling Stone Whatever you think of the modern incarnation of Rolling Stone, you have to admit one thing: they have become experts at...
Time+Tide
Hunting for a vintage Vacheron? Here are three models curated by the Holy Trinity brand.The post Vacheron Constantin’s new Les Collectionneurs programme curates vintage VC models appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
In no particular order, here are 15 watches from 2023 that Ian Skellern would love to own (if somebody else was paying) and one that he hopes to buy for himself.
Monochrome
I shouldn’t have to convince you to visit Tokyo, Japan. The city alone is a solid enough reason to book a flight and experience something that has nothing in common with Western culture. But here’s another solid reason to travel to Tokyo… A watch that you’ll only be able to get in one district of […]
Video
Teddy Baldassarre
By definition, watches, no matter whatever else they might do in addition, are made to tell time. As a rule, the vast majority of watches do this in analog fashion with the use of two rotating hands, one for the hour, the other for the minute, often with an additional hand to track the running seconds. But every so often, you’ll run across the proverbial exception that proves the rule - a timepiece whose design is so radical, so outside the mainstream in design, that at first glance (sometimes even at the second or third) it appears that you can’t read the time on it at all. Even most of these avant-garde pieces, however, have been designed with the purpose of timekeeping in mind, even if this basic function is overshadowed or reduced to an aesthetic afterthought by the more spectacular elements the watch offers. Here is a selection of 10 very interesting watches (actually, nine watches and one example of high-end wrist-worn art), most of which actually do tell you the time - as long as you know how to read them. F.P. Journe FFC F.P. Journe founder Francois-Paul Journe teamed up with legendary Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola to conceptualize and produce the original FFC watch, a unique piece in a tantalum case that fetched $4.93 million at the 2021 Only Watch auction, becoming the highest-selling F.P. Journe watch in the indie brand’s nearly 25 years of existence. Journe added a platinum-cased model to its regular collection in 2023 with the same visual...
SJX Watches
Based in the southernmost corner of Russia, Rashid Tsoroev is a watchmaker who got his start in 2019 with fairly simple time-only watches powered by the oversized ETA Unitas calibre. Now Mr Tsoroev has upgraded his work, both stylistically and mechanically, with the debut of the Evo Arrow that is priced affordably at US$5,000. Still a three-hand watch but now equipped with a La Joux-Perret (LJP) automatic, the Evo Arrow sports a hand-hammered brass dial – a technique is sometimes described as tremblage – that he makes himself. Mr Tsoroev relies on suppliers for other components like the case, but he finishes all the components in his own workshop. Initial thoughts Like many independent makers in this price segment, Mr Tsoroev outsources several aspects the watch, but he applies his skill to key aspects, including producing and finishing the dial and hands; this contrasts with brands that merely design and assemble watches. Mr Tsoroev’s attention to detail is admirable, considering the price of the watch. Elements like the font he designed for the watch and the rounded arms of the hands reflect the thought put into the design and execution. Granted, there are constraints imposed by the retail price and presumably Mr Tsoroev’s location (where there are probably no suppliers in a radius of hundreds of kilometres), but the Evo Arrow feels like an honest creation by a craftsman. The only thing I would change is the movement. I would swap the LJP calibre for a Russian ...
Time+Tide
2023's Golden Globes were particularly golden when it came to watch spotting. Here are the ten best watches worn by attendees.The post The 10 best watches from the 81st Golden Globe Awards appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Arriving just as the Dragon year begins in February, the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac “Year of the Dragon” is the latest illustration of the Geneva brand’s artisanal and technical capabilities, with a hand-engraved dragon sculpture on a grand feu enamel dial and an in-house calibre that indicates the time and calendar on discs. The “Year of the Dragon” is the final chapter in the brand’s Chinese Zodiac collection, an annual series of limited editions that began in 2012 with the rabbit. With the Chinese zodiac made up of a repeating 12-year cycle – with each year represented by an animal – the series reaches its conclusion with this dragon edition, which like its predecessors is available in either pink gold or platinum. Initial thoughts Dragon-themed watches have already started to proliferate with the incoming Year of the Dragon, simply because the dragon has the most universal appeal amongst all of the zodiac animals. It carries desirable symbolism across East Asia, as opposed to say, the rodent or pig, which have a niche audience. So the appeal of a dragon watch is arguably less about the motif, which is now common, but the execution. And here the Metiers d’Art “Year of the Dragon” excels in both presentation and technique. I’ve always been fond of Vacheron Constantin’s quadruple-disc display because it is both logical and attractive. The display makes sense because it leaves majority of the dial free fo...
Time+Tide
The normally very conservative brand let its proverbial hair down in 2023 with some seriously wacky (and significant) watch releases.The post Rolex went a little crazy in 2023 – these were their top 5 most headline-snatching watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Teddy Baldassarre
Swiss watches are regarded by many as the finest timepieces in the world, and finding truly affordable Swiss watches can be, to put it mildly, somewhat challenging. Watches mass-produced in Japan and other Asian countries have cornered much of the market in the affordable realm, which we're defining here as watches with prices roughly topping out at $2,000; even Switzerland's neighbor, Germany, might be able to claim more "serious" brands that aim for this price segment. But due to the sheer size and diversity of its watch industry, Switzerland does offer its own fair share of value-oriented watches, all of which meet the globally respected "Swiss Made" standard. To coin a cliché, you just have to know where to look, and which labels to focus on. Here are 36 affordable Swiss watches, from some of the world's most admired Swiss watch brands, in a handful of popular categories. FASHION Swatch Sistem 51 Price: $155, Reference: SUTN405, Case Size: 42 mm, Case Height: 13.9 mm, Lug To Lug: 50.6 mm, Water Resistance: 30 meters, Crystal: Mineral, Movement: Automatic Swatch, often dismissed as the maker of plastic-cased, quartz-driven, mass-marketed timepieces for limited budgets and trend-driven youth, made the watch world sit up and take notice when it unveiled the Sistem 51 in 2013. Priced at an astounding $150, the watch contained an innovatively designed 51-part mechanical movement with five assembly-line produced modules held together by a single central screw. Swatch...
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. Share your story ideas or interesting finds by emailing us at info@wornandwound.com Magnet Fishing in NYC Did you pick up a new hobby during the Covid-19 lockdowns? Many of us tried our hands at baking bread, taking on arts and crafts projects, urban (and rural) hiking, and a thousand other things. James Kane, profiled recently in the New York Times, developed an interest in something a little more obscure, but unlike many of the would-be sourdough experts among us, Kane has stuck with his new pastime. Magnet fishing involves, well, dropping a magnet into a body of water and seeing what you can pull up. Kane has been doing this all over New York City for the last few years, and is hoping to build a YouTube following. It’s not the most ridiculous idea. There’s plenty of junk at the end of those magnets, but sometimes Kane finds something valuable, or interesting, that sheds light on the city’s history. Like that time he found a live grenade. Who wouldn’t want to watch that YouTube video? The Paré Paré Podcast The Paré Paré podcast is a new venture brought to us in part by the guy behind the popular Longbeach Watch Club Instagram account, featuring focused di...
Quill & Pad
2022 was a fine vintage year for excellent wristwatches. Here Ian Skellern shares the Top 7 watches that caught his eye in 2022
SJX Watches
Twenty twenty-three was a year where familiar complications were reimagined. The year’s standouts in terms of complications are characterised by good execution. Granted, most of of them are evolutionary, except perhaps for the Audemars Piguet Universelle, but a classic complication done well is arguably superior to a novel idea done badly. We asked our team members well versed with the year’s complications for their favourites and here they are. SJX The year’s most complicated and most impressive (multi) complication came from a surprising brand, Audemars Piguet. Even though it was the Royal Oak Travis Scott and Royal Oak Concept “Spider-Man” that captured the headlines, the Code 11:59 Universelle was questionably AP’s most important watch of the year from a watchmaking perspective. The Universelle manages to pack almost two dozen complications, including a grande sonnerie, perpetual calendar, split-seconds chronograph, and notably, automatic winding, into a case that’s just 42 mm wide and 15.55 mm high – a positively slender case by the standards of grand complications. By comparison, the F.P. Journe Astronomic is 44 mm by 13.7 mm, while the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime measures 47.7 mm by 16.07 mm. AP managed to do that with sophisticated and ingenious engineering, most notably by integrating the split-seconds mechanism into the automatic winding hub. The clever technical solutions are also evident in the calendar, which has an extra-thin construction...
Deployant
Counting down to the end of 2023, and before welcoming 2024, here are the best posts on Deployant for 2023. Part 1 lists the no6 to 10 spots.
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