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Results for The 2017-2022 Vintage Market Boom

41,998 articles · 275 videos found · page 994 of 1410

eBay Finds: A Classic from Longines, a Benrus with Crazy Lugs, and a Couple of Great Chronos Worn & Wound
Longines Apr 25, 2025

eBay Finds: A Classic from Longines, a Benrus with Crazy Lugs, and a Couple of Great Chronos

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage Benrus Wristwatch  Here’s a nice little vintage Benrus, with fancy knotted lugs. The yellow gold filled case is a hair under 30mm, but what this watch lacks in size it makes up with style with those wild lugs. The case looks to be in really nice shape with sharp edges. The two-tone bullseye style dial is nice, with an even patina. The manual wind movement is clean and runs well per the seller. Nice vintage piece that would look great at your next cocktail party! View auction here Croton Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver Ah, the Croton Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver, the watch with the coolest name ever! And this example is an absolute beauty. The 38mm stainless steel case is unpolished, with perfect sharp chamfers on the lugs, and the aluminum diver bezel is pretty much perfect. The black dial is super clean, with perfectly aged lume, and same with the hands. These Chronomasters came with many different movements, but this example has my favorite, the buttery smooth Valjoux 23, a manual wind masterpiece. This has to be the nicest example of this iteration of the Croton Chronomaster I’ve ever seen. If this floats your boat, here’s your chance to grab one! View auction here Vi...

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Timex x Bespoke Post Field Watch: A Retro Mil-Spec Revival for Just $150 Two Broke Watch Snobs
Timex x Bespoke Post Field Apr 24, 2025

Timex x Bespoke Post Field Watch: A Retro Mil-Spec Revival for Just $150

If you're like me and you can never get enough of the whole vintage military watch thing, then Timex’s latest collaboration with Bespoke Post might be right up your alley. Based on a 1970s gem from their Viscount collection, this throwback is wrapped up in a 36mm steel case that’s just the right size for something that looks rugged without feeling cumbersome.

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Longines Legend Diver Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Longines Apr 23, 2025

Longines Legend Diver Guide

The Longines Legend Diver, introduced in the mid-aughts but tracing its origins all the way back to the embryonic era of modern dive watches in the 1950s and ‘60s, is the epitome of retro-vintage cool for many lovers of sport watches. Here’s how the watch, and its hallmark and still-rare Super Compressor case design, found a successful niche, and an avid audience, in the 21st century.  1959: The Inspiration As with many now-common watchmaking innovations, Longines was one of the pioneers in waterproofing timepieces, making its first water-resistant case as early as 1937, and introducing its first wristwatches purpose-built for recreational diving in the late 1950s. Unlike many of its predecessors and contemporaries in that fertile era of iconic dive watches - like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Rolex Submariner (both 1953), and Omega Seamaster Professional (1957) - Longines’s Super Compressor Diver Ref. 7042, launched in 1959 and the most direct ancestor of today’s Legend Diver - did not employ the now-ubiquitous, external, unidirectional rotating bezel for its dive scale. Instead, the watch was designed in the so-called compressor style, also used by brands like Jaeger-LeCoultre, Enicar, and Universal Genève, whose case design included an inner dive-scale ring, positioned on the dial’s flange and mounted under the crystal, which rotated in both directions, operated by an additional crown at 4 o’clock. The “Super” in Longines’ “Super Compressor”...

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Mido Multifort TV Big Date Review Teddy Baldassarre
Mido Apr 17, 2025

Mido Multifort TV Big Date Review

Of all the vintage-style watches that are all the rage today - and there are plenty of them - perhaps none are more charmingly retro in their appeal than watches with a soft-square “TV” case. Not only is the shape itself evocative of a bygone era in watch design, but even its descriptor is hopelessly dated. When was the last time, after all, that you encountered a TV set that actually had that shape? It’s similar to the way we still call our smart devices “phones,” even if we aren’t really making telephone calls on them much anymore. But I digress. The gist here is that Mido was one of the first watchmakers to lean into the “TV” shape for its timepieces, with its first one debuting all the way back in 1973 - that halcyon era when television screens were still square and families gathered around them to watch All in the Family, The Waltons, and Hawaii Five-O. In 2023, 50 years later and well into the modern era of flat-screens and video streaming, Mido brought back the TV case in an extension of its Multifort collection, first in all-steel versions and eventually in the rose-gold-PVD-coated steel model we showcase here.  The Multifort TV Big Date represents the latest intriguing evolution of the Multifort series, which is actually one of the brand’s oldest product families, the first model having debuted as early as 1934 - long before most American homes even had television sets, in fact. In addition to its three-part case, which measures an alm...

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eBay Finds: Precious Metal Classics from Omega and IWC, a Funky Waltham, and a Seiko 5 in Great Condition Worn & Wound
Omega Apr 11, 2025

eBay Finds: Precious Metal Classics from Omega and IWC, a Funky Waltham, and a Seiko 5 in Great Condition

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage Waltham B-383 Rally Diver  Here’s a wild one to start off this week, a vintage Waltham diver with a bold rally dial. The large squarish chunky steel case looks unpolished with sharp edges. The diver’s bezel has a cool half yellow, half black acrylic insert that is in really nice shape. The dial is what really sets this diver apart though, with its intricate black, yellow and blue alternating “rally” style design. Broad steel hands and the ubiquitous 1970s day/date window complete the look. No movement picture, but the seller states it runs well. This one has all the vintage swag you could want in a diver! View auction here Vintage Seiko 5 Sportsmatic  Next up is this simple yet stylish vintage Seiko 5 Sportsmatic. These are really versatile, large and robust enough to be sporty, but you can dress it up with a nice leather strap and it would be right at home with a suit! This 1967 model is in excellent, unpolished shape, with a large 38mm case. The classic Seiko silver dial with steel markers and hands is also excellent. Of note, the hour and minute hands are the exact same hands used on the iconic Seiko 6105 divers, although the lume color is different. Nice clean auto...

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Blancpain Fills a Niche with Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in Polishe Teddy Baldassarre
Blancpain Apr 10, 2025

Blancpain Fills a Niche with Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in Polishe

Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, first introduced in 1953, is indisputably one of the most influential and iconic timepieces of the 20th century, basically laying out the blueprint for what we now recognize today as the modern divers’ watch. Also indisputable is the fact that the Fifty Fathoms is a watch that is anything but understated in its proportions - the Automatique at the core of the modern collection, relaunched in 2008, sports a massive 45mm case, and even the vintage-inspired and allegedly more modestly sized Bathyscaphe models, which joined the collection in 2013, hover around 43mm in their male-targeted iterations. In 2024, Blancpain responded to a market-wide trend toward smaller case sizes - albeit without compromising the bold character of its flagship sport-luxury model - by releasing a new version of the Fifty Fathoms Automatique in a middle-of-the-road 42mm version. Curiously, the first two models in this size were in rose gold and titanium; the inclusion of a steel model seemed to be a no-brainer that was conspicuous by its absence in that first wave of 42mm models. Today, however, Blancpain has finally delivered the Fifty Fathoms Automatique 42mm in stainless steel - adding it to the regular collection as well as giving the model a distinctive flair. The stainless steel case of the new Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Automatique, which measures precisely 42.3mm in diameter and 14.3mm thick, sports a gleaming, predominantly polished finish, distinguishing...

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Tudor’s Black Bay Pro, Now in Opaline White SJX Watches
Tudor s Black Bay Pro Apr 7, 2025

Tudor’s Black Bay Pro, Now in Opaline White

Tudor has given its Black Bay Pro a new look with an “opaline” white dial, fulfilling a long-standing enthusiasts’ wish. This new model replaces the black dial launched in 2022, while retaining the same 39 mm case and 24-hour fixed bezel. It’s equipped with a pale orange GMT hand that stands out prominently against the “polar” white dial. Initial thoughts Three years after its initial release, the Black Bay Pro remains one of the strongest value propositions in the sub–US$5,000 segment of dual time zone watches. Priced at US$4,375 on a steel bracelet, the Black Bay Pro is a true GMT with an independently adjustable local hour hand. Plus it features a solid bracelet with a micro-adjust clasp and a high-spec in-house movement. Naturally, the fact that it’s reminiscent of the Rolex Explorer II “polar” doesn’t hurt. The only drawback is the 14.6 mm case that is a little too thick for its compact diameter. Fortunately, Tudor does offer a better proportioned dual time zone with the Black Bay 58 GMT, but that’s only available in black and burgundy for now. Opaline dial The domed white dial is the star of the show. Like the original model, it features applied luminous ceramic-polymer hour markers. Here the markings are in black on a matte white dial, matched with an orange GMT hand. Apart from the dial, the watch remains identical to the earlier Black Bay Pro. It features a 39 mm case housing the COSC-certified MT5652 movement, which operates at 28,800 beat...

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H. Moser Goes “Pop” with their New Stone Dial Collection Worn & Wound
H. Moser Goes “Pop” Apr 4, 2025

H. Moser Goes “Pop” with their New Stone Dial Collection

It’s well understood at this point that stone dials are experiencing a renaissance in all corners of the watch market. In fact, it might almost be kind of boring to point this out as we continue to see new spins on these dials released on an almost weekly basis. So it would be tempting to say that H. Moser is jumping on the stone dial bandwagon with their new Pop collection, the centerpiece of their Watches & Wonders 2025 strategy. But I don’t think that’s quite fair. Moser, for their part, has been ahead of the curve on stone dials. They’ve released a handful of extremely limited watches with dials crafted from jade, falcon’s eye, and other stones in recent years. And with the Pop collection watches, they’ve done something genuinely creative, combining multiple stones in each dial in unexpected ways across three different models.  The Pop collection exists in the Endeavour line, and makes use of all three watches on the platform: the Endeavour Small Seconds, Endeavour Tourbillon, and Endeavour Minute Repeater Tourbillon Concept. There are six groups of three watches, each making use of a combination of two stones. The stone pairings are Burmese jade and pink opal, lapis lazuli and lemon chrysoprase, and turquoise and coral. Each pairing is executed in two ways, with one stone being dominant in each. So, for example, there’s a Small Seconds model with Burmese jade in the main dial and pink opal in the sub seconds, and another with the opposite. For the tourb...

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Frederique Constant Introduces a Revamped Classic Perpetual Calendar Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Introduces Apr 1, 2025

Frederique Constant Introduces a Revamped Classic Perpetual Calendar

Frederique Constant proved that a perpetual calendar watch could be priced within reach of the general market with the release of their original Classic Perpetual Manufacture back in 2016. Nine years later, the Geneva-based brand’s redesigned and refined new Classic Perpetual looks to continue that tradition.  Housed in a steel 40mm case that sports slimmer lugs and softer angles than previous models, the new Classic promises elegance and functionality in equal measure. The salmon “sunray” dial and silver diamond-cut indexes ooze cocktail party elegance, but keep the color scheme in check in order to draw full and worthy attention to the complications: a date counter at 3 o’clock, moonphase at 6, weekday counter at 9, and month and leap year counter at 12, all of which are stepped to add dimension to the dial. A discreet sector dial minute track runs the perimeter for a touch of vintage flair, while the Frederique Constant signature sits below the moonphase window at the 6 position. None of these features will be a surprise for seasoned calendar collectors, of course, but the combination of the salmon dial, silver dauphine hands and indexes, and subtly reshaped Classic case will draw appreciation from those in the market for a dress watch that punches above its price point. The included dark brown alligator leather strap adds another point of class to the Classic, as does the onion-style crown-this is a watch to be worn while toasting a great achievement in the ...

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My First Gold Watch: An IWC Cal. 8531 Fratello
IWC Cal 8531 Once again Mar 29, 2025

My First Gold Watch: An IWC Cal. 8531

Once again, we find ourselves with an article by yours truly on an IWC. Oh well, I’ve bought another vintage watch from International Watch Company Schaffhausen. It’s starting to become a bit of a running joke. This time, though, I haven’t gone for steel. Instead, I bought my very first gold watch. I seem to […] Visit My First Gold Watch: An IWC Cal. 8531 to read the full article.

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eBay Finds: A Selection of Affordable Seikos, Plus a Killer Bulova Worn & Wound
Bulova eBay Finds Mar 28, 2025

eBay Finds: A Selection of Affordable Seikos, Plus a Killer Bulova

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage Seiko UFO 6138-0011 Welcome to the “mostly Seiko eBay Finds”. Like most things in this world, good watch auctions can come in groups, such as this week! I wasn’t particularly looking for Seikos, but I found several for your bidding pleasure. First up is this vintage 1971 Seiko “UFO” 6138-0011 chronograph. This is a unique Seiko chronograph, and one that is easy to recognize with its big round case (hence the UFO moniker). The black dial is nice and clean and looks great with the up/down big eye look with the larger 6 o’clock subdial. The pushers on this model are also unique, with piston-like engraved grooves. This watch would’ve originally come on a Seiko bracelet, but the rally style strap it’s on works well. Overall the watch is in good shape, with an unpolished case and clean dial, hands and bezel. Runs well per the seller but no movement picture. View auction here Seiko 5 Sports 7019-7050  The next Seiko up is this nice vintage 1972 Seiko 5 Sports 7019-7050. This is a great looking sport watch, with a large, 39mm wide round-ish steel case that has a wide beveled bezel. It almost looks like a diver, but it has no diver’s bezel, external or internal. The di...

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My Short List Of Gallet Watches You Might Consider Adding To Your Collection  Fratello
Breitling s acquisition Mar 18, 2025

My Short List Of Gallet Watches You Might Consider Adding To Your Collection 

I dare say there isn’t another site on the internet where you can find more in-depth articles about vintage Gallet watches. Following yesterday’s announcement about Breitling’s acquisition of the brand, we will briefly look at the most interesting Gallet watches ever produced. I made an effort and counted; over the last six years, I have […] Visit My Short List Of Gallet Watches You Might Consider Adding To Your Collection  to read the full article.

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Luminous Pixels and Retro Design on Mido’s Commander 1959 SJX Watches
Longines amongst others Mar 13, 2025

Luminous Pixels and Retro Design on Mido’s Commander 1959

Originally a low-key, perhaps even boring, vintage remake, the Commander 1959 Pixel Dial livens things up with a vibrant array of blue, purple, and pink squares printed on the black dial. The new Mido departs from our usual focus on higher-end mechanical watchmaking, but at a little over US$700, it combines affordability, good-enough quality, and fun. The blue and pink squares are actually Super-LumiNova on matte black, creating a striking illuminated pixel dial in the dark. The dial is housed in the classic Commander 1959 case characterised by a “Milanese” mesh bracelet, flat bezel, and domed acrylic crystal, which evokes an unmistakable mid-century aesthetic that contrasts with the funky pixel dial. Initial thoughts Several of Mido’s recent releases, including the Ocean Star Decompression Timer 1961, combine inject vibrant colours and details into vintage-inspired designs. The new Commander 1959 continues this with its unmistakably 1950s-style case paired with a modern dial. Despite the dial’s array of colours, legibility is excellent thanks to the wide hands and markers. The Pixel Dial is a simple iteration of the original, and consequently remains affordable at US$740. Like many other watches in the same price range made by Mido’s parent Swatch Group (which also owns Tissot and Longines amongst others), the Commander 1959 is equipped with the Powermatic 80, a no-frills, economical movement that nonetheless provides an impressive 80-hour power reserve. Pattern...

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Tissot PRC 100 Solar Watch Review Teddy Baldassarre
Tissot Mar 6, 2025

Tissot PRC 100 Solar Watch Review

Tissot is best known for introducing compelling models with Swiss-made craftsmanship, like its fan-favorite PRX line, at some of the market's most competitive price points. Today, the brand is breathing new life into a collection that had lain dormant for the past few years with the new solar quartz-powered PRC 100 Solar. The best part? All of the models retail for under $600.    Introduced in the mid-2000s, the PRC 100 line is defined by its geometry, namely, the twelve-sided dodecagonal bezel. The line offered several iterations, including both simple time and date options as well as chronograph takes on the model family. In recent years, the brand has focussed its energy elsewhere in its collection, and most of the enthusiast crowd has locked in on its aforementioned array of PRX models, which can be found in just about every color and size option one can dream up. But now, the PRC 100 is back with a bang, complete with all the set it and forget it convenience of quartz, but with a solar-powered twist with the brand’s advanced “Lightmaster” technology.  There are a number of solar quartz options available on the market today, but Tissot has gone the innovative route with the PRC 100 Solar. Typically, solar-powered watches have relied on solar paneling and cells beneath the dial for charging and often require some dial or bezel transparency for the photovoltaic energy to charge the battery. In the case of the Swiss solar quartz used in these models (which the br...

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Introducing – A new Limited Edition Citizen Series 8 / 831 Mechanical with a Crisp Ice Blue Dial Monochrome
Citizen Series 8 / 831 Feb 27, 2025

Introducing – A new Limited Edition Citizen Series 8 / 831 Mechanical with a Crisp Ice Blue Dial

Long reserved for the Japan Domestic Market (the famous JDM watches), the Citizen Series 8 is the brand’s take on the sporty, characterful watches made for daily use. Sharply designed with a mix of boldness, resistance and a certain contemporary elegance, the collection was given some fresh air in 2021 and became available worldwide. Since […]

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Ace Jewelers and echo/neutra Unveil their Averau 39 Moon Phase Noctilum Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Feb 26, 2025

Ace Jewelers and echo/neutra Unveil their Averau 39 Moon Phase Noctilum Limited Edition

From their distinctive lower-case name to their cohesive brand aesthetics, echo/neutra has upheld a reputation of stylized simplicity since their founding in 2019. With the Averau 39 Moon Phase, released in 2022 as a follow-up to the original Averau field watch, the young Italian brand proved that they could introduce complications without sacrificing the clean design ethos they’ve since become known for. A “Big Moon” version with both black and white dial options would follow in 2024 and become arguably the brand’s most recognizable watch, due to its strikingly photo-realistic moon disc.  For the new Averau 39 Moon Phase Noctilum, however, echo/neutra has plucked the traditional double-moon phase indication from the first Moon Phase model and given it a new minimalist look. A limited edition project joint-helmed by echo/neutra and Ace Jewelers of Amsterdam, the Noctilum emphasizes bold legibility-while the subdial at the 6 o’clock position remains, the realistically-textured moons have been replaced by contrasting black and luminous white alternatives. Continuing with the paring-down of design elements, the hands and 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock indices are the same matte black as the dial, but feature luminous white borders, creating an impressively emotive and legible “inverted lume” effect in dark conditions.  Further deviating from the original, the Noctilum deletes the Arabic hour numerals and the “2649 MSLM” script between 7 and 8 o’clock. The r...

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Fratello’s Top 5 Modern Zenith Models Fratello
Zenith Models Another Friday another Feb 21, 2025

Fratello’s Top 5 Modern Zenith Models

Another Friday, another list! This week and next, I will be putting the spotlight on Zenith. To be a bit more specific, for this week, I picked my top five modern Zenith watches. Next week, I will put the spotlight on some of the brand’s best vintage models. These are somewhat self-indulgent lists because I […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Modern Zenith Models to read the full article.

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Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Grand Seiko Watches Of All Time Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko Feb 20, 2025

Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Grand Seiko Watches Of All Time

Choosing a favorite Grand Seiko was bound to be one of the more difficult prompts we could give to the Teddy editorial team. One of the most beloved watch brands out there, Grand Seiko has been around since 1960 but only began distributing internationally in 2010 and didn’t become a truly independent brand until 2017. Old-timers will recall the days when it was truly difficult to get your hands on what is now the Japanese luxury watch giant. Ironically the SBGA211, aka the "Snowflake," didn’t make the list here, which actually says a lot about the sheer volume of excellent pieces Grand Seiko has released over the years. So let us get to our editors’ picks for their favorite Grand Seiko of all time and, as usual, make sure to share your own pick. Oh, and for the first time since we started doing these editors' picks, two team members individually landed on the same watch... Mark Bernardo: Godzilla 65th Anniversary Limited Edition Unlike many other choices for these Editor’s Picks lists, my favorite Grand Seiko timepiece was relatively easy to identify - because it is the watch with the most intriguing backstory as well as the type of pop-cultural, collaborative piece that the luxury brand is unlikely to ever make again. The Grand Seiko Godzilla 65th Anniversary Limited Edition, released in 2019, commemorated a pair of seemingly unrelated anniversaries that occurred that year: 65 years since the release of the original, iconic Godzilla movie by Toho Ltd. in 1954, a...

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Frederique Constant Partners with Watch Angels on a Revamped Worldtimer Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Partners Feb 19, 2025

Frederique Constant Partners with Watch Angels on a Revamped Worldtimer

Over the last several years we’ve seen all kinds of models pop up for the creation and distribution of limited edition watches. It’s becoming more and more clear that this most recent period in watch enthusiast history will almost certainly be known as the “Limited Edition Boom,” or something along those lines. Look at the pages of any watch media website, including this one, and you’ll find that news items about various LEs and collaborations dominate the conversation, so it’s no wonder that a cottage industry has sprung up to develop these kinds of watches specifically. Watch Angels is one such platform seeking to provide an ecosystem for brands (mostly independent) to create limited edition versions of watches that are funded by the eventual purchasers. It’s like the old souscription model crossed with Kickstater, with the main difference between Watch Angels and typical crowdfunding mechanisms being that these projects are largely one-offs from already established brands, and not debut collections from a start-up enterprise.  Frederique Constant, certainly not a brand most observers would expect to dabble in a crowdfunding project, is the latest to partner with Watch Angels on a new limited edition release. The Frederique Constant Worldtimer Manufacture seen here is a new and slightly more refined spin on a signature Frederique Constant complication. They’ve been making some version of this watch since 2012 (remember their 10th anniversary worldtimer t...

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Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces a New Tonda PF in Platinum Worn & Wound
Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces Feb 18, 2025

Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces a New Tonda PF in Platinum

Among higher end Swiss watch brands, few have experienced a greater turnaround, at least on the surface, over the past several years than Parmigiani Fleurier. Parmigiani has always been a brand that knowledgable collectors and enthusiasts have praised and found a great deal of value in, but the brand itself didn’t always seem healthy. Before Guido Terreni took over in 2021, it would have been quite common to find heavily discounted Parmigianis on the gray market – a common symptom of overproducing too many references and not being able to find your core customer. Under Terreni, the brand’s output has been streamlined and everything just seems more thought through. And while I don’t have insight into sales statistics, you certainly don’t see the brand’s current catalog selling for closeout prices on the discount sites, a sign that they’ve got production under control, at the very least.  One of the brand’s biggest gambits has been the exploring the integrated bracelet sports watch market with the Tonda PF collection. Launched at a time when every luxury brand was throwing their hat in the ring in this particular category, Parmigiani has sought to differentiate itself from competitors in the luxury integrated bracelet sports watch world by leaning into the luxury angle, and perhaps a little away from the sport. Inspired by a “sartorial approach” to watch design, the Tonda PF is all about feel, texture, and proportions in a manner similar to a bespoke sui...

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Grand Seiko Sport Collection Guide Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko Feb 14, 2025

Grand Seiko Sport Collection Guide

After a relatively short time in the international market — and an even shorter time as a truly independent brand rather than an elevated product family — Grand Seiko has indisputably come into its own as a top-tier luxury watchmaker. Despite the inescapable fact that it still shares ownership and an industrial base with the parent Seiko brand, Grand Seiko has successfully put distance between its high-end output and Seiko’s more accessible, mass-market offerings. In fact, one could argue that enthusiasts and collectors have largely pigeonholed Grand Seiko as the luxurious, elegant dress watch brand and “Regular” Seiko as the sports- and tool-watch brand. But this perception would not be entirely accurate. Grand Seiko makes its own fair share of sporty timepieces with robustly built cases, less-than-modest case dimensions, and practical functions and complications, despite packaging all of these attributes into timepieces that are distinctly more luxurious — and accordingly more pricey — than their Seiko counterparts. Most of these watches fall within the aptly named Sport collection, which made its official debut in 2017, the same year that Grand Seiko established itself as its own brand.  The roots of the Sport family DNA reach back significantly further — starting in 1998, with the launch of the Caliber 9S5 inside the first automatic Grand Seiko in more than 20 years, and continuing through the introduction of the first Grand Seiko model with a GMT func...

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Review: Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 45GS SLGW005 SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 45GS SLGW005 Feb 14, 2025

Review: Grand Seiko Heritage Collection 45GS SLGW005

Grand Seiko announced in September last year a vintage remake inspired by the 45GS of 1968, the Heritage Collection 45GS Re-creation, which was launched as the SLGW005 in steel and the SLGW004 in yellow gold. In contrast to the many recent Grand Seiko releases with modern styling, the 45SG Re-creation is refreshing in being a revival of an iconic design, right down to the double-signed dial. Yet, the model also sports the brand’s latest generation manual-wind movement, the 9SA4. As the more accessible model of the two – retail is a little under US$10,000 – the steel SLGW005 deserves a closer look to understand how it smartly melds old and new. Initial thoughts Aesthetically, the SLGW005 stands out as a distinctively vintage design, from the case and dial to the buckle. This is all the more so since it is the first release since Grand Seiko’s rebranding in 2017, when all models eliminated “Seiko” in favour of only “Grand Seiko”, to feature the brand’s historical double-signed “Seiko” and “GS” dial. I am personally fond of this detail, as the double logo balances the dial aesthetically. But preferences aside, the external components are indeed excellent, from the dial work down to the faceted case. Despite the traditional exterior, the internals are modern – almost paradoxically so. Sporting the brand’s proprietary Dual Impulse Escapement, the 9SA4 inside is entirely different than the 1960s cal. 4520 found in the 45GS. On paper, it is a high-s...

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Fratello’s Top 5 Affordable Pre-Owned Rolex Datejust Models Fratello
Rolex Datejust Models Another Friday Jan 24, 2025

Fratello’s Top 5 Affordable Pre-Owned Rolex Datejust Models

Another Friday, another list! This week, we dive into the vast world of pre-owned Rolex. More specifically, we try to find some of the best affordable (relatively speaking, of course) Rolex Datejust models. As a result of the price drops on the pre-owned market over the last 12–18 months, many of the overly expensive Rolex […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Affordable Pre-Owned Rolex Datejust Models to read the full article.

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TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox 39mm Purple Dial Review Teddy Baldassarre
TAG Heuer Jan 21, 2025

TAG Heuer Carrera Glassbox 39mm Purple Dial Review

When TAG Heuer released the Carrera “Glassbox” in 2023 it was immediately received as one of the better vintage reinterpretations of the post-pandemic era. Why exactly is it so beloved? Well, first off, it was the first non-limited production or limited edition ‘Glassbox’ Carrera since the line was introduced all the way back in 2015 with the Calibre 18 Telemeter. Then came notable limited editions like the Skipper reissue and 160th anniversary edition. Secondly, the 39mm-wide case with that personality-packed, domed sapphire crystal (aka "Glassbox") struck a good balance between modern manufacturing/finishing and vintage-inspired design. Now as LVMH Watch Week 2025 kicks off, TAG Heuer has released a new Carrera Chronograph "Glassbox" in a striking purple dial that is borrowed from a limited-edition Monaco from 2022. We haven’t seen too many purple-dial watches so far, so it’s savvy for TAG to get in on the ground floor of what could (or just as easily could not) be the next big color at the top of 2025. Personally, I think it looks great and could very well be the most attractive iteration of the Glassbox so far. While I love and admire TAG’s consistent dedication to its vintage-racing-inspired history, it’s so nice to see something that isn’t really steeped in any legacy story but rather just looks cool and stands on its own in the moment. The 39mm wide and 13.86mm-thick case of the Carrera Glassbox (with 100 meters of water resistance) has a 46mm lug-...

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