Teddy Baldassarre · Page 9

T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Rolex Nov 26, 2025

Rolex Wimbledon Review: The Tennis Dial Datejust

The Rolex "Wimbledon" Datejust is a relatively recent fan-favorite among Rolex enthusiasts, with a distinctive design blending classical elegance with the spirit of sporting competition - much like the game of tennis that it celebrates. Here is what you should know about the Rolex Wimbledon watch, from the history behind it to the modern elements that can help you recognize one Wimbledon version over another.  [toc-section heading="Datejust Origins"] The Datejust model that underpins the Rolex Wimbledon editions is not only one of the oldest and most enduringly popular models from Rolex but also one of the most significant and influential wristwatches in the world. When it debuted in 1945, the Rolex Datejust was the first watch that combined the robustness of the Crown's waterproof Oyster case (introduced way back in 1926) with the user-friendliness of its self-winding "Perpetual" movement (unveiled in 1931) - hence ushering in the telltale descriptor "Oyster Perpetual" that is now a ubiquitous presence on many Rolex watch dials.  The Datejust was also the first watch to feature the now-widely adopted date display at 3 o’clock, the first automatic (i.e. self-winding) watch with a quick-change function for that date display, and the first to be mounted on Rolex’s now-famous five-row Jubilee bracelet. A few years later, in 1948, came the first Datejust with the bubble-shaped “Cyclops” lens directly above the date aperture, which magnified the date numeral by a ...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Maurice Lacroix Nov 26, 2025

Maurice LaCroix Aikon Review

The watch industry only gets more and more competitive each year. Some brands have managed to thrive, and independent watchmakers are more game for the challenge than ever. Others, still, get somewhat lost within the mix. Today, I’m taking a deeper look at a brand that I honestly don’t hear much about, and, through the vehicle of its current flagship model, exploring what it has to offer. As you’ve already guessed from the title of this here article, the subject at hand is the Maurice LaCroix Aikon collection. Characterized by classic integrated bracelet style with a few specific quirks to the mix, the Aikon collection hasn’t managed to go mainstream like some similar competition. Down below, I’ll be walking you through a primer about the brand, the key ingredients of the Maurice LaCroix Aikon, and some personal ramblings on what the collection has to offer, and what it’s lacking.  [toc-section heading="Context"] Like many Swiss watch brands, Maurice LaCroix has a history that can be traced back to the end of the 19th century. However, that historical journey is among the more atypical out there. This 19th-century connection is the Maurice LaCroix ties to its parent company, Desco von Schulthess, which was founded in Zurich in 1889, and for many years, had nothing to do with watches. Initially starting in the silk trade, after WWII, Desco von Schulthess expanded into luxury goods and acted as a distributor for Swiss watches to the Asian market. In 1961, the co...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 25, 2025

How Bronze Watches Patina

The bronze watch patina is one of the most fascinating, naturally occurring phenomena in watch collecting. So much so that it seemed every horological player wanted to put its own spin on this rugged, sea-worn metal around a decade ago. A lot has changed in watchmaking since then. Manufacturers have pushed boundaries further than we ever thought possible, offering enthusiasts a vast array of proprietary materials to choose from, with bronze taking its place alongside classic favorites like stainless steel and gold. Bronze watches remain a compelling choice among collectors today.  Article by Nina Scally [toc-section heading="Bronze Watches Context"]  Despite its association with maritime history, this corrosion-resistant material has infiltrated the pilot-watch sphere and established a foothold in the category of field watches as well. Today, bronze continues to cast its rich, warm nuances over some of the world’s most beautiful and evocative neo-vintage dive watches as well. Indeed, this ancient metal of seafaring legends appears to have secured its place on the wrists of watch enthusiasts for the foreseeable future. So there seems no better time than now to delve into how bronze has come to settle within the watch-collecting landscape, and why its slow-burning patina and rugged charm have cemented it as a modern collector’s favorite.  [toc-section heading="How Patina Develops"]  Would you ever walk into a dealership and ask, “Do you have something that’s alre...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Tudor Nov 25, 2025

Tudor Black Bay 54 Vs. 58 Comparison Review

If the modern success story of Tudor can be attributed to the launch of one distinct collection, it is, undoubtedly, the Black Bay. Like any intelligent watch brand, Tudor has taken that success and run with it full speed ahead, riffing and launching distinct extensions and sub-collections within the Black Bay universe that, at this point, are designed to meet the wants and needs of just about every enthusiast out there. Today, I’m going to be putting two distinct lines within the Black Bay family head-to-head that are, to the untrained eye, quite similar, but take on the vintage-revival theme in two distinct directions: the Black Bay 54 and the Black Bay 58. Down below, I’ll get into the nitty-gritty of what these two members of the larger Black Bay family have in common, and the intricacies that, together, have profound effects on what they deliver. After our short and sweet history lesson, I’ll be diving right into the key details of the Tudor Black Bay 54 vs. 58, all while interjecting my own musings and philosophies on how to approach these subtle differences.  [toc-section heading="Tudor Black Bay Context"]  As always, I’m going to keep the history lesson as concise here as I can, but if you have a bit more time, I’d recommend checking out this complete guide to the Tudor Black Bay. Anywho, the story of the modern Black Bay begins at Baselworld in 2012 (initially dubbed the “Heritage Black Bay”). After years of struggling in the shadows of the Crown a...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 24, 2025

Top 10 Sports Watch Brands For Every Budget

So much of watchmaking history surrounds brands competing to make pieces for just about every hobby, sport, and lifestyle out there, competing for market share through a rigorous pursuit of innovation. All of that healthy competition (which, really, continues into the current landscape of watchmaking) has led to a truly astounding number of options when it comes to choosing even a brand to go with for a reliable sports watch, let alone a singular watch out of the seemingly endless amount of options available. It’s choice paralysis at its finest.  For anyone just dipping their toes into the wild world of watches, today, I’m making a quick and fast guide to what I believe to be the top 10 sports watch brands that have the most solid lineup of options on the market today. It wasn’t easy, narrowing the playing field, but I gave it my best. The term “sports watch” is kind of a tricky one in and of itself – are we talking purely about integrated-bracelet sports watches? Watches made for diving? Chronographs? Just an everyday-carry that is robust enough to stand up to some moderate activity? For the purposes of this article, I’m going to rock with all of the above, and also touch upon a bit of the history the brands bring to the table that are significant to the overarching theme of sports watches. And, because choosing just the top ten sports watch brands felt creatively limiting, I’ve actually thrown in a few more as an added bonus.  [toc-section heading="Unde...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 20, 2025

Watch Hands: A Guide to the 14 Most Popular Styles

Watch hands are more important to a timepiece's design than you might think. A watch can have the most beautiful dial in the world but it isn't really a watch unless it tells you the time. And while the wide world of watches does offer some intriguing exceptions to the classical analog style that's been established for centuries, the vast majority of timepieces still adheres to that formula: two main hands, one for the hour, one for the minute, sometimes joined by a third for the seconds, pointing to the time on a numbered ring. All watch hands do essentially the same jobs, so one might assume that little thought and creativity goes into designing and crafting such a utilitarian element of horology. One would be mistaken, however, since watchmakers over the years have created numerous hand types, each of which imparts its own distinctive character to a watch's overall aesthetic. Here is a rundown of a dozen of the most significant styles used on watches today, and a little about where each came from and how it got its name. [toc-section heading="Breguet Hands"] Designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet, founder of the eponymous luxury watch maison and inventor of numerous horological devices including the tourbillon, Breguet hands made their first appearance on a watch in 1783, Traditionally crafted in blued steel, they are recognizable for their slim shafts and “hollow moons” near the tips. An indicator of classically elegant design, and often paired with Roman numerals, or...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 19, 2025

Best Hiking Watches: Eight Options For Every Budget

In daily modern living, watches have been somewhat divorced from their original tool roots, usurped by the convenience and ease of the smartphones most of us carry around at all times. But there are certain situations in which a watch can rise to the occasion and offer a steadfast reliability that a phone with a dwindling battery life cannot, especially when there’s no power outlet in sight. Hiking, trekking, or generally going off the grid is the exact scenario I’m talking about. Today, I’m going to be breaking down options to find the best hiking watch for your next trip up a mountain (or for your next stay at a campground), with options at a range of price points, styles, and functions to help you find the best fit for you. Though I’m not a hiker by any means, watches, I do know. Down below, I’ve gathered up some of the best hiking watches on the market today that I would confidently recommend to any of my outdoorsy friends for their next trip into the great outdoors.  [toc-section heading="Casio PRJB001B-2"] Case: 46mm Material: Resin Water Resistance: 100 meters Caliber: Tough Solar quartz Price: $180  I’m going to kick off this list with something a bit unconventional and with a whole lot of quirk, which also happens to be one of my favorites, with Casio’s PRJB001B-2. There are a lot of things going on here that I haven’t seen on any other field-oriented watches. Most notably, we have the super-unique strap, which combines a more traditional cloth b...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Oris Nov 19, 2025

Oris ProPilot Date Review: The Big Crown ProPilot Evolved

The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Date has a prestigious history starting with the founding of the independent Swiss brand that makes it. Oris began making watches in 1904, when it was founded in Hölstein, Switzerland, by Paul Cattin and Georges Christian, who named the company after a nearby brook. A maker of pocket watches and, by 1925, the increasingly popular wristwatches, Oris enjoyed a long period of growth and expansion throughout the following decades and even made its own movements. Losing its independence during the consolidation years of the Quartz Crisis, Oris regained it in the 1980s, when a management buyout transformed the company and solidified its mission to make only mechanical watches going forward. Today, Oris has become a staple for value-conscious collectors of Swiss-made watches, particularly sport-oriented models. Among the brand’s modern pillars are the dressy Big Crown Pointer Date and the more aviation-centric Big Crown ProPilot, which trace their existence all the way back to 1938. That year marked the launch of the first Oris watch dubbed “Big Crown,” named after its signature element, an oversized, fluted winding crown meant to be easy to grasp and to operate by a pilot wearing heavy gloves. The modern edition of the Big Crown ProPilot debuted in 2014 (example above), notably adding what is today one of its signature features: a knurled bezel that resembles a jet turbine.  Oris has revamped, tweaked, and added complications to the original, ...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Tudor Nov 19, 2025

Tudor Ranger Review: New 36mm Case And "Dune" White Dial

Along with their more refined timepieces, Swiss luxury brands have staked their claim in the field watch space as well. Tudor’s offering in the category is the contemporary 39mm Ranger, a name that features prominently throughout the brand's history. Descended from the 1950s Tudor Oyster Prince Reference 7909, Tudor introduced the 34mm Ranger Reference 7995 in 1965, with the model name remaining in the lineup all the way through the 1980s. It was the 7995 that established the Ranger’s design language, with its 12-3- 6-9 dial layout and iconic spade hour hand, all of which later made a comeback in 2014 in a somewhat oversized 41mm version. The Ranger got a reboot in 2022 as a 39mm model, with a fully brushed case and COSC-certified MT5402 movement, and it serves as not only a nod to Tudor field watches of yore, but also as a throwback to the tool-watch aesthetics of the Rolex Explorer 1016 from Tudor's parent brand. Released in July of 2022 to mark the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition, the modern Ranger 79950 is a welcome update from that discontinued 41mm model of 2014. With a versatile 39mm case and a COSC-certified manufacture movement, the Ranger is a strong value play, hovering around $3,500 on the bracelet. Much like the vintage Ranger (and the original Rolex Explorer that provided much of its DNA), it’s a fantastic daily driver, with a fully satin-brushed finish and 100 meters of water resistance. And if you crave a more authentic tool...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 18, 2025

The 20 Best Racing Watches From Affordable to Luxury

High-end watches and high-performance cars have long been intertwined, and the cross section between watch aficionados and car-racing enthusiasts has always been large. So it makes sense that "racing watches" - i.e., watches built to be worn and used in the arena of motorsports, many with automobile design language built into their aesthetic DNA - have long represented a popular sub-genre in the wider luxury sport-watch universe. Here we spotlight 20 auto-racing watches from 19 brands (one brand merited two entries on the list; we think you'll agree which one), ranging in price from eminently affordable to super-luxury. We've included some acknowledged icons of the genre as well as watches from a few brands you may not have considered. Gentlemen (and ladies), start your engines... and we're off! [toc-section heading="Vaer RS1 Rally Chronograph"] Price: $249, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 11.8mm, Lug-to-Lug: 48mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Seiko VK63 Mechaquartz Vaer founders Ryan Torres and Reagan Cook pooled their collective life savings to start their own watch brand because “we couldn’t afford the watches we liked and didn’t like the ones we could afford.” Based in Venice, California, Vaer released its first watches, assembled overseas, in 2017, and began manufacturing in the U.S. just one year later. The RS1 Rally Chronographs take their cues from timepieces worn by race car drivers in the 1960s and ‘70s and...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Rolex Nov 18, 2025

Rolex Submariner Desk Clock: The Real Desk Diver

Do you love the Rolex Submariner, but just found its classic 41mm diameter way, way too small? Like, about 39mm too small?  Have you looked at a barren corner of your desk and thought, Jeez, I wish my desktop had a jumbo-sized Submariner of its own, so people really know I’m about that Rolex Sub life? Well, if these questions have been keeping you up at night, I am here to deliver news of a possible solution to your problems. Though it didn’t get a ton of publicity (I think the Crown is saving its marketing campaigns for its wristwatches), Rolex quietly released its very first desk clock that is available for the general public. That’s right, you can now get your very own Submariner Date desk clock, given that a Rolex boutique near you has them in stock.  Oddly enough, the Submariner Date desk clock marks the very first time Rolex has ever released a clock to the general public. You would have thought by now, the Crown would have a vintage archive of desk, wall, and other large-sized clocks somewhere in the heritage vault. I mean, just about every other major watchmaker with as much history as Rolex offered them throughout the 20th century, from Patek Philippe to Jaeger-LeCoultre and Omega to Longines and beyond. Even Bulova has an extensive repertoire of mid-century clocks, most significantly being its extensive array of mid-century clock radios (which you can find plenty of second-hand). But that isn’t to say that Rolex never explored making clocks – the Crow...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 17, 2025

Tornek-Rayville Review: The Collectible Military Dive Watch Reborn

The story of Tornek-Rayville is one that represents a significant chapter in both watchmaking and military history, from the earliest purpose-built watches for divers in the 1950s up to the re-emergence of the cult-classic brand (in a notably new form) in the 21st Century. And it begins with the development of the world’s first modern dive watch: the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. [toc-section heading="Blancpain Fifty Fathoms History"] Founded in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland, Blancpain is the oldest luxury watchmaker in the world, but its most famous timepiece in this modern era began its life as a tool watch for military divers in the (relatively) recent year of 1953. Jean-Jacques Fiechter, who headed Blancpain at the time, was an avid diving enthusiast who had long wanted to develop a watch that would be ideal for his hobby. Fiechter worked with Captain Robert Maloubier, a French naval officer, to design a reliable, mission-ready timepiece that Maloubier’s elite combat diving team could wear. The watch’s 42mm steel case - exceptionally large for the time - was water-resistant to 91.45 meters, or 50 fathoms, the maximum depth recommended for scuba divers. Its dial was black and its numerals were luminescent for greater legibility underwater.  It was the first divers’ watch with a self-winding movement, the first with an antimagnetic case, and the first to employ the patented, double-sealed crown that Fiechter had developed. Most notably, the Fifty Fathoms was the ...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Bulgari Nov 16, 2025

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Review: The King Of Ultra Thin Watches

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo collection has been a presence in the larger luxury-watch universe for just slightly over a decade now, but its impact has been tremendous - blazing trails of ultra-thinness in watchmaking that few brands have attempted and fewer have even attempted to rival. Today, the Octo Finissimo, in its simplest and most complex iterations, is regarded by enthusiasts as the creative cornerstone of the Bulgari brand, which up until very recently has been known more for high-jewelry watches than ambitious, record-setting mechanical complications. Here’s how the Octo Finissimo became an icon in 10 short years - starting from the very beginning.  [toc-section heading="Bulgari History (1884-1934)"] Sotirios Voulgaris, the only survivor of 11 children from a family of silversmiths in the Greek town of Paramythia, was born in 1857 and learned the family craft from his father, making jewelry as well as sword sheaths and belt buckles. After Ottoman invaders set fire to the town in 1873, the family moved to the Isle of Corfu, where Voulgaris met the man who’d become his mentor, Macedonian goldsmith Demetrios Kremos. The two artisans decided to start a business in Italy, settling first in Naples, and eventually in Rome, where they opened their first shop in 1884. After just a few months, however, the partnership ended and Voulgaris - who had now changed his name to the more Italianate “Sotirio Bulgari” - opened up his own shop, which found success sel...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 15, 2025

The Best Large Watches

There was a time when larger watches were just about everywhere but the last decade or two have seen a big swing towards smaller case sizes. In fact, we would go so far as to say that a majority of watch enthusiasts I know claim to top out at 42mm. Of course, everyone should wear watches that look appropriate on their wrists, but have we gone too far in being reflexively conservative about case size? Well, we took this opportunity to ask our editorial team to pick their favorites and the results actually paint a fairly good outlook for those of you with big wrists and/or big personalities. Let’s take look at our editors’ picks for favorite large watch over 44mm. [toc-section heading="Rolex Deepsea"] The Rolex Deepsea Ref. 136668LB in solid 18k yellow gold is a big watch in size, heft, and vibes. Measuring 44mm wide and 17.7mm thick and weighing in at 322g (about 70% of a pound), this solid gold Rolex isn’t just flashy but has 3,900 m of water resistance. Rolex was thoughtful about this Deepsea as they adapted the Ringlock compression ring in blue Cerachrom to match the bezel, a touch that goes a very long way in creating that very cool solid blue face against the yellow gold case. Another worthy touch here is the RLX Titanium case back which evoked 2024’s “Harmony of Contrasts” theme pretty perfectly with yellow gold, titanium, and ceramic coming together to create one big, beautiful watch with a $59,700 price tag to match. – Bilal Khan [quote-media quote=" A...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 14, 2025

Top 21 Best Watch Brands Of All Time

Watchmaking is a centuries-old craft, and as such, there are brands operating today with no shortage of heritage, not only stewarding the industry as a whole, but also fostering its continued cultural relevancy. Modern relevancy is vital to a crop of young brands looking to make their own mark on history. The complexity of the industry, and the purpose that watchmakers serve in a modern society, may have shifted, but their importance, and indeed their existence, says something deep about the value that humanity places on these things. Today, we find a vast landscape of watch brands and watchmakers operating, providing the most diverse range of watch offerings available to the public than any other time in history. This also begs the question: which are the best? Settling on the best watch brands operating today is no small task, and of course involves a heavy measure of subjectivity. That said, we can bring some structure to the table in an attempt to qualify the very best by an assortment of metrics, from industry leaders, to gateway brands, and even some wild cards that have the potential to shake things up. But what makes a watch brand great? Is it a consistent history of growth and innovation? Annual sales volume? Number of horological contributions made over time? Wholly verticalized manufacturing? Or is it something a little more amorphous, like public sentiment and goodwill, or risks being taken that net a positive influence on the industry as a whole? As with most ...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 13, 2025

The Best Watch Straps For Every Budget

In every watch enthusiast's journey, there comes a day when you notice a piece that you used to wear constantly has suddenly lost some of its sparkle, and the watch that was once a constant companion has now been displaced into storage. That initial charm has been dulled by routine, and it doesn’t spark the same feeling of joy that it once had. But, before you accept that the piece has now been replaced by a shiny new favorite, there is one way to ignite the passion you once felt: try putting it on a new, fresh strap or bracelet. Here I will share with you some of the best watch strap brands out there to help shake things up. I will admit that this is quite a mundane suggestion, but we mortals crave novelty. A simple switch to a different strap can make an old, reliable piece feel suddenly new in our eyes. It can open up new ideas for what or when to wear it with, and, especially for more classic pieces, it can be an avenue to experiment with more boldness, more play with color and texture. So, today, instead of rounding up a list of watches that you might add to your collection or wish list, I’m going to break down some of the most steadfast watch strap makers on the market in an effort to help you breathe new life into a piece you already have that isn’t getting as much wrist time. We’re going to be running the gamut in terms of style, material, and design, and, hopefully, you’ll walk away from this humble article with renewed ideas on how to shake up your coll...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 12, 2025

What Is A Fluted Bezel On A Watch?

If you’re new to the watch-collecting hobby, you’ve undoubtedly seen or heard references to watches with fluted bezels, but what does that description actually mean? Are fluted bezels a feature of sports watches or dress watches, of watches for men or for ladies? Are they designed for practical use or purely as an aesthetic touch? As is common in the world of watches, the answers to all of these questions are not as simple as you might think.  Before getting into the fluted type in particular, let’s get really basic and review what a watch’s bezel is and what it’s for. As we explore in more detail here, a bezel is the front part of a watch’s case (often but not always ring-shaped) that frames the dial and secures the crystal. Bezels can be made of the same material as the case middle and/or the caseback, but can also be made of a different material. They can also be thin or wide; stationary or built to rotate in either one direction or both; purely decorative (i.e., set with diamonds) or utilitarian in nature (i.e., inscribed with a scale for some type of calculation). Fluting is defined as “a groove or set of grooves forming a surface decoration,” so a fluted bezel is one that features this type of grooved or ribbed texture on its top surface. Initially, as with most every element of a watch, a fluted bezel design was designed with a practical purpose in mind: the grooved surface made it easier for a watchmaker to screw the bezel tightly into the case to...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Longines Nov 11, 2025

Longines Hydroconquest Review: So Much Watch For $2,000

The Longines Hydroconquest has been around since its debut in 2007 and in that time it has come to be one of the staple entry level luxury dive watches. And it’s certainly for good reason considering just how much quality is on offer for the price which is in no small part thanks to the brand’s positioning under the Swatch Group umbrella. Derived from the classic Longines Conquest collection, the Hydroconquest is a decidedly un-vintage inspired dive watch that rather leans into contemporary design. Given how much safer a vintage-inspired design is these days, I give Longines a lot of credit for developing and nurturing this collection over the last 18 years. After all, having the Legend Diver as a sibling sets a rather high bar. The Hydroconquest was refreshed back in 2018 when it gained a ceramic bezel which, quaint as it might seem today, was not such a universally available option at the price point. Here I will get into the standard model as well as the excellent GMT iteration that was released back in 2023. [toc-section heading="Longines Hydroconquest Case"] This watch is available in several case size iterations ranging from a 32mm quartz model all the way up to a 43mm all black ceramic case iteration. I want to talk about the 41mm size which is also likely the most popular for obvious reasons. Measuring 41mm wide and 11.9mm thick with a 51.1mm lug-to-lug height, the Hydroconquest does stretch out onto the higher side of that 50mm L2L, meaning it wears on the big...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 11, 2025

Best Watch Boxes and Cases

Once you start building a watch collection, you're eventually going to want something to safely and securely store your timepieces and maybe even to show them off at the same time. Watch boxes, cases, and rolls enable you to access all or part of your collection without the need for frequent opening and closing of the watches' individual packaging, and they can provide a more compact method of transporting multiple watches while you travel. Who makes the best watch boxes on the market today? Here we spotlight 12 notable brands, as chosen by our team and our loyal followers on Instagram, and showcase a favorite item from each, with an emphasis on including options for various budgets and collections of any size. Most all of the makers listed here offer many other similar products in additions to the model featured, and all are worth exploring. Wolf British Racing 10-Piece Watch Box ($695) Founded in 1834 by German silversmith Philip Wolf, Los Angeles-based Wolf is now in its fifth generation of family ownership and continues the mission of its founder, who set out to make “fine quality cases” to protect precious possessions such as jewellery and timepieces. Perhaps at least as well known these days as one of the leading purveyors of high-tech watch winders, Wolf still produces an array of luxurious boxes and cases, holding as few as five watches and as many as 15, including this 10-piece British Racing cabinet with a quad-angled, paneled lid, gold hardware, suspended wa...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 10, 2025

Why Watches Use IIII Roman Numerals Instead Of IV

Watches with Roman numerals on the dial are among the most stylish and classically elegant of timepieces, despite the fact that most of them have what we might today refer to as an egregious typo. Then again, it’s not really a typo if it’s intentional, right? And the use of a "IIII" in place of the standard Roman numeral "IV" is clearly a conscious decision, as it's been commonplace for centuries. In this article, we offer some possibilities as to why. As anyone familiar with the Roman alphabet knows - and nowadays that probably includes anyone who pays attention to Super Bowl advertising - the Arabic numerals 1, 2, and 3 are rendered, respectively, as I, II, and III, but the format changes with the numeral 4, which is rendered as “IV,” and 5, which is simply “V.” Without getting too bogged down in an ancient alphabetization lesson, the first three numerals after zero (and after 5) are additive, while the one before the next major character, representing 5, is subtractive: “IV” stands for 4 because it’s five (V) minus one (I). And yet, take a glance at just about any watch dial, or clock dial, for that matter, that uses Roman numerals to denote its hours and most often you will find not a “IV” but a “IIII” - the so-called “clockmaker’s 4,” which differs from the Roman numeral we’re familiar with today.  Making watches, as any aficionado knows, is one of the most meticulous, time-intensive, and detail-oriented pursuits in the world...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Cartier Nov 10, 2025

Les Must de Cartier: The Misunderstood Entry-Level Cartier

The Cartier of today is undeniably a symbol of luxury and has strategically manufactured that imagery. From its quintessential deep red boxes with gold filigree border to its looping cursive script, even before you get to the object itself, whether it be jewelry or a watch, the brand has carefully crafted the entire experience of its product to position it as such. But today, we’re taking a look at an anomaly in the maison’s past, for which Cartier descended from its luxurious heights to extend its hand to the mass market. Les Must de Cartier is representative of a pivotal time in the history of watchmaking, and its contrasting accessibility played a crucial role in the maison’s longevity and its ability to weather shifting market trends. Down below, I’ll be walking you through how Must de Cartier came to be, some significant design codes, how the line has reemerged after its discontinuation, and share some musings and philosophical ponderings about this strange chapter in Cartier’s history.    Les Must de Cartier Context From its relatively humble beginnings as a local, artisanal jewelry workshop in 1847, by the turn of the 20th century, Cartier had already established itself as a global luxury powerhouse, operating in London, New York, and Paris by 1909. Each independent branch of Cartier at this time was operated by a trio of Louis-François Cartier’s grandsons, and while they often collaborated, each location developed its own unique flair and catered to ...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Seiko Nov 9, 2025

10 Vintage Seiko Watches And Their Modern Interpretations

Here in the watch world of the 21st century, we’re living in the heyday of the vintage revival, with just about every brand returning to their archive, and trying to find the magic heritage design that will resonate with a contemporary audience. Seiko has one of the most extensive catalogs – vintage or modern – in the watchmaking world, and in today’s guide, I’ll be digging into the brand’s past and matching it with the watch that has carried its torch into the present. With the 10 vintage Seiko watches below, we’re going to run the gamut of style and utility, but each piece is an icon of Seiko’s past and present in its own right.  62MAS: Seiko’s first diver At the time of its introduction in 1965, the Seiko 62MAS was the first dive watch to ever come out of Japan. Featuring a deep grey dial with luminous, trapezoidal indices, a unidirectional dive bezel in black, and a date window at three o’clock, the 62MAS was water resistant 150 meters, and actually accompanied members of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition from 1966 to 1969.  For Seiko’s (and Japan’s) first diver, the brand has gone the heritage reissue route, releasing a faithful modern take on the watch with the Seiko Prospex SPB143. Despite being in the brand's more expensive Luxe tier, I would say the SPB143 is among the brand’s most popular watches at the moment. Even outside of its heritage connections, the SPB143 is a capable, versatile piece that’s as good-looking as it is ...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 8, 2025

Watches of the Navy SEALs: A History of Service

Before getting into the watches of the Navy SEALs, it's worth establishing some context about these modern-day Spartans. Officially established in 1962, the Navy SEALs, one of the U.S. military’s most elite special operations units, has its origins in World War II, with the formation of organized maritime commando teams for covert reconnaissance of landing beaches and the mounting of coastal defenses. At first designated as Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, and later as Underwater Demolitions Teams (UDTs), the graduates of the Joint Expeditionary Base in Little Creek, Virginia served admirably in the European and Pacific Theater in the years following the 1942 attack on Pearl Harbor. In the Korean War that began in 1950, an expanded force of UDT operatives played a key role, turning their covert and demolition expertise to tunnels, bridges, and other coastal targets, as well as mine sweeping and infiltration.  With another Southeast Asian conflict heating up in Vietnam, President John F. Kennedy urged Congress to allocate more of the military budget to strengthen America’s capabilities in much-needed “unconventional warfare.” The result was the evolution of the UDTs and other special forces into guerrilla and anti-guerilla units that would be able to operate on “Sea, Air, and Land” - the Navy SEALs. SEAL team members, the first generation drawn from the ranks of the UDTs, were trained not only in amphibious activities but skills like hand-to-hand combat and hig...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 7, 2025

The Best EDC Watches

What, exactly, is an EDC watch? That was the question I asked myself when I was charged with this mission. If you’re unfamiliar, EDC is an initialism for "Every Day Carry." It’s become something of its own industry, with makers of everything from keychains, pocket knives, tools, pens, wallets, and even items like smartphone cases getting in on the action. And yeah, there are those that take EDC to the next level, ticking off an internal checklist that reads more like a well-stocked survival kit. But I’m going to venture to say that the majority of us don’t require a folding camp axe, waterproof matches, a 1,000-lumen flashlight, and a water filtration kit while navigating midtown Manhattan.  There’s no defining characteristic of EDC, other than being an item that you have on your person most days, so a watch definitely qualifies. I like to keep my "carry" on the minimalist side, consisting of my keys on a small carabiner, a well-worn leather wallet, a beat-up iPhone 11 in a Pelican case, and a small pocket knife (most often a Benchmade Mini Griptilian, The James Brand’s Redstone, or a Gerber LST I’ve owned forever that virtually disappears into the pocket). And, of course, a watch. I never leave the house without one, and today, I’m calling out, in ascending price order, several that fit my own personal criteria for an EDC timepiece.  I don’t wear a suit on a daily basis, so a dress watch of any stripe is basically a non-starter. To me, a daily driver i...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Rolex Nov 6, 2025

Rolex Hulk Review: The All-Green Submariner

The Rolex “Hulk” Submariner is today one of the most collectible luxury sport watches on the secondary market, despite the fact that its green-on-green colorway was quite polarizing when it first hit retailers' shelves in 2010. The watch’s rise to legendary status, interestingly enough, followed a similar path to that of the Marvel character from which it derives its nickname. Here we explore the story of the Rolex “Hulk” and why it occupies a special chapter in the lore of iconic Rolex watches. Rolex Submariner Origins The Rolex Submariner famously arrived on the scene in 1953 but its roots reach much farther - to the historical, waterproof Oyster case that Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf introduced way back in 1926. Named for its pioneering structure -  which combined two threaded, hermetically sealed “shells” that clamped tight to keep water from penetrating, along with a crown that screwed securely into the side of the case - the case achieved a water resistance never before achieved in watches. The Rolex Oyster case made its debut on a watch of the same name (below), and its waterproof design was improved over subsequent decades. Rolex supplied a version of its Oyster case to the Florence-based firm Panerai in the 1930s and ‘40s for use on the Radiomir, one of the very first wristwatches purpose-built for underwater use, worn by Italian military divers.  Fast forward to the early 1950s, and the growing popularity of scuba diving as a recreational p...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Tudor Nov 5, 2025

Tudor North Flag Review: Discontinued But Worth a Comeback?

We recently took a deep dive into the Tudor Ranger, and today, I’m going to go boldly forth and explore what I consider to be the Ranger’s spiritual sibling, albeit a discontinued one: the Tudor North Flag. Both watches have similar roots in 20th-century polar exploration, but while the Ranger looks to the past for its design codes, the North Flag, at its time, had its sights set on the future. While it marked a huge leap forward in Rolex-owned Tudor’s contemporary legacy and ultimately, further set the stage for the brand to finally come out of the looming shadow of the Crown, the North Flag has already become a relic of Tudor’s not-so-distant past. Down below, I’ll be taking you through a brief history lesson on the watch at hand, detailing the key design codes and features, and exploring why some vocal enthusiasts out there are begging for the North Flag to make a comeback.  Tudor North Flag History For most of the 20th century, Tudor leaned on its intrinsic connection to Rolex to boost its credibility, but by the 1990s, the brand’s reputation as Rolex’s “little brother” or “Rolex Lite” fell out of favor with the general watch-wearing public. Affordability as a guiding virtue was not, for lack of a better word, sexy anymore. Tudor had not differentiated itself enough from its more luxurious relative to stand effectively on its own, globally. The brand fled the U.S. market entirely in the late '90s, and it would spend over a decade working behind t...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 5, 2025

10 Of The Most Complicated Watches For Every Budget

In the wild world of watches, the words “affordable” and “complicated” are most often mutually exclusive. The more complicated a piece is, I think, the more we all brace ourselves to expect the correlation of a dramatic surge in price. It’s par for the course. But in recent years, there have been some watchmakers out there that have dared to do the unexpected, to bring high complications down to the realm of mortal purchasing power. As always, measuring affordability remains a personal conundrum, but there is no denying that there are now options for perpetual calendars, jump hours, and the like that are now paired with a more easily digestible price tag.  In today’s guide, I’m tipping my hat to the various watch brands out there that have invested time and resources into leveling the playing field, crafting pieces of high horology that are more accessible than ever before. Across 10 pieces, we’re running the gamut of style and utility, but each piece is unique in its own way, and definitely worthy of your consideration if you’re looking for a complicated watch at a not-so-complicated price point.  Christopher Ward Bel Canto  Case: 41mm Material: Grade 5 Titanium Movement: Caliber FS01 Automatic Water Resistance: Price: Starts at $3,995 The only logical jumping off point for a guide such as this is with the watch that revolutionized haute-horology bells and whistles at an unheard-of price tag: the Bel Canto from British maker Christopher Ward. You’ve...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Seiko Nov 4, 2025

Seiko Marinemaster SJE101 Review: Divisive But Wears Like A Dream

The Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SJE101 1965 Diver’s Modern Reinterpretation is definitely a mouthful, but it’s definitely with purpose. Part of the higher-end Seiko Luxe family, the SJE101 evokes two icons - the 62MAS and Marinemaster - but can it live up to those lofty expectations? The answer, as you can imagine, is mixed. What’s for sure, though is that this is a uniquely wearable Seiko Prospex dive watch that measures less than 40mm and has some really impressive finishes. That said, the Marinemaster title carries a lot of expectations with it, and there has been a fair share of discourse about whether it lives up or not. Seiko Marinemaster Context What exactly is the big deal with the Seiko Marinemaster? Let’s take a look at how it came to be such a lauded name in the diver category. The first watch in the collection was actually the Seiko Marinemaster Quartz SBCN005, aka the Transocean from 1999. This was a 44mm-wide titanium watch that was highly functional with barometric pressure measurement and barometric trend display. A year later in 2000, the Marinemaster SBDX001 was released, boasting 300 meters of water resistance and no helium escape valve. The Marinemaster family would continue in production until about 2018, when it began to disappear in favor of the larger Prospex family. But about five years later, the Marinemaster would come back in the form of this collection. More than a couple of people have asked whether this is “really a Marinemaster...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Nov 3, 2025

30 Of The Best Titanium Watches

Titanium is by no means a new material in the watch industry. In fact, it’s been used on a commercial level in case construction for more than 50 years. Titanium in its raw form as a structural metal is 40% lighter than stainless steel while still just as hard. Among its appeal for watchmaking purposes are the facts that it is also highly resistant to corrosion by the elements as well as being hypoallergenic. There are different grades of titanium as well, which offer different characteristics based on how it’s alloyed with other metals. Titanium ranges in color from dark gunmetal grey to a steely silver which gives it versatility in different applications. Perhaps the most enticing aspect of titanium, particularly from the consumer side, is that despite its high-quality characteristics, there isn’t a massive discrepancy between its price versus that of stainless steel. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of 30 outstanding titanium watches in a range of price categories. Citizen Promaster Super Titanium Armor  Case Size: 41 mm, Integrated 23.5 mm Bracelet, Thickness: 10.5 mm, Lug-to-Lug: 43.7 mm, Water Resistance: 100 m, Movement: Eco Drive J810, Crystal: Sapphire, Price: $625 In 1970, Citizen launched the very first titanium wrist watch called the X-8 Cosmotron Chronometer. Today, Citizen uses what it calls Super Titanium, a titanium alloy coated with a proprietary hardening agent that increases the hardness of the metal to five times that of stainless steel. ...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Seiko Nov 3, 2025

Seiko SPB149 Review: The Blue Dial Prospex Diver

An outsized part of Seiko’s history is within its dive watch heritage, going all the way back to 1965 with the company's first dedicated diver, the 150-meter 62MAS, released as the 6217-8000, and later, its larger-crowned sibling, the 6217-8001. It was the beginning of a lineage that went on to include legendary references like the Willard, the Turtle, the Marinemaster, the Tuna, and the SKX, just to name a small assortment of them. Today, Seiko’s broad dive-watch lineup is well-known for its rugged dependability: from the entry-level Prospex models to the elevated Luxe variants like the Seiko SPB149, there’s a Seiko diver for every enthusiast. Seiko has paid tribute to the 62MAS design in the past with limited editions, but in the 2020s, the brand has seen a slew of regular-production, and short-lived models – like the SPB143, 239, and 149, which stand as the most faithful renderings of the 62MAS, characterized by the brand as the Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s Watch. Although this model family came with different dial variants at its 40.5mm case size, today, we’re going to showcase the discontinued SPB149 before looking at the current production SPB143 and other modern day options which continue the 62MAS legacy. We will go through the standard points of its case, wear, dial, and movement, and then share concluding remarks about its overall legacy in 2025.  Seiko SPB149 Context In Spring of 2020, Seiko dropped a quartet of watches - the SPB143, SPB145, SPB1...

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