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Chronograph Watches · Page 101

Hands-On: the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium Worn & Wound
Mar 12, 2024

Hands-On: the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium

Somehow, to this point, I’ve avoided taking a stand in the ongoing conversation in our ranks about the merits of titanium. Zach Weiss, our cofounder, is an unabashed fan, and confidently declares at every opportunity that all watches might as well be made of the stuff. Our friend Taylor Welden at Carryology takes it a step further, and said he’d happily eat little titanium chips if given the chance. No one’s titanium journey on this team has been more closely watched than Kat Shoulders’ though, who was first a skeptic, then an adopter, and now, well, her stance continues to evolve.  For my part, I guess I don’t have a strong opinion either way. I have nothing against titanium watches at all, and I’ve owned several, but it’s not, in general, a material I seek out. I think it’s because as a metal, it tends to not have the characteristics I like most. I like elaborate, complex case finishing, and a bit of weight. I tend to prefer steel’s glassy shine to titanium’s grays. There are exceptions, of course. Grand Seiko’s titanium finishing is notable in that it has many of the qualities of steel. And some watches just work better when they are feather light.  $11800 Hands-On: the Zenith Chronomaster Sport Titanium Case Titanium Movement El Primero 3600 Dial Gray Lume Yes Lens Sapphire Strap Titanium bracelet Water Resistance 10 ATM Dimensions 41 x 46.8mm Thickness 13.6mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Screw down Warranty Yes Price $11800 The new Chronomaster Sport f...

I Got My Hands On The Very Green Zenith Chronomaster Sport Watch This Monday Morning Fratello
Mar 11, 2024

I Got My Hands On The Very Green Zenith Chronomaster Sport Watch This Monday Morning

What happens when you leave a Rolex Submariner “Hulk” and a Daytona in a room overnight? You get the Zenith Chronomaster Sport in its very green attire. Did I offend any Rolex and/or Zenith fans? It was my initial thought when I saw the press pictures of the Chronomaster Sport on a bracelet (ref. 03.3119.3600/56.M3100) […] Visit I Got My Hands On The Very Green Zenith Chronomaster Sport Watch This Monday Morning to read the full article.

Hands-On With The Titoni Heritage Bicompax Chronograph Fratello
Mar 10, 2024

Hands-On With The Titoni Heritage Bicompax Chronograph

Today, we’re taking a look at the latest entry from Titoni. The Heritage Bicompax Chronograph is, as you’d expect, a vintage-inspired piece that takes its cues from historic ’50s and ’60s models. It’s clean, uses a reliable automatic caliber, and is relatively affordable. Let’s take a closer look. As a fan of vintage watches, I […] Visit Hands-On With The Titoni Heritage Bicompax Chronograph to read the full article.

The Roundup: Overbuilt Tool Watches, Versatile Gear, and Good Old US-Made Straps Worn & Wound
Mar 10, 2024

The Roundup: Overbuilt Tool Watches, Versatile Gear, and Good Old US-Made Straps

The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick celebrates a timepiece that provides great bang for buck. Upgrade Your Kit highlights indispensable everyday carry gadgets. When You Have Too Many Watches is all about accessories and peripherals for your watch collection. Last but not least, the Deal of the Week is a limited time bargain that you will not want to miss. Don’t forget to join the Windup Watch Shop Rewards Program to save and earn points with every purchase. The Windup Team is also available to schedule a consultation or demo with you to answer any questions you may have. This week’s roundup is an exciting mix of sport-focused watches and gear that can stand the test of time. We start off with the Ollech & Wajs Navichron Chronograph and another chronograph of a completely different kind in the Casio DW6900. A sleek and modern everyday carry knife and single pass strap from ADPT make up our gear and accessories highlight; lastly, we wrap things up with a certified rig in the GWG2000 Mudmaster. Read on! The Roundup is the Windup Watch Shop’s weekly rundown of the latest and greatest watches, accessories, EDC, and more. Top billing belongs to the Treat Yourself category, which spotlights special watches worth their price tag, while the Value-Packed Pick c...

The Man Who Skied Down Everest With A Certina DS-2 Watch Fratello
Mar 9, 2024

The Man Who Skied Down Everest With A Certina DS-2 Watch

Yuichiro Miura’s 1970 expedition to Mt. Everest was the subject of a documentary and press coverage, and it became a legend in the extreme skiing community. His companion on that adventure was the Certina DS-2 Chronolympic. It was a hardy chronograph built for adventure. There is a way of considering the world’s tallest peaks that […] Visit The Man Who Skied Down Everest With A Certina DS-2 Watch to read the full article.

Hands-On With The Zenith Pilot Automatic And Big Date Flyback Boutique Editions Fratello
Mar 8, 2024

Hands-On With The Zenith Pilot Automatic And Big Date Flyback Boutique Editions

Zenith presented a fully redesigned and thoroughly modernized Pilot range at Watches and Wonders last year. Although many of our team members had a chance to try them on at the fair, we had not yet done a full hands-on article on Fratello. We figured it was long overdue! So, now that there is a […] Visit Hands-On With The Zenith Pilot Automatic And Big Date Flyback Boutique Editions to read the full article.

Louis Erard Watches: How the Regulator King Became an Indie Darling Teddy Baldassarre
Mar 7, 2024

Louis Erard Watches: How the Regulator King Became an Indie Darling

Louis Erard is one of those Swiss watch brands that may have registered on your radar only recently - earning both enthusiast buzz and critical acclaim in the past few years thanks to its very high-profile partnerships with indie watchmakers whose own timepieces might otherwise be unattainable. How did Louis Erard, which actually traces its origins all the way back to the Great Depression, manage to finally find its niche in the 21st Century? Family Foundations Born in 1893 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a historical hub of Swiss watchmaking, Louis Erard discovered his horological vocation early. In the early 1900s, he began plying his trade as a watchmaker for several of the town’s workshops, and in 1929 founded a watchmaking school where he served as instructor. At the same time, Erard started a watchmaking business with a partner named André Perret, originally as an “assembler” of complete timepieces for third parties using parts supplied by independent artisans. By 1931, the partnership was dissolved and Erard became a producer of watches under his own eponymous brand name. The company grew in the following decades, with Erard’s two sons, René and Jean-Louis, joining in 1945. Among the company’s milestones during this early period was helping to develop the now-legendary Valjoux 72 chronograph caliber. In 1956, Louis Erard, which still used third-party movements in its own watches, advanced to the next stage of horological prestige, starting production of it...

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 in Pink Gold SJX Watches
Mar 7, 2024

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Code 11.59 in Pink Gold

To mark the collection’s fifth anniversary, Audemars Piguet (AP) has launched seven new variants of the Code 11.59 in pink gold that are available in both 41 mm and 38 mm cases, with the 41 mm option being available with or without a chronograph. While none of the individual elements are novel (the new models are a melange of successful elements from recent launches) the new 38 mm model in navy blue – specifically the same hue as the Royal Oak “Jumbo” ref. 5402 ST – is one of the most appealing variants of the Code 11.59 to-date. Initial thoughts Though often considered a gateway to the brand’s most sought-after models like the Royal Oak, the Code 11.59 has quietly evolved into a full-fledged collection that now includes everything from simple time-only pieces to the grandest of grand complications.  The new references reflect the updated Code 11.59 aesthetic introduced last year in stainless steel, which comprised an updated hand set and stamped guilloché dials in crowd-pleasing colours like navy blue and dark green. It is in this respect that the 38 mm model with navy blue dial that stands out. While not the first 38 mm Code 11.59, it is the first in a mainstream colourway. Combined with the more wearable size, this new variant adds significant appeal to the overall collection. The pricing of the new Code 11.59 depends on the size and the complication: the 38 mm models are priced at CHF27,500, while the 41 mm is available for extra CHF1,000 and the chronogr...

Audemars Piguet Debuts a Royal Oak Pair with Smoked Yellow Gold Dials SJX Watches
Mar 7, 2024

Audemars Piguet Debuts a Royal Oak Pair with Smoked Yellow Gold Dials

Audemars Piguet has just launched its “first semester collection” that’ll take us through the first half of the year. Most are variations of current models, with two of the most striking sharing the same dial in “smoked yellow gold”, namely the Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding 37 mm (ref. 15550BA) and the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 41 mm (ref. 26240BA). Both are fashioned in yellow gold and complemented by a striking dial with a gradient yellow gold finish, conceived to homage to the brand’s yellow gold Royal Oak models of the 1970s. Initial thoughts The smoked yellow gold finish was introduced on the Royal Oak “Jumbo” in 2022, so the new releases aren’t a surprise. Nonetheless, it is satisfying to see this dial finish on more compact models like the 37 mm ref. 15550. Between the two releases, the time-only ref. 15550 is the standout. The clean, radially brushed dial pairs perfectly with the finely grained texture of the frosted case. On the other hand, the dial finish is less punchy on the chronograph due to the traditional tapisserie guilloche. The chronograph, however, is an imposing watch overall due to its size and weight. The time-only model retails for CHF55,000, while the chronograph is priced at CHF63,000 – both sit in the current range for similar Royal Oak models. Neither is a value proposition, though both are appealing variants of the design. Smoked yellow gold dials Both new launches are variants of existing models, compact Royal ...

First Look – Tissot Is Revving Up With The New T-Race MotoGP 75th Anniversary Chronograph Monochrome
Mar 7, 2024

First Look – Tissot Is Revving Up With The New T-Race MotoGP 75th Anniversary Chronograph

The Tissot T-Race series holds a prominent position in Tissot’s catalogue, a testament to the brand’s history in sports timing, including motor racing. Tissot has been the official MotoGP timekeeper since 2001, and colleagues report Tissot’s T-Race watches are frequently spotted at race events globally, underlining their association with the fast-paced world of racing. Special […]

Breitling Goes Deep For Its Dark SuperOcean Automatic 44 UK Limited Edition Fratello
Mar 6, 2024

Breitling Goes Deep For Its Dark SuperOcean Automatic 44 UK Limited Edition

Hot off the heels of the stealthy Chronomat from February, Breitling brings another muted-tone beauty for March. The latest exclusive limited edition for the UK market is the SuperOcean Automatic 44. Like the aforementioned Chronomat, Breitling pairs this SuperOcean’s black dial with an anthracite hue. However, instead of chronograph counters, the SuperOcean features lacquered anthracite […] Visit Breitling Goes Deep For Its Dark SuperOcean Automatic 44 UK Limited Edition to read the full article.

Omega Introduces Speedmaster Moonwatch with a White Lacquer Dial SJX Watches
Mar 5, 2024

Omega Introduces Speedmaster Moonwatch with a White Lacquer Dial

First seen on the wrist of actor Daniel Craig late last year, the Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch with a “lacquered white dial” is now official. Dial aside, it’s identical to the standard Moonwatch with the cal. 3861. The new Speedmaster is regular production and priced almost exactly the same as the standard model. Initial thoughts The new Speedmaster is only a dial variant of the familiar Moonwatch in black. It isn’t substantively novel, though it is notable for being regular production. Historically, Speedmasters with white or silver dials have been either limited editions, like the Alaska Project, or in precious metal, like the model in Canopus gold. The watch itself, however, is executed well. The lacquered dial is slightly glossy and matched with black-coated hands and markers, with the red “Speedmaster” giving it colour. For only US$100 more than the regular model – which is iconic but also common – this is certainly a compelling alternative. White, red, and black The new Speedmaster features a dial with a lacquered finish that gives it a smooth, glossy surface. According to Omega, this is the first Moonwatch with a lacquered dial. Though the finish is different, the dial retains all of the details that characterise the Moonwatch dial, including the step on its perimeter and recessed registers with concentric graining. The hands and applied markers also retain the same classic design, but are finished with a black coating for legibility. Notably, the sta...

Omega’s White Dialed Speedmaster Professional is Here Worn & Wound
Mar 5, 2024

Omega’s White Dialed Speedmaster Professional is Here

In a move that could only be earth shattering, breaking news in the watch industry, one of the most renowned brands has released their most iconic product in a color with no hue. Yes, the Speedmaster Professional, the Moonwatch, can now be had not only with the traditional black dial, but a white version that is perhaps meant to feel a bit more luxe, given its finishing and the (lack of) options consumers will have with respect to the question of crystal, bracelet, and caseback. This release isn’t exactly a surprise to those who follow Omega closely, but it is, all things considered, a fairly dramatic shakeup to the Speedmaster collection. The unveiling of the white dialed Speedmaster is not a big shock or surprise to those who track, predict, or are otherwise interested in new releases from Omega. Daniel Craig, James Bond himself, was spotted wearing what turned out to be a prototype version of the white Speedmaster last year. The jokes about a spy not being able to keep a new watch secret practically write themselves. In any case, it didn’t take long for the collecting community to reach the conclusion that the Omega ambassador was wearing new version of the Speedy to be released at some point in the near future. And a white dial for the Speedy Pro would be fairly predictable even if it hadn’t been spotted on Craig’s wrist. Some of Omega’s most sought after limited edition Speedys have been white, particularly the Silver Snoopy from 2015, and the Alaska Project...

Comments 4

  1. C. Almeida
    The framing here is frankly a bit off. A chronograph is hardly the most-engineered complication in Swiss watchmaking; that crown belongs to perpetual calendars and minute repeaters. That said, the automatic chronograph remains the most *accessible* complicated movement for volume producers, and that's a worthier claim. The 1969 reference is apt, though the real innovation happened years before.
    1. Ben W. replying to C. Almeida
      Fair correction on the engineering hierarchy. But I'd add: the "accessibility" angle gets muddied fast once you're actually trying to buy one. A Daytona or even a Tudor Chrono sits behind waitlists and AD games that make "accessible" feel like marketing speak. The movement's elegant, sure, but the secondary market lottery around these watches tells a different story about what buyers actually face.
  2. Reece
    thinking about getting my first chrono and this helped a lot. is a vintage automatic worth learning on or should i just grab something new first. also how much should i realistically spend.
    1. WristBuzz Team replying to Reece
      This all depends on your own feelings and what you like to spend. Pretty hard to answer imho.

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