Two Broke Watch Snobs
A Look At The New Timex Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic
Check out the new Timex Deepwater Reef 200 Titanium Automatic - perhaps the brand's greatest dive watch ever with a titanium case.
Dive Watches · Page 62
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Time+Tide
The Wren Diver One Snow is sub-$1k, with a sandwich dial, Sellita movement, and both a strap and bracelet
Wren shows you how to make a winter-themed diver at a respectable price point.The post The Wren Diver One Snow is sub-$1k, with a sandwich dial, Sellita movement, and both a strap and bracelet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Quill & Pad
Tudor Black Bay 54 vs. Black Bay 58: a Calculated Downsize
Since 2018, the Black Bay 58 has been the star for Tudor. On the face of it, the Black Bay 54 (BB54) is just a smaller Black Bay variant with a few minor changes. Yet, taking a closer look you realise that the sum of small parts makes this very different from the Black Bay 58 (BB58) and Black Bay 41mm.
Monochrome
First Look - The Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba 40mm, now with a Cool Red Bezel
While widely known for its countless apparitions on the silver screen and its military-inspired watches, Hamilton, once an American brand now under the umbrella of the Swatch Group, also carries a rather serious range of aquatic-oriented watches. Sitting alongside the high-performance Frogman and BeLOWZERO collections is the Khaki Navy Scuba, a classic dive watch with […]
Worn & Wound
Yema and Alain Silberstein Collaborate on a New Limited Edition
Founded in 1948, Yema is an independent French watch manufacturer in Morteau, France, which as Yema reminds us, is “the birthplace of French watchmaking.” The third-generation Bôle family operates it alongside a team of watchmakers with over 40 years of experience. Over the years, they have gained a reputation for producing robust and dependable tool watches suitable for diving, car racing, and military expeditions. Yema has sought a new, more enthusiast focused clientele in recent years, particularly with their popular dive watches and the new Wristmaster line of integrated bracelet sports watches. To enhance this revival, they partnered with Alain Silberstein to create a special limited edition piece. Silberstein is an artistic watch designer with a background in interior architecture who grew to prominence with his eponymous brand in the 80s and 90s. His original designs were genre-defying and have now become his signature look. His style can be polarizing, frequently incorporating bright primary colors and geometric shapes in unexpected ways. The word “playful” gets thrown around a lot in the watch world, but it truly defines the Silberstein design language – they just have a way of making you smile. And that’s exactly what this new collaboration with Yema is designed to do. It is a 40mm dual crown dive watch in Black DLC Grade 5 Titanium with micro-blasted finish. The Yema x Alain Silberstein Marine features a crown at 4 o’clock for time setting and win...
Time+Tide
Rediscovering my spirit of adventure with the Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler
Jamie's not a big fan of "pre-distressed" watches, but found Doxa's second Clive Cussler watch surprisingly compelling.The post Rediscovering my spirit of adventure with the Doxa SUB 300T Sharkhunter Clive Cussler appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Duxot Henri Review: A Worthy Seamaster Homage for the Price, If You Don’t Pay Retail
In my ongoing quest to find budget alternatives to the several thousand-dollar watches I pine over, I’ve discovered a new timepiece for which I’ve developed mixed feelings. The Duxot Henri Diver Automatic is the latest in my collection. I bought it after trying on an Omega Seamaster Professional 300m with the white dial and falling in love with it. Knowing it’d be a while before I could afford the Omega, and realizing it was just a little too large for my small wrists, I set out a suitable alternative.
Worn & Wound
Review: Christopher Ward’s Best Diver Ever? The C60 Trident Lumière
When Christopher Ward announced the C60 Trident Lumière a few weeks back, the emphasis-errr-the spotlight was put on using massive Globolight lume plots on the dial. Twelve individually molded lume-infused ceramic monoliths promised to glow like cartoon uranium studded the dial per hour. A dial they claimed cost them 4x the usual. Well, after a few weeks with the watch, while I can attest that the lume is very impressive, it’s not why the C60 Trident Lumière is successful. Rather, it’s simply because it’s the best-executed tool/sports watch the brand has made, at least that I’ve encountered. The proportions are refined, the finishing is excellent, and the aesthetic is cohesive. The C60 Trident Lumière (just Lumière from here out), like the Twelve X and Bel Canto, demonstrates that Christopher Ward is a brand operating at a level on par with or higher than big Swiss brands at an equivalent price, a function of, but not a given, with their D2C model. However, it’s perhaps more impressive in some respects than those other two watches because it’s not a showpiece. No, the Lumière is a mainline, if higher priced, offering for the brand. Which is to say, it’s a sign of what they can do on a “normal” watch and, thus, perhaps, a sign of what to expect in the future. But, enough hyperbole. Clearly, I am a bit taken with the Lumière, so let’s get into the details. $2390 Review: Christopher Ward’s Best Diver Ever? The C60 Trident Lumière Case Grade 2 ...
Worn & Wound
A New, Smaller, and Even More Advanced Dive Watch from SēL
Arizona’s SēL Instruments have been making, literally, bomb proof watches since 2017. The term overengineered is often thrown around in watchmaking, but no other brand quite embodies this term the way SēL Instruments does. Not only do they engineer their watches from scratch, but they also engineer the equipment to make them, as well as the tools to test them. They even reinvented the watch bracelet with an ingenious clasp system called the Wavlock. According to the brand, their watches appeal to many in the armed forces, police, EMTs, or anyone that lives and works in the harshest environments on earth. You can tell these watches were made by someone that never skips leg days, though just like Adrew McLean’s oversize quads, these watches have always been quite large. That is, until now. Introducing the new OmniDiver Xos 42, a smaller, much more wearable version of their signature OmniDiver. That said, they did not just shrink it. Their focus is on a trifecta feature set for extreme environmental protection in a smaller 42mm case: impact resistance, water resistance, and magnetic resistance. The original OmniDiver has a water-resistance rating of 6,100 meters, but the new Xos 42 is still no slouch at 2,000 meters. What is even more impressive is that the new one is only 13.7mm thick. To make that happen, they needed to add new Teflon bearings to their already incredibly good ball-bearing bezel bezel assembly. They needed to strengthen their screw-down crown and inv...
Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Tudor Black Bay Chrono 'Blue' Boutique Edition
Plus, a look at the Black Bay Chrono "Pink," some historical context to Tudor Chronographs, and more.
Fratello
#TBT Why The “Orange Boy” Is The Best Vintage Nivada CASD You Can Get
Would you believe me if I told you we have never featured a dedicated article about a vintage Nivada Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver article on Fratello? I had to check twice, but it’s true. Let’s fix this with a scarce version of the Nivada CASD. This one is one is ref. 85004/4076, aka the “Orange […] Visit #TBT Why The “Orange Boy” Is The Best Vintage Nivada CASD You Can Get to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Price of Admission: What is the Least Expensive Blancpain?
Blancpain is the oldest Swiss watchmaker in existence, founded in 1735, as well as one of the most respected and, it is fair to say, one of the most intimidating for a newcomer to approach. This is not just because of the uniformly high prices - nearly all fall within a five-figure range - but also because of the vast diversity within the maison’s collection, which has emerged naturally after literally centuries of uninterrupted watchmaking. Many savvy watch enthusiasts, even ones relatively new to the game, are at least passingly familiar with the brand’s Fifty Fathoms dive watch and its place in that popular category’s historical pantheon, but remain largely unaware of other intriguing timepieces within Blancpain’s portfolio - some simple and understated, others paragons of horological complexity. Moreover, some of these aspirational aficionados are likely seeking out their first Blancpain watch, and attempting to decipher exactly what an entry-level timepiece from the venerable brand would be - what it costs and what it offers for that price. Continuing our “Price of Admission” series (which kicked off with Bilal Khan’s spotlight on Cartier), I will be examining the least expensive choices for an entry-level Blancpain, covering dress and sport options as well as a variety of case materials. Like most any watch brand in the luxury category, Blancpain’s most approachable models from a price perspective are those in cases of steel, rather than pr...
Fratello
Is The Classic Seiko SKX007 Dive Watch Still Worth Your Time In 2024?
The Seiko SKX007 is one of the most popular entry-level mechanical watches ever produced, period. But is it still worth adding one to your collection in 2024, even though it was discontinued five years ago? Let’s find out. The Seiko SKX007’s popularity is no small feat, even for a large and culturally powerful manufacturer like […] Visit Is The Classic Seiko SKX007 Dive Watch Still Worth Your Time In 2024? to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
Hands-On With The Zenith Defy Revival Diver A3648
Part of Zenith’s Watches & Wonders 2024 releases was a long-overdue Revival of a popular retro model. But does the 70s aesthetic still hold up today? Let’s find out! What We Love: Retro design & old-school cool Tough specs make for good for daily wear Plenty of adjustments for even the smallest wrists What We Don’t: Clasp feels lacking in design Challenging to pull off and style with outfits Smudges easily – a byproduct of all high-polish watches Final Score: 8/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 8/10 We at Watch Advice were busy throughout all of 2024’s Watches & Wonders. So many brands, so many releases, and all in one place? April was the season for Watch Heaven. With your eyes darting from brand to brand, it’s easy to get lost in the fog of the amazing new models – however, if you don’t slow down and look around, you might realise that you missed something special. ‘Under-the-radar’ is a somewhat apt description of Zenith’s releases at this year’s biggest watch fair. While there were two new modern defy models worth celebrating, one release didn’t seem to get as much press as everything else did. Designed in the ’60s, the Zenith Defy lineup was a distinctive collection in a sea of retro timepieces. However, they were built for one purpose: survival. Zenith wanted to make the most resilient Swiss watch of its time, and they made sure that no stone was left unturned. The vintage goodness that is the Zen...
Fratello
A Vintage Rolex Submariner 5512 With Stories To Tell
Although I’ve told the story to many people, I’ve never put pen to paper and written the account of my Rolex Submariner 5512. The tale is probably more common than we think in light of what Rolex was 60 years ago. A watch like the Submariner could withstand the rigors of water-related activities and had […] Visit A Vintage Rolex Submariner 5512 With Stories To Tell to read the full article.
Fratello
Hands-On With Artem Nylon Watch Straps
Due to my smaller wrists, I tend to wear custom-size straps and adjusted bracelets. However, there are other options. The Artem nylon watch straps are a cut above typical offerings. I’ve paired one with a vintage Tudor Submariner for today’s review, and I’ll answer why it’s worth selecting a premium nylon strap over a flimsy […] Visit Hands-On With Artem Nylon Watch Straps to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Owner's Review: The Serica 5303-3 COSC Diving Chronometer Is Parisian
Picture the scene: a hectic work week ends with a quick bite at your favorite Italian trattoria, then you hustle a few blocks afterwards to a dimly lit West Village jazz club to catch a blazing first set from the house band. Glancing down at your wrist, you see you have just enough time to cab it to the airport for the redeye to Paris for a well-deserved long weekend, beachfront on the Côte d'Azur. But the watch on your wrist isn’t a vintage Rolex GMT-Master or Omega Seamaster 300, although either would be a fine choice to segue from the office to the French Riviera without missing a beat. No, your timepiece is from Serica, a microbrand based in France with enough Continental cool and midcentury charm to appear as if it just popped out of a time capsule from 1962. If ever a modern sports watch evoked the Mad Men era, this is it. Even though it’s only been in existence since 2019, Serica doesn't feel like a typical microbrand. In fact, it has the aura of an established horological icon, one with its own storied history and visual language. And if it’s not readily apparent, I’m positively obsessed with the entire Serica aesthetic. Serica's French-designed, Swiss-made creations blend the refinement of classic Parisian fashion with the urbane cool of a European matinee idol. The company’s debut release was the W.W.W field watch, followed by the 5303 diver that made its bow in 2021, in both black and white-dialed variants. A new colorway was offered the followin...
Fratello
Fratello’s Top 5 Vintage Tudor References
Another Friday, another list! Last week, we looked at the rarest Rolex Submariner references. This week, we have shifted our focus to Tudor. We decided to have a look at our favorite five vintage Tudor references. Most people will know the classic Submariner models, but there is plenty more to enjoy from the Tudor brand. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Vintage Tudor References to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing - The Eye-Catching Two-Tone Titoni Seascoper 300 Bicolor
Inspired by some of the most iconic dive watches produced in the 1950s, Titoni introduced its Seascoper 600 dive watch in 2020. Boasting a formidable 600m depth rating and a Swiss-made COSC-certified in-house automatic movement, the Seascoper 600 was joined by a younger brother two years later: the Seascoper 300. With half the water resistance […]
SJX Watches
In-Depth: A Dive Into the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea
While the history of the Rolex diver’s watch begins with the Oyster Perpetual Submariner of 1953, one of the brand’s landmark achievement in water-resistant cases is more recent: the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea launched in 2008 that incorporates the Ringlock system. With the innovative Ringlock system, Rolex surmounted an enduring obstacle in building a deeper-diving watch – a case that grew in proportion to the depth rating. The Ringlock system is a patented case architecture that fundamentally rethought the traditional approach to a diver’s watch, which allowed the Rolex Deepsea to achieve a water-resistance rating of 3,900 m with a 44 mm case. The utility of the Ringlock was proven in 2022 with the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge that took the Oyster case to the limits of horological engineering. Featuring a 50 mm case in RLX titanium, the Deepsea Challenge is water resistant to 11,000 m – the all-time water-resistance record for a mechanical wristwatch. The latest addition to the deep-diving collection, the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea in 18k yellow gold. Image – Rolex A deep history The history of Rolex is inextricably intertwined with the water-resistant wristwatch. Six years after establishing the brand in 1908, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf wrote to Bienne-based movement maker Aegler, “We must find a way to create a waterproof wristwatch”. By 1926, Wilsdorf had achieved his goal with the launch of the Oyster, a waterproof wristwatch which ha...
WatchAdvice
REVIEW: Hands On With The Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver
We go hands-on with the newly released Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch to see how heritage and tradition meet modern-day needs! What We Love: The textured dial and 3D markers add depth to the watch High legibility making time reading easy The easy-wearing ergonomic design What We Don’t: The bracelet clasp design is still lacking in finesse Crown placement at not quite 4 o’clock seems off-balance The closed caseback hides what would be a nice-looking movement inside Overall Rating: 8.375/10 Value for Money: 8/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8/10 Seiko has been on a bit of a walk down memory lane with many of their releases this year, looking back at the old vintage models from the 1960s and ’70s as inspiration and reviving some of these pieces for modern-day customers. It seems that this is a little bit of a trend currently, and has accelerated over the last few years with people looking for different pieces to place on their wrists. Many brands in the watch world have gone down this path, and it does make for some great vintage homage or revival pieces and a slight break away from the norm. Seiko has some great heritage pieces, and with their latest release, Seiko has gone back over 50 years to 1968, just three years after their very first dive watch and re-incarnated it in 2024 in the form of the Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver, with a black dial and white dial variant to choose from. First Impressions We had ...
Time+Tide
We read the Rolex Submariner book so you don’t have to
After creating waves upon its release, we wanted to dive into the pages of Oyster Perpetual Submariner to see what all the fuss was about.The post We read the Rolex Submariner book so you don’t have to appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Tudor Black Bay vs. Rolex Submariner - What’s in a name?
As I explained in my last piece, I am something of a Black Bay collector myself (picture the meme), having fallen for the 79220N Heritage Black Bay in 2015. Prior to this, however, I had already decided two years previously that I would buy a Rolex Submariner one day, somehow. Today, I want to focus on the 79220N Heritage Black Bay, the 79000N Black Bay 54 and the 124060 Submariner in my collection.
Worn & Wound
Hands-On with the Retro Zodiac Ref. Super Sea Wolf Ref. 691 Diver
I’d be hard-pressed to name a watch more iterated upon in the last few years than Zodiac’s Sea Wolf. The retro-inspired diver has been at the heart of a true brand renaissance and was at the forefront of the vintage revival movement that has so characterized the watch world over the last decade. Today, Zodiac is looking back to one of its earliest dive watches with the new Zodiac Super Sea Wolf Ref. 691. There is, as with most things watch-related and pre-internet, some debate as to the initial launch date of the Zodiac Sea Wolf, but regardless of the date, there’s no doubt that Zodiac released the Sea Wolf as part of the first wave of dive watches back in the 1950s, but while watches like the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Rolex Submariner, and Omega Seamaster 300 soared (or dove), the Sea Wolf fell into the background - obscured to all but the most devoted watch enthusiasts alongside other early generation dive watches like the Eterna Kon-Tiki and Enicar Sherpa-Dive. By the time I got into watches in the early 2010s, the Zodiac Sea Wolf was one of the great secrets of the enthusiast world. Great examples could be had for a few hundred bucks, so for not much money, you could have a great-looking vintage dive watch with some real history. That all started to change when Zodiac, under the larger umbrella of Fossil Group, revived the Sea Wolf in 2015. The Zodiac Sea Wolf was immediately brought to the center of the horological world and has continued to stay relevant in t...
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