Monochrome
If you’re into watches, then the name Gübelin should sound familiar – you’ll probably first think about double-signed vintage Patek Philippe watches, once retailed by this house. Indeed, Gübelin is, first and foremost, a jeweller and watch retailer which has been in the business for over 150 years in Switzerland. Today, Gübelin returns to making […]
Revolution
Worn & Wound
There is something incredibly satisfying about good design. Sure, this may seem like a basic statement; but, in the world we live in today, maybe it isn’t. So much of the watch market now relies on a steady IV drip of collaborations, bright colors, and sometimes novelty capabilities that classic design can feel like a sorbet course after a particularly heavy meal. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute line-up is that for me. Longtime readers may know that I’m quite fond of the classic Cartier Tank, and it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to say the Reverso is cut from the same cloth. First created in the 1930’s as a watch that could withstand being beaten up during polo matches (can you think of a more 1% sentence?), the Reverso has now become a cult classic of sorts for, of course, its beauty – but also the fun tactility of the reversible case. While there have been many iterations of the Reverso collection, the latest in their Tribute line really show the sophistication and engineering know-how from the brand. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute collection features three new references to ogle: the Reverso Tribute Monoface, Reverso Tribute Duoface Tourbillon (in steel), and the Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds (in pink gold). With three personalities to introduce you to, I’ll go through each separately. The first thing to notice about the Reverso Tribute Monoface is its size. Designed to be more in-line with the original Reverso from 1931, coming...
Fratello
What could you do to make a time-only watch distinctive? How about letting the case rotate up to 90° to adjust the dial to the ideal position when driving? You don’t even have to be a petrolhead to appreciate Dutch independent watchmaker Laurens de Rijke and his latest collaboration with Guy Allen. Designs make watches […] Visit Hands-On With The De Rijke & Co. Guy Allen “Land” From The Amalfi Series to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe’s new launches for 2024 included novel complications like the World Time Date ref. 5330G and a “salmon” face for the flagship perpetual calendar ref. 5236P, and also a watch that exemplifies formal simplicity, the Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R-001. The new Golden Ellipse is a two-hander in the model’s largest size, but stands out for its bracelet. The only men’s watch in the current catalogue with an integrated bracelet that isn’t a Nautilus, the ref. 5738/1R has a “chain-style” bracelet made by Wellendorff, a German jeweller that has long supplied bracelets to a variety of watch brands. Initial thoughts The Ellipse is one of Patek Philippe’s trademark models but relatively under the radar, especially compared with its famous integrated-bracelet sports watch cousin designed in the same era. But the Ellipse has its appeal, particularly as a no-frills formal watch. Most commonly seen on a strap, the Ellipse feels strikingly different on a bracelet, although it is still easily recognisable. The gold bracelet evokes the mesh bracelets popular in the 1970s and gives the ref. 5738/1R a pronounced retro feel. The bracelet is finely wrought and supple. Up close, the bracelet also reveals a surprisingly intricate design that contrasts with the simplicity of the case. The fact that the bracelet is made by Wellendorff is both a strength and weakness. It has the flexibility of fine jewellery but also the open-ended clasp typical of a jewellery, instead o...
Teddy Baldassarre
Frederique Constant takes a consistent, evolutionary approach to the design language used in its Classic collection. Sometimes those evolutionary leaps are larger than others. This is certainly the case with two additions to the collection released earlier this year: the Manufacture Classic Date, and Classic Moonphase Date, which have undergone a series of both small and large changes that represent a marked maturity for the brand. The new watches will find themselves squarely in front of a new audience as a result, and bring a welcome set of options in the often neglected formal genre at a sub-$5,000 price point. In hand and on wrist, these watches bring a surprising level of sophistication thanks to a keen attention to detail. If this isn’t a brand you’ve taken seriously in the past, it might be time for a second look. In an era dominated by sports watches and so-called GADA watches, it’s easy to forget just how essential a dedicated clean, classical, formal watch can be. They are easy watches to overlook, as their beauty lies in the small details rather than big, eye -catching flourishes, but with a little patience, these watches can be just as compelling as anything else out there. If the brand respects the process, that is. With minimal complications, scales, and bezels to work with, the design and execution of the few details that are present are paramount to evoking the necessary emotions. There is nothing to hide behind here. The odd shape or finish of an h...
Hodinkee
A traditional case size returns to the Reverso, along with a stunning steel Duoface Tourbillon.
Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre says the two new Reverso Tribute Monoface models are a perfect fit for both men and women. Well, first, we must try these watches in real life before passing a judgment like that. They look promising, though, thanks to their dimensions, which stay close to the original Reverso from 1931. Other new additions to […] Visit Introducing: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface In A New Size And Two Colorways to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Nearly everything we regard as a modern luxury was once a military necessity. Okay, maybe that’s too broad a statement. But when you consider the impact of inventions like the Internet (set up as a Department of Defense communications network in 1969) and GPS navigation (which still uses military satellites from the 1970s) - not to mention the rise of the Jeep from humble troop conveyance to luxury SUV; the ubiquity of microwave ovens (which emerged from NATO radar experiments); and the enduring civilian stylishness of accessories like cargo pants and aviator sunglasses - a substantial case can be made that goods made to military specifications, or MIL-SPEC, have made an inestimable impact on everyday life. Nowhere is this influence seen more strongly than in the world of wristwatches - not only those intentionally designed for a military or tactical look, but in many styles and genres throughout the industry. From Waistcoat to War: Origin of the Wristwatch While it’s unlikely that a distinctly elegant timepiece, like a Patek Philippe Calatrava or a Vacheron Constantin Patrimony, will put you in the mind of battlefields and trenches, the truth is that wristwatches themselves are essentially a military invention - at least, the ones designed for men. Women had been wearing timepieces on pendants and bracelets for decades, since the middle of the 19th Century, but it was the utilitarian needs of soldiers in World War I that ushered them into general usage for ...
Time+Tide
A new size for the Reverso Tribute debuts alongside two models in new case metals.The post Jaeger-LeCoultre brings a triple threat of Reverso Tribute novelties, including a brand-new mid-size variant appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Back in January 2023, Fears and Christopher Ward collaborated on the Alliance 01, the first limited edition watch made specifically for the Alliance of British Watch and Clock Makers. The watch became an immediate cult sensation, partly due to its unusual jump hour complication, and partly because it was just plain rare, right from the start. The watch was only available to members of the Alliance, a smaller group for sure than the typical audience for either brand. But when a watch like this appears, something with a highly specific complication that also strikes a chord with the community, we know that it’s only a matter of time before a version comes along that’s more widely accessible. Well, that time is now. Today, Fears introduces what they refer to as an evolution of the Alliance 01, the all new Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour. At its core, this is still very much the watch that we saw back in early 2023. It keeps the 40.5mm Brunswick case, a cushion case design that splits the difference nicely between sporty and something more refined. I happen to own a Brunswick, and find that the case is something of a chameleon – on the right strap it feels like a true dress watch, and on a bracelet, worn casually, it has an almost Datejust-like quality, which is to say it’s right in the middle of that dress/sport spectrum. But the real heart of the watch is Christopher Ward’s module, also carried over from the Alliance 01, that allows for the jumping hour complication. ...
Deployant
Raymond Weil releases 5 new models to their Millesime 35mm collection, three time only central seconds and a two with moonphase display.
Time+Tide
The new Tissot Chemin Des Tourelles Skeleton Black presents a classic dress watch that leans further into a modern feel.The post The Tissot Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton merges modern and classical at an approachable price appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Two years ago Hublot introduced mineral stone dials for the first time and now the brand has returned to Earth’s rare natural stones – and one from elsewhere in the galaxy – with the Classic Fusion Elements II. As with the first edition, the Elements II is a limited edition for Singapore retailer The Hour Glass made up of five different models, each sporting a dial of mineral stone: pink jasper, sodalite, nephrite jade, turquoise, and lunar meteorite. The Elements II is based on Hublot’s signature time-only watch, a minimalist design with the trademark porthole-shaped bezel and case. With just three hands and no date, plus the Hublot logo in gold-powder print, the dial is a blank slate that allows the grain of each mineral stone to stand out. Turquoise Initial thoughts Hublot does two things well, the minimalist, classic Hublot, and artist collaborations, particularly the recent Daniel Arsham and earlier Takashi Murakami. The Elements II is essentially a classic Hublot with a mineral stone dial free of any markings save for the brand logo in gilt print. The clean aesthetic of the dial is maximised to show off the natural graining of various mineral stones. The case is unusual for being entirely in polished titanium, and also two-tone thanks to 18k gold accents, but it’s a perfect complement to the colours of the mineral stone dials. Lunar meteorite This might seem surprising given the clean styling of the watch, but the stone dials would have arguably been even ...
Worn & Wound
There are a handful of constants in the watch world that are truly worth celebrating: the annual crush of people on Geneva each spring for Watches & Wonders, the annual debate over whether a “summer watch” is a thing, and that first comment on any IG post that begs a watch to be a millimeter or two smaller. Like clockwork (pardon the pun) you can count on these things, year in and year out, and there’s comfort in that. Another reliable watch industry trope comes to us on a regular basis from Seiko in the form of the Cocktail Time limited edition, a tradition that began with a watch that is a true enthusiast icon, and now stands as a running series of just plain good dress watches that Seiko is somehow able to keep at a remarkably affordable price point. The legend of the Cocktail Time really begins in earnest with the SARB065, a Japanese domestic market release that caught on with collectors in an earlier era of watch enthusiasm (the early 2010s) when message boards ruled the day. This particular watch is one that I can remember owning years ago and also being among the chorus of internet commenters recommending it to new enthusiasts when the inevitable question of “what dress watch under $XXX should I buy?” would come up. The new Cocktail Time watches, references SRPK93 and SRE015, are said to be inspired by the city of Tokyo at night, and the “Night-time Tokyo” cocktail created by STAR BAR owner Hisashi Kishi. Kishi is a celebrated creator of craft cockta...
SJX Watches
Having gone all in with the Tonda PF sports watch in the last couple of years, Parmigiani Fleurier recently revived its classic dress watch with the Toric Petite Seconde. Named after the model that launched the brand in 1996, the Toric Petite Seconde is a simple, three-hand watch. Despite its simplicity, the new Toric is expensively executed – the dial and hands are solid 18k gold, as are the bridges and base plate of the PF780 movement, a newly-developed manual-wind calibre. Style wise, the Toric takes after the earlier generation of the model and retains the signature knurled bezel, but presented in a minimalist manner with a wide, clean dial reminiscent of the Tonda PF. The platinum with a “grey celadon” dial (Editor’s note: The watches pictured are pre-production prototypes and consequently have imperfections in detail and finishing, including on the dial.) Initial thoughts Parmigiani accurately describes the Toric design as minimalist and the PF780 movement as modernist. And as expected of Parmigiani, the quality is excellent, inside and out. The Toric is dress watch but feels large at almost 41 mm in diameter, but the case stays thin at under 9 mm. Even though the Toric is obviously a dress watch, it almost also feels like a casual everyday watch because of the size, dial colours, and stock straps. I assume more formal dial colours like black in the pipeline; they would give this a decidedly different look. The case has the trademark knurled bezel, but is oth...
SJX Watches
Seiko adds travel time functionality to its line of affordable dress watches with the Presage GMT Urushi Lacquer Dial SPB447. The new Presage is part of the Craftsmanship series that sports dials decorated with traditional Japan artisanal crafts ranging from lacquer to porcelain to enamel, and features glossy urushi lacquer dial to go along with the GMT function. A key part of Japanese culture for millennia, urushi is obtained from the lacquer tree and used for a variety of applications, ranging from kitchenware to samurai armour. Here it is applied to the dial by hand at the workshop of urushi specialist Isshu Tamura, which was also responsible for lacquer dials on past Presage models. Initial thoughts The new GMT offers a similar value proposition as past Presage Craftsmanship models: the dial is decorated by skilled artisans, a feature typically associated with more expensive watches, but the price tag remains an affordable US$1,750. And it has the added bonus of a GMT, giving it an added dimension of utility compared to most Craftsmanship models that either have calendar or power reserve functions. The only downside is the fact that it’s not a “true” GMT with an independently adjustable hour hand, but that is the case for practically all GMT watches in this price range, so it doesn’t put the Presage GMT at a disadvantage relative to the competition. Urushi dial The Presage GMT sports a dial finished in black urushi, with the gilt markings on the dial done in...
Monochrome
How do a pair of manually wound, time-only, pocket watch-sized, potentially outdated movements introduced in the 1950s earn a place in our series on significant calibres, alongside the well-known El Primero and Valjoux 7750 chronograph calibre and the omnipresent automatic ETA 2824 and 2892? Several factors contribute to their importance. Despite seeming unusual today, the […]
Monochrome
The Seiko Presage Craftsmanship Series is all about traditional crafts deeply inspired by Japanese culture. And this collection has resulted in some of the most appealing dress watches of the brand. With this collection, Seiko brings classic artistic crafts such as enamel, Arita porcelain, Urushi lacquer, and even combinations of arts such as guilloché and enamel at relatively […]
SJX Watches
Last year Vacheron Constantin (VC) the Traditionnelle Manual-Winding ref. 82172, a fresh variant of the brand’s longstanding time-only dress watch. Combining an 18k pink gold case with a sunburst green dial, the new Traditionnelle is an unusual and bold twist on the traditional formal wear timepiece. Although compact in dimensions and formal in style, it stands out as dress watch that different without trying too hard. Initial thoughts The Traditionnelle Manual-Winding is arguably VC’s quintessential dress watch. It has a traditional aesthetic and perfect proportions at 38 mm. And though it’s an entry-level model, it features upscale details like solid-gold indices and hands, along with a refined movement. The most familiar iteration of the Traditionnelle Manual-Winding is pink gold with a silver dial, which is classic but perhaps too plain for some. Similarly, most dress watches, VC or otherwise, tend to be in conservative colours, silver, cream, black and so on. The new Traditionnelle Manual-Winding, on the other hand, is a striking metallic green that’s flashy but not overly so. The combination is unconventional as a dress watch, but it works well. And it’s also one of the most affordable dress watches in the brand’s catalogue. Only the Patrimony 40 mm is less expensive but that has the slightly simpler cal. 1400 movement. The Traditionnelle Manual-Winding on the other hand sports the higher-end cal. 4400 AS, a large movement with a long power reserve that...
Deployant
If you are a gentlemen looking for sophisticated dress watches that fits your style and personality, we might have the perfect options for you.
Hodinkee
One size does not fit all. Available in large, small, and mini.
Monochrome
Considering its position as the leader of the Swiss watch industry, it’s fair for Rolex to be the centre of all attention. As such, everything The Crown does is subject to comments, opinions and discussions. Every new model, something that’s happening most of the time only once a year, will be up to strong debates. […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Omega Seamaster is not only a modern icon among divers’ watches; it’s also the cornerstone of one of the Swiss brand’s most prominent and versatile collections: today’s connoisseur can choose between robust, sporty utility (the Seamaster Diver 300M), nautical-inspired elegance (the Aqua Terra), and understated vintage flair (the Heritage models like the Seamaster 1948), as well as an array of colorways and case materials ranging from steel to titanium to high-tech ceramics and proprietary gold alloys. Nowadays, it can be difficult to believe that such a diverse collection with such a dominant presence traces its roots back to just two groundbreaking models: a post-war gents’ watch from 1948 and its descendant, built for recreational divers, in 1957. MILITARY STYLE Introduced in 1948, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the firm that became Omega, the Seamaster was perhaps always destined to become a mainstay of the Omega portfolio. The watch, however, bore little resemblance to the one we’re familiar with today, the model worn on the screen by James Bond. The “dive watch,” as we know it in the modern sense, didn’t really exist, and the original Seamaster was instead positioned in contemporary advertisements as a watch for “town, sea, and country” - a dress watch for gentlemen that was distinguished from its many competitors by its adoption of a new waterproofing system that Omega had developed for the wartime watches it produced for Britis...
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