Fratello
Norqain is still a relatively young brand, but it has carved out a niche as a maker of fun, stylish watches. Of all the models in the catalog, the Wild One Skeleton is probably the best known. No matter the variant, the pieces are typically colorful, slightly brash, and capable. From my experience, though, they’re […] Visit Hands-On With The Norqain Wild One Skeleton 42mm Purple to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
One of the most exciting releases of the year that has weirdly gone a little under the radar is the Formex Essence Ceramica Skeleton, which debuted in March just ahead of Watches & Wonders craziness. The timing of that release, in retrospect, may have somewhat dampened the response – it’s just an insanely competitive time on the novelties calendar. But I imagine anyone who has had a chance to handle these watches in person, at a Windup Watch Fair or elsewhere, comes away with a similar positive reaction. It’s just incredibly impressive that Formex is able to offer a watch with a full ceramic case and bracelet at the price point that these watches sit at (around $5,000 at today’s exchange rate). If there was a single loud objection to that initial batch of watches, it was likely centered around the skeletonized dial, which is just a bridge too far for some. It was only a matter of time before Formex announced non-skeletonized versions of the Essence Ceramica, and lucky for ceramic watch loving enthusiasts, that time is now. The new Essence Ceramica references arrive with the same full ceramic construction as their predecessors. The 41mm case still features the Formex Case Suspension System (a feature that allows the case to “flex” with your wrist for comfort and to mitigate shock) along with a screw down crown and that fantastic ceramic bracelet with micro-adjust on the clasp. The ceramic material is lightweight (30% lighter than steel) and much harder, so it...
Deployant
Jaeger-LeCoultre unveils the new Reverso Tribute Minute Repeater with an enameled and guilloched dial on one side and an openworked dial on the other.
SJX Watches
The Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase Hand Winding is the brand’s first manual-wind moon phase, and also the first in years with a solid dial, making it a refreshing change of pace from the brand’s usual fare that leans towards open-worked and occasionally over-designed styling. Initial Thoughts Excepting the vintage inspired Diver 1964, the M45 F8 moon phase is the most attractive watch in the Orient catalog to my eye. Most of the brand’s designs are too busy for my tastes, so these entries are a welcome departure that will certainly appeal to enthusiasts with more classical tastes. The moon phase disk itself, with mother-of-pearl inlay, is a highlight. And the absence of a seconds hand is a pleasant surprise, though the moon phase sub-dial feels naked without the traditional co-axial small seconds hand. Since the small seconds version of this calibre is not compatible with the moon phase module, Orient could have moved the Orient Star logo onto the sub-dial for more visual balance. Most importantly, this is a manually wound watch – with a competent movement – in a price segment where such things are hard to find. Looking at Japanese watches in particular, manual wind options from Grand Seiko and Credor are significantly more expensive, while Seiko, Orient, and Citizen dropped their entry-level manual watches years ago. Pleiades About two years ago, Orient Star reorganised its catalog by launching M Collections, a family of watches each named after astron...
Fratello
Earlier this year, Formex surprised us with the skeletonized Formex Essence Ceramica. It showcased just how far the brand could push modern materials and finishing at an accessible price point. The sleek, all-ceramic case and bracelet showcased Formex’s technical prowess, while the skeletonized dial guaranteed a big visual statement. Now Formex returns with a solid-dial […] Visit Hands-On With The New Formex Essence Ceramica Automatic COSC 41mm to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Timex is continuing its experiment with higher-end horology with its latest release, the Timex Atelier Marine M1a, which the brand describes as a spiritual successor to the Giorgio Galli series and the first watch in the new Timex Atelier line. The Galli series garnered attention for being “luxury Timex,” with minimalist design, higher-grade cases - like the titanium Giorgio Galli S2Ti - and, biggest of all, that prestigious “Swiss-made” label. Timex says the Marine M1a is the “next chapter” in the brand’s history as it continues to build watches in Switzerland with higher-end materials and movements than typical Timex watches. In the case of the Marine M1a, that means a 41mm skeletonized stainless-steel case with an iron-plating coated midcase, a brushed-steel bracelet, a ceramic bezel, Superlominva-filled indices, and an enamel dial. The watch is powered by a Catena SA100 automatic movement finished with Geneva stripes and perlage that you can get an easy look at through the watch’s exhibition caseback. It’s a bit more conservative in design than the retro-minimalism of the Galli watches, and, in the words of Timex’s chief creative director, Giorgio Galli himself, was “not designed to impress at a glance,” but to “be discovered, slowly, over time.” There are many details to discover over time. A signed crown, silver-applied indices, a movement rotor engraved with “Timex Atelier.” But the watch isn’t just aesthetic-oriented - with a...
Worn & Wound
It’s all about case and dial materials these days in the design world it seems, and Bell & Ross have certainly not shied away from experimentation. The French brand expands their repertoire of big, brash, and blocky timepieces with the new BR-X3 line, conceived as an avant-garde interpretation of the classic BR-03 design, and a cousin of the popular BR-X5, featuring two new models: Titanium Black and Blue Steel. While the names of these new references are straightforward, their designs are everything but. Both feature the iconic rounded-square look that graces most Bell & Ross watches, with a round dial accentuated by a square case. Both cases measure 41mm in diameter, but likely wear bigger due to their shape and 13.30mm thickness. Three-plate dial construction, an openworked rubber strap, an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and 100 meters of water resistance are also standard on both watches. As a final shared element, both references are powered by a Calibre BR-CAL.323 automatic mechanical movement, which promises a hefty power reserve of 70- hours. The differences between the two BR-X3 models are easily explained by their nomenclature, but worth diving into further nonetheless. Titanium watches are massively popular these days, and for good reason: they wear incredibly light on the wrist, regardless of size, and promise durability in spite of that weight. The Titanium Black BR-X3 follows that trend, featuring a micro-blasted grade 2 titanium case in an appropriate...
Monochrome
A year after the relaunch of one of the oldest names in the industry, Favre Leuba is set to introduce its latest collection. During Geneva Watch Days, we sat down with Patrik Hoffmann, CEO for the brand, to learn all the ins and outs concerning the creation of the new Chief Skeleton. Based on the […]
Monochrome
The Jazzmaster collection, and specifically the Skeleton editions, has earned its place as one of Hamilton‘s distinctive designs, offering a view into the beating heart of a modern automatic movement. It’s a design that balances Hamilton’s classic dress-watch DNA with a contemporary twist. Over the years, the model has appeared in several dial colours, case […]
Time+Tide
Speake-Marin's Geneva Watch Days 2025 release is the sort of watch The Joker might wear.The post Speake-Marin’s new Openworked Tourbillon Purple Hour is a purple power play appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
SJX Watches
Orient celebrates its 75th anniversary with a limited edition World Map, inspired by a 1969 fan favourite and priced under US$400. Distinctly retro in style, the World Map features an unusual world time arrangement using a striking map and rotating bezel for global time zones. It’s well priced and well made, and a break from the brand’s usual staples, which tend to be affordable but plain. Initial Thoughts It seems 2025 is a year of many anniversaries: Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Breguet, and of course, Orient. While never the most prominent Japanese watch manufacturer, Orient has built up a strong back catalog over 75 years, which includes the World Map. That said, I’d have preferred a reissue of the more formal looking World Trip, though I imagine the brand is saving that for the up-market Orient Star line. Beyond the watch, it’s important to remember that while Orient is a relatively small brand, it’s part of Seiko Epson, the company behind the Spring Drive UFA that made headlines this year (though a distinct entity from Seiko Watch Corporation that markets and sells Seiko and Grand Seiko watches). For the brand’s 60th anniversary, Orient equipped the Orient Star Skeleton with Japan’s first (and only) silicon escapement. With that in mind, it’s worth keeping an eye on Orient this year, as the brand has more to offer than just a pretty face. Post War Travel Ban and Boom In the aftermath of the Second World War Japan was devastated and isolated. ...
Monochrome
One of the oldest names in the watch industry, Favre Leuba marked its comeback a year ago at Geneva Watch Days 2024, when Patrik Hoffmann and his team unveiled a strategy focused on offering affordable yet high-value, vintage-inspired watches. Now, one year later, Favre Leuba is taking a slightly different direction, presenting a more technical […]
Monochrome
Bianchet is a relatively young high-end brand founded by Rodolfo and Emmanuelle Festa-Bianchet, and based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Since 2021, the brand has been offering modern tonneau-shaped watches powered by architectural openworked tourbillon movements. Early 2025 marked the launch of an important model for the brand, the UltraFino, its first ultra-thin model, its first […]
Monochrome
About a decade and a half ago, I started to get a little bit more interested in watches. Not knowing the ins and outs yet, I started with what was familiar to me, the mainstream brands. But that quickly transformed when I learnt of brands such as Vacheron Constantin, Jaeger-LeCoultre and the like. German high-end […]
Deployant
The NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton Stan the Man Limited Edition is a bold tribute to tennis legend Stan Wawrinka, blending high-performance watchmaking with deeply personal design cues.
SJX Watches
Casio’ latest addition to its famous, shock-resistant sports watch is the G-Shock MT-G MTG-B4000 that was designed with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI). According to Casio, the new MT-G’s design was refined by AI using factors like shock resistance and machinability, resulting in an sleeker profile that departs from the chunky and flat style of the typical G-Shock. As part of the higher-end MT-G line that combines metal with resin, the solar-powered MTG-B4000 has a stainless steel inner case along with an outer case in carbon composite. More notably, the bezel has been polished with the Sallaz flat polishing technique that’s also known as Zaratsu and more often applied to premium mechanical watches by other Japanese watchmakers. The new MT-G is made in Japan like all high-end G-Shock models Initial thoughts Casio’s first attempt at an AI-designed G-Shock was the G-D001 Dream Project #2 in solid, 18k gold made to mark the 40th anniversary of the G-Shock. It was a one-off, unlike the limited edition vintage remake that was also in 18k gold. While the Dream Project #2 was impressive in its form and heft, the open-worked design was a little weird. It looks both sci-fi and fantasy, but with the wrong proportions of each. The new MT-G, on the other hand, looks more conventional and appealing. It still looks like a G-Shock, but different enough to be distinct. In fact, AI has argued improved the MT-G style, evolving it from the robot-like form of before to somethi...
Monochrome
Since its debut in 2016, the successful Aikon series by Maurice Lacroix has become the brand’s best seller. The collection has included chronographs, has embraced stainless steel, titanium, bronze and ceramic, exploring textures and finishes that give each model its own personality. We’ve seen the robust Aikon Venturer, the openworked Aikon Skeleton, and even playful […]
Monochrome
When Gerd-Rüdiger Lang (1943–2023) founded Chronoswiss in 1983, his mission was to safeguard and advance mechanical watchmaking at a time when quartz technology threatened to eclipse traditional horology. A master watchmaker, Lang became renowned for pioneering features now considered staples of fine watchmaking, and the openworked mechanical chronograph. In 1995, Chronoswiss launched the Opus, the […]
Fratello
Thirty years ago, Chronoswiss founder Gerd Rüdiger Lang created a watch that earned itself a place in the history books. The 1995 38mm Opus CH 7523 was the first serially produced self-winding skeletonized chronograph. The watch was powered by a heavily modified Valjoux 7750 movement and was voted “Watch of the Year” by the readers […] Visit Introducing: The Chronoswiss Opus Chronograph Purple Rain to read the full article.
Time+Tide
A purple CVD case, skeletonised dial and UV-reactive strap make this 30-piece limited edition chrono pretty hard to miss.The post Chronoswiss celebrates the 30th anniversary of their Opus chronograph with a wild Purple Rain limited edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
I bet you’ve read the expression “When life turns you upside down, simply adjust your view!” before. The saying came to mind when the latest version of the Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Minerva Chronograph Limited Edition arrived at Fratello HQ. This steel and yellow gold monopusher chronograph has an open-worked movement, and this in-house caliber 16.26 […] Visit Hands-On With The Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Minerva Chronograph Limited Edition In Steel And Yellow Gold to read the full article.
Monochrome
It’s mind-boggling to think that Bulgari’s legion of Octo Finissimo watches has conquered the landscape of ultra-thin watches with ten world records in just 11 years. Equally impressive is the Octo Finissimo’s potent cocktail of horological virtuosity and contemporary Italian style. While the Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days did not break any ultra-thin records, it […]
Deployant
Girard-Perregaux collaborates onc eagain with Aston Martin and releases a new openworked edition of their Laureato in a dark grey ceramic case and bracelet.
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