Integrated-Bracelet Sport Watches · Page 54

Bell & Ross Collaborates with the Alpine F1 Team for a New Take on the BR 05 Chronograph

The latest in the ever expanding lineup of the Bell & Ross BR 05 collection, their popular integrated bracelet sports watch, is a new chronograph reference featuring the colors of the Alpine F1 team, a Bell & Ross partner since 2016, when the team operated under the Renault banner. This is a follow up to a trio of 2021 releases marking the inaugural year of Alpine’s involvement on the F1 circuit, a set of chronographs that still make a lot of sense given the motorsport connection. The new watch builds on the aesthetic established by those that have come before it, combining the distinctive Alpine colorway with an integrated bracelet platform that has proven to be surprisingly durable and adaptable since it was launched in 2020. The phrase that comes up over and over again in Bell & Ross marketing materials for the BR 05 is “sport chic,” and we have to admit, it fits the bill. These are not pure sports or tool watches in the sense that we’ve always understood them. They’re made, primarily, to look nice. They have well executed integrated bracelets, eye-catching finishing with dramatic transitions between brushed and polished surfaces, and an overall slender appearance. That’s the “chic.” The “sport” comes in the form of the watch’s specs, which put it on equal footing with its more tool watch focused companions in the Bell & Ross collection. The case and bracelet are made from stainless steel, water resistance is rated to 100 meters with a screw down c...

Introducing: Celebrating The AP Royal Oak Offshore's Anniversary With Some Music And A Bit Of 37mm-Sized Bling

AP goes from tasting the rainbow to dishing out a healthy dose of salmon and a few other options in between.

The Citizen Promaster Tsuno Racer 50th Anniversary

The Citizen Promaster Tsuno Racer celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1973 bullhead chronograph. Instead of reissuing the model, Citizen have blended it with their modern Eco-Drive technology. Citizen achieved the look by rotating an Eco-Drive movement 90 degrees. Thinking of the 1970s resurgence in watchmaking, the mind turns to the likes of Gérald Genta … ContinuedThe post The Citizen Promaster Tsuno Racer 50th Anniversary appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Gérald Genta Debuts a Mickey Mouse Repeater for Only Watch 2023

The Gérald Genta brand, which has recently been revived by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), the watchmaking manufacture of Louis Vuitton, makes its debut with a unique creation for Only Watch 2023. The Gérald Genta Only Watch 2023 retains the brand’s signature octagonal case, a shape historically known as the “Success”, while showcasing the whimsical side of the brand with a champlevé enamel dial featuring Mickey Mouse carrying a birthday cake. And like many past Gérald Genta watches, it tells the time with a retrograde minutes and jumping hours – along with a minute repeater. Initial thoughts The long awaited comeback of Gérald Genta, a given after its sister brand Daniel Roth was resurrected, raised expectations given the brand’s elaborate complications of the 1990s as well as the current technical prowess of LFT. Unsurprisingly, the brand has combined two of the best known themes from its short history, the Fantasy line of Disney-licensed watches and striking complications. The watch is essentially a homage to Gérald Genta’s best hits of the 1990s. The Mickey House dial is a nod to the Fantasy watches, most of which had retrograde displays. And the octagonal case is modelled on the Success, a bestseller for the brand at the time. That said, the new case design has the addition of lugs that feel slightly out of place. The original Success designs either did without lugs entirely or had simple horizontal bar lugs, both of which arguably work better with the o...

The New Louis Vuitton Tambour; Redefined and Redesigned

Wei & Eleonor speak with Jean Arnault, Director of Watches at Louis Vuitton, to discuss the newly released Louis Vuitton Tambour.  Redesigned as a lugless, bezel-less, integrated bracelet sports chic watch, the new Louis Vuitton Tambour is the most fiercely original offer in this hotly contested category, and speaks to the design intelligence of its […]

Introducing: The New Louis Vuitton Tambour, Completely Reimagined As An Integrated Steel Sports Watch (Video)

Big news out of La Fabrique du Temps as Jean Arnault and LV release a totally new take on the Tambour.

Second Skin: Part One, The Bvlgari Octo Finissimo with Laurent Picciotto

In this three-part series, we explore the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo with three esteemed guests, all amazing and respectable in their own rights. For the first instalment, Wei chats with Laurent Picciotto, a well-known and highly respected figure in the world of luxury watches. Picciotto is the founder of Chronopassion, a renowned watch boutique located in Paris, […]

Hands-On: Parmigiani Goes Full 'Sport Chronograph' With The Tonda PF

A few tweaks to a recent fan-favorite help the new watches stand out in a subtle way.

Introducing the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport

Head into the Holiday Weekend with a Cocktail Themed Limited Edition from Maen and seconde/seconde

Do you enjoy medium sized integrated bracelet sports watches? How about classic American cocktails? Are visual puns a thing you’d like to see more of when you check the time? Well, boy do we have a watch for you. Maen is the latest brand to collaborate with seconde/seconde/, Romaric André’s whimsical, joke filled, and increasingly popular design house that manages to find unexpected angles and humor in all kinds of watches. The platform he’s playing with here is Maen’s excellent Manhattan 37, the highly architectural, 70s inspired integrated bracelet sports watch measuring, you guessed it, 37mm across. For this limited edition, seconde/seconde/ is taking inspiration from the classic Manhattan cocktail, finding space for include his signature wit in unlikely places.  Let’s start with the obvious: the dial is meant to evoke the color of a Manhattan, traditionally made with rye whiskey and red vermouth, it has a distinctive red hue. The Manhattan 37 already has a very cool execution that features a Geneva stripe finish, so adding a fun color here is a must, and the finishing technique causes a natural shift in the tone – Maen says it will range from a deep burgundy to purple depending on the lighting. The second hand features a pixelated representation of a Maraschino cherry, the Manhattan’s traditional garnish in André’s signature style, and as a final touch, you’ll see a “% vol” designation next to the “37” within the watch’s standard dial tex...

Unveiling Bvlgari’s Only Watch 2023, The Marvelous Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon in Marble!

Wei has the pleasure of sitting down with Antoine Pin, the Managing Director of Bvlgari, in an exclusive interview as we enter into the enchanting world of the Bvlgari’s Only Watch 2023 entrant. The watch in question is the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon watch in marble is a testament to the extraordinary craftsmanship achieved by Bvlgari. The […]

Maen and seconde/seconde/ stir up a special Manhattan 37

Romaric André of seconde/seconde/ teams up with Maen for an unexpect take on the Manhattan 37 The integrated-bracelet gets a literal cherry on top of its handset, as well as a new magenta dial The 37-piece limited edition is powered by an élaboré-grade Sellita SW200 Every chance Romaric André gets to add his twist to … ContinuedThe post Maen and seconde/seconde/ stir up a special Manhattan 37 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Collector’s Perspective with Nop Srinara (@nopstar83)

In the maiden episode of our new series - The Collector’s Perspective, Constant sits down with Nop Srinara to share a conversation centred around their shared passion for watch collecting. Besides starting his micro brand, Vilhelm Watches, Nop is also the founder of The Octo Club, an appreciation club for the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo. The […]

Audemars Piguet Introduces the Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon Openworked “Only Watch”

Audemars Piguet (AP) is taking part in Only Watch for the fourth time with the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Openworked 41 mm “Only Watch”. In contrast to the low-key Royal Oak “Jumbo” made for the 2021 instalment of the charity auction, this year’s one-off creation is exceptionally striking in blue and white. The latest Royal Oak “Only Watch” is based on the regular-production Royal Oak skeleton tourbillon but made unique with a white ceramic case and bracelet along with a movement featuring blued titanium bridges and plates. The case and bracelet material is notably uncommon for AP. While the brand has a fair number of Royal Oak models in black ceramic, there are fewer in white ceramic. In fact, there is only one regular production model in white ceramic, the perpetual calendar. In the past, there were also a handful of Royal Oak Offshore models in white ceramic, including a chronograph and Diver. According to AP, one of the notable features of the bracelet is not only the material, but also that fact that is secured with “invisible pins”. This presumably means the pins holding the bracelet together are concealed with ceramic caps. The cal. 2972 inside is open worked in an angular, stylised manner that is very much AP’s house style. The bridges and base plate are blued titanium, while the bevels of the movement retain the natural grey colour of titanium for contrast, giving each of the bridges a pronounced outline. The rotor is 22k gold but ...

Hands-On: Seeing (British Racing) Green With The Girard-Perregeaux Laureato Aston Martin Edition 38mm

A full ceramic, car-inspired piece of horology.

Micromilspec Introduces a Watch Made for Members of the United States Space Force

Micromilspec, a Norwegian microbrand that has carved out a niche making custom watches for first-responder and military clients, has just revealed their latest project, a watch made for members of the newest branch of the United States military. The United States Space Force, founded in 2019 and technically part of the Department of the Air Force, is the smallest U.S. armed service, with just 8,600 members, but watch enthusiasts among the ranks now have the option of owning a timepiece made just for them, and civilians can get in on the action as well.  The U.S. Space Force Watch was made in collaboration with members of the USSF in a manner similar to watches made with other Micromilspec clients, a list that includes Canadian, Norwegian, and French special forces, several units of the Norwegian Army, and the Smoke Divers unit of the Oslo Fire Brigade. According to the brand, watches are designed and developed in Oslo, with manufacturing and assembly completed by the brand’s Swiss partners. For the U.S. Space Force Watch two distinct versions will be made: one that will be sold exclusively to active members, members, and designated personnel of the USSF, and a more widely available civilian version which will require a U.S. shipping address to order.  The watch itself is a spin on the popular integrated bracelet sports watch concept, with a highly angular eight sided case and an integrated H-link bracelet. The case measures 42mm wide and features a dive-style timing be...

Tissot Introduces the PRX Powermatic 80 35 mm

Tissot’s PRX Powermatic 80 has quickly gained popularity since its introduction more than three years ago as it offers the popular integrated-bracelet aesthetic at an affordable price point.  In March, the brand added new dial options to the collection, and now it has added more horological power to the smallest model that’s 35 mm in diameter and was previously only available with a quartz movement. Initial thoughts A slightly disappointing aspect of the PRX collection was the fact that the 35 mm model only had a quartz movement, until now. Now anyone who wants a mechanical movement in a more wearable size is catered for.  The overall design of the watch, including its waffle-pattern dial and brushed steel case, remains largely unchanged – a good thing since it is precisely these elements that first captured people’s attention in the first place. The green version stands out as a personal favourite among the new models and I expect it will be a strong seller overall given the popularity of the colour now. Starting at US$695 and going up to US$750 for the mother-of-pearl dial, the new 35 mm models are slightly pricier than the original. While the increase in price is perhaps linked to inflation, compared to many of the other integrated bracelet sports watches on the market, it still offers great value for the overall feel it gives. Now at 35 mm The latest version of the PRX collection introduces a remarkable decrease in size when compared to the original model whi...

Parmigiani Tonda PF Gets Revamped Sport Mode

Nearly every luxury watchmaker is feeling the need to have a sporty collection or reference in their stable these days, much the same as some of the great sports car marques needing an SUV all of the sudden. It’s just practical. Just what makes a watch sport worthy is up for debate, but it generally comes with a bit of water resistance, the ability to absorb a shock or two, and a rubber or textile strap. Bright colors optional. In reality it means a watch that’s better suited to everyday wear, and goes with a broader selection of your wardrobe. The sporting element simply implies comfort and practicality. Parmigiani Fleurier may be known for their formal wear, but they’re no strangers to the sport watch, and this week, the Tonda line gets a completely revamped sport collection called the Tonda PF Sport.  The new Tonda PF Sport collection will be replacing the Tonda GT collection with the introduction of 4 references that span steel and rose gold within a time and date, and chronograph configuration. The new watches bring a tighter cohesion to the Tonda family overall, taking a cleaner approach to the theme. The biggest shift from the GT collection is the date migration away from the unique oversized 12 o’clock position, and into the more controversial 4:30 position on the chronograph, and the 6 o’clock position on the time and date model. The Tonda GT watches had plenty of quirks, from their date execution, to the month display of the calendar models labeled, qu...

New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport collection brings a subtly sporty touch to the hit lineup

New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport collection replaces former “GT” line Collection includes two chronographs and two automatics each presented with silver dials in steel and rose gold cases, and on integrated rubber straps The Sport Auto uses new 41mm case size, with the addition of a central seconds hand the PF Micro-Rotor does not … ContinuedThe post New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport collection brings a subtly sporty touch to the hit lineup appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Citizen Series 8 Welcomes New 880 GMT Collection

The Series 8 is Citizen’s take on the integrated bracelet sport watch genre that was introduced into the premium end of the brand’s catalog under the The Citizen banner, sporting the brand’s flagship movement developed in partnership with La Joux-Perret. It’s a watch we were quite fond of in our hands-on. This year, the Series 8 is taking a step in a new direction with the addition of this 880 GMT collection using the 9054 caliber, and some slightly familiar color schemes. This is a watch that ticks all meta boxes for the moment, and while it makes a lot of practical sense, has us wondering how it will fit into the broader Series 8 project in the long term.  Integrated sports watches and so-called ‘flyer’ or ‘traveler’ GMT complications are certainly having their moment this year, which is great for consumers looking for more options at a wide range of price points. Combining the two seems only natural, however the landscape of integrated cases housing GMT movements is relatively sparse. Citizen brings the two together in this Series 8 880 GMT collection making use of the 9054 automatic caliber, which offers that ‘flyer’ functionality, and offers a higher magnetic resistance than the 9075 upon which it is based. The movement offers plenty of practical features, though will be pushing the price ceiling of watches using other variants. But a watch is more than a movement. There’s a full steel case and integrated bracelet here, which should justify the ...

Bell & Ross Introduces a Sky Blue Version of their BR 05 GMT

Bell & Ross has just released their latest interpretation of their urban living-inspired BR 05 GMT range, the Sky Blue. With its mixture of cool steel and blue highlights, this automatic watch definitely lives up to its heavenly name. The BR 05 GMT Sky Blue is a watch designed for the urban inhabitant that enjoys a subtle – yet noticeable – presence on their wrist. With its squared design, it’s bold without being ostentatious, the way any good watch worth its salt should be. The Sky Blue is able to toe the line between being vintage-inspired and totally contemporary, drawing at times from classic integrated bracelet sports watch designs, but in a notably Bell & Ross way, using their well understood square case as a starting point. The look of the watch itself is impressively modern. The steel case is satin-polished for a warmer look while the caseback is sapphire, featuring a 360° oscillating weight. It’s the subtle touches that are now synonymous with Bell & Ross that elevates this watch above others under the label’s offerings. The Sky Blue, like others in the BR 05 GMT range, is powered by a Calibre BR-CAL.325 automatic movement (a rebadged Sellita SW330). This will give the wearer a 42-hour power reserve.  This watch also features a GMT complication that allows for the tracking of a second time zone. Cleverly painted on the flange, day and evening are distinguished by a split color scheme: gray for the daytime (6 am to 6 pm) and blue for the night-time (6 p...

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra: Seemingly Both Impossibly Thin and Impossibly Deep

In 2022 Bulgari comes at us with yet another world record in the Octo Finissimo Ultra, which instantly set the title of world’s thinnest mechanical watch. It blew Joshua Munchow's mind not just because it's the thinnest watch in history, but because it broke the record with flair (and a bit of controversy).

IWC Introduces the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar “Top Gun Lake Tahoe”

Having made a splash with the release of the Ingenieur back in March, IWC now returns with an addition to its military-inspired aviator’s watch collection with the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar “Top Gun Lake Tahoe”. While IWC is no stranger to ceramic as a case material, this is the first time the signature IWC perpetual calendar has been combined with white ceramic, certainly one of the brand’s most popular case materials. Initial thoughts Since its 2022 debut, the Colours of Top Gun collection – comprised of pilot’s watches with cases in coloured ceramic other than black – has consistently been a bestseller. The white ceramic chronograph in particular was especially sought after, enough that it sold for above the retail price on the secondary market for a brief period. Therefore, it is no surprise that IWC has now introduced a white ceramic perpetual calendar, adding the popular case material to its trademark complication. Fans of the perpetual calendar will not be disappointed since the dial design sticks to a tried-and-tested formula. The overall aesthetics, however, are striking. The juxtaposition of the matte black dial and white ceramic transforms the often elegant complication into something sportier and cooler. On the other hand, owners of the Top Gun chronograph in white ceramic might be disappointed that the material is no longer unique to that model, but it was practically a given IWC would launch more white ceramic models given the comme...

Tissot Puts a Powermatic 80 Movement in their Smallest PRX

It’s not exactly breaking news, but it seems that integrated bracelet sports watches hold just as dominant a place in the market as they did a year ago, and a year before that. They are coming at us from every angle: the entry level, the high end, and somewhere in between, and with each new release, it feels more and more like this isn’t a “trend,” as so many (including myself) have described it in the past. It’s becoming increasingly clear that what we’re looking at is a product category as broad as “dive watches” or “dress watches.” That means integrated bracelet sports watches are just going to keep coming, not just at every price point, but in every size.  And that brings us to the newest release from Tissot, a PRX in a 35mm case and equipped with an automatic movement. The PRX has been available in 35mm for about a year, but only with a quartz movement. An integrated bracelet sports watch in a smaller than normal case size makes a ton of sense, and by all accounts the 35mm PRX was a big hit. The very nature of an integrated bracelet sports watch means that, most of the time, it’s going to wear a bit larger than a watch with a strap or traditional bracelet. The cases for these watches, often somewhat architectural and heavily faceted, have a ton of wrist presence. And the silkiness and drape of the bracelets (when they’re done right) makes comfort a truly defining feature in this category – a watch that’s too big can spoil the whole experie...