I knew this watch existed for a while but seeing in the flesh solidified the feeling that yes, this is of the most (if not the most) steampunk timepieces in existence – and here I get to put it on. I believe it came out in 2008. Plus, unlike stuff from Cabestan and Vianney Halter, this Chronoswiss is not going to cost in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars for a cool timepiece. → Read More
As Bell & Ross retreats into the history of timepieces to create more “vintage, original, and heritage” timepieces, we see an increasingly interesting range of retro designs as only Bell & Ross can do it. This year Bell & Ross has gone all the way back to the origins of the wrist watch with the “WW1.” The name means “wrist watch 1,” but not so ironically sounds like world war I. This… → Read More
Back at Basel 2010 Nixon showed me a few cool watches I was excited to see. They later asked me to not write about them as they were not going to be released. OK, fine. More than a year later and the watches finally show up, Nixon and the partner seemed to work things out. What happened is that these limited edition watches were meant to be released along with the Beastie Boy’s new album. The… → Read More
The Urwerk UR-202S, aka the Hammerhead, also bears the name “Full Metal Jacket.” The Stanley Kubrick movie reference points to the fact that this Urwerk watch is the first this brand has offered with a metal bracelet. According to Urwerk, bracelets have been part of their plans for a while but for various reasons was never fully realized until now. Components are limited by manufacturing realities… → Read More
It is a good time to be Tutima. The recent announcement of their new movement manufacture launched with the Hommage Minute Repeater watch signals a bright future for the German brand. A brand that already has a reputation for making quality timepieces and finely regulating the movements contained within them, Tutima watches tend to fall in three categories at this time. First are their more formal… → Read More
Paul Picot offers these new C-Type Yachtman watches for 2011. The naming schemas confuse me. The C-Type I know, but I am not sure whether these are C-Type and Yachtman watches, or C-Type Yachtman watches!? Screw it, I’m just going to use the Yachtman name for now. Yachtman 3 to be exact – which sounds like an awful movie name. The watches are still cool looking, though, and this year they make… → Read More
I love how a design like that of the RSW (Rama Swiss Watch) Nazca is bound to be so polarizing. I think that RSW themselves gets a kick out of that. I mean, from a purely business-oriented motive you’d want to make timepieces that appealed to more people, not less people right? Yet despite this RSW continues to tread forth in the design of timepieces that appeal to just some people, but certainly… → Read More
Among many other things I like about this Breguet watch are the applied hour indicators. These are most certainly ranked among the best hour markers I have ever seen. They are done in a brushed metal (likely titanium to match the case) and are applied to the dial. The finish on them is very smooth and they appear luxurious as well as being very clear to the eye. What exactly makes them look so… → Read More
One of Seiko’s new “nicer” mainstream watches for 2011 is this really attractive Sportura Alarm Chronograph watches. The Sportura range has always captured my attention pleasantly – for offering attractive designs, logical functions, easy to read dials, as well as competitive pricing. This model is really a treat, coming in a few versions that borrow design cues from the higher-end Ananta… → Read More
Marvin is one of the most interesting brands out there that common people can afford. This is in large part due to the brand’s leadership – a spunky and creative woman named Cecile Maye. Her view of design is highly emotional which lends to theme and philosophy being one of the main driving forces behind the design. Plus talent, of course. On Marvin’s current list of designer credits are the famed… → Read More
Last year Breitling came out with an entirely new Superocean watch. It featured a modern looking design in a smaller 42mm case. While a lot of people wanted a smaller Breitling diver, even more didn’t. So, just one year later, the Superocean II has been refreshed and enlarged. Now, for 2011, Breitling offers the Superocean 44. It comes in two versions: A three-hand, and a chronograph. There is… → Read More
Silicon for the win! The material that has had watch brands debating and experimenting is here to stay and Patek Philippe is making sure of that. News from the big guys in Switzerland says that they intend for all Patek Philippe watches in the future to have Silinvar (their type of silicon) parts. A new limited edition watch called the ref. 5550P uses the brand’s newest Silinvar component called… → Read More
The case design is based on the iconic Admirals’ Cup collection that Corum has been pushing lately. They have transformed the sport watch into a formal watch – and the metamorphosis feels natural. The case has that 12 sided shape and comes in steel or 18k rose gold. The bezel is polished while much of the rest of the case is brushed. There is just enough sport to the design to make it feel not… → Read More
I put this question before you now: Can a man wear a pink watch and retain his masculinity? I made fun of the first guy I saw wearing a “salmon” colored shirt. But, today, it isn’t that uncommon. Worn properly, and in the right style, pink isn’t always out-of-place. So I wonder, has the time come when a man can get away with wearing a pink watch? → Read More
While, arguably, HEX was first to market with their rubber sports band for the iPod Nano, they are now inexplicably creating more iPod watch bands for the millions of people out there who want to reduce the overall functionality of both their watch and their iPod in one fell swoop. The bands come in metal and leather and top out at $69 for a stainless-steel model. → Read More
According two Gerald Clerc, the founder of Clerc watches, there are two types of watch brands: those that sell watches due to large marketing and lifestyle campaigns, and those that sell watches due to originality and quality. Clerc is one of those latter brands. I have admired their work from afar since I learned about them a few years ago, and was happy to do this hands-on review of their… → Read More
One of the more interesting high-complication watches for Jaeger-LeCoultre this year was the Reverso Répétition Minutes à Rideau. The oddly named watch (if I see more than one accent mark my eyes start to glaze over) actually just translates into minute repeater via curtain. Being a Reverso the watch has two dials, one of which is covered with a sliding metal curtain. Using your finger, you… → Read More
The oft neglected (in the US) Audemars Piguet Millenary is getting a major re-haul for 2011 with the Millenary 4101 collection. Using the same ovoid shape of case as the previous Millenary, the dial and movement are totally new and based on the very rare and high-end Audemars Piguet Millenary AP Escapement collection (see image of one below). Those models had a special high-beat escapement and… → Read More
The horological highlight from Hublot this year was the long-named “Cathedral” Minute Repeater Tourbillon and Column Wheel Chronograph watch. In a King Power style case, this watch boasts a case formed out of carbon fiber and a very complex movement that has (Yup, you guessed it!) the time, a tourbillon, a minute repeater, and a chronograph. → Read More
Behold the HM3 Frog Zr, aka “Black Frog,” the newest highly limited watch from MB&F – there will only be 18 pieces. Unless I am mistaken, this is the first watch offered by the boutique brand done in zirconium (hence the Zr part of the name). Zirconium is a rare metal similar to titanium, but known to be more robust. According to MB&F, most zirconium is used in nuclear reactors and… → Read More
Newer watch brand ELYSEE offers a range of styles and values with most of their products being under $1,000. My primary interest is in their Swiss mechanical watches which includes this ref. 71003N (71003) Classic Aviator Automatic. It isn’t a complicated design, but rather, is intent on featuring a classic look in an easy to read and wear package. → Read More
A few years ago Bell & Ross began to experiment with ceramic watches. The first real collection was the BRS, a smaller square cased model that was, to an extent, a women’s watch. It was thin and lovely and ended up on the wrists of more women than men. There were also ceramic versions of the BR03 – a 42mm wide version of the 46mm wide BR01. Those ceramic models had a lot of different styles… → Read More
Woaw that’s a long name for a watch! It goes back to my classic statement, the longer the name of a watch, the more the brand wishes for you to take it seriously. I supposed the reason that the name of this watch is so long is because it is a new piece in an ongoing series of tourbillon minute repeater watches with automatons by Ulysse Nardin. The last two in the Minute Repeater Westminster… → Read More
When you call a watch a “tank” it can mean a few things. It can first mean a sort of square cased watch done in the style of Cartier Tank timepieces. That is not this watch. It can also mean a larger watch that is durable and can take a lot of abuse. That may be this watch. Finally, it can mean a watch that is a tank. That is this watch. Azimuth finally released their SP-1 Landship watch that has… → Read More
The smart watch has never, ever succeeded, but that hasn’t stopped Fossil from trying. Remember the Palm watch? That was a great piece of technology. Anyway, these Meta Watches from Fossil have their own SDK and allow programmers to send data to the watch from a phone. These watches last about seven days on one charge and cost $200. They are, oddly enough, water resistant to 3 ATM and they… → Read More
For 2011 Citizen’s major new piece is perfect for the American market. If you want to check out their other cool stuff you’ll need to take a little trip over the Japan (which would be nice… go support them). Part of their newer Signature collection, this is the simply named Citizen Signature Perpetual Calendar, and Citizen Signature Perpetual Calendar Chronograph. Two watches that each come in a… → Read More
One of the most useful mechanical complications I saw at Baselworld 2011 was the time switching mechanism on the new Breguet Classique 5717 Hora Mundi watch. Aside from having a very clever feature for travelers, the Hora Mundi mixes contemporary looks with Breguet classicism. That sounds like a bit of a irony, but they seemed to pull it off. → Read More
The GMT version of the updated Oris BC3 comes as a limited edition done for the Oris Big Crown Sky Racing team. Why does “Big Crown” need to be in that term? I know that Big Crown is a line if watches from Oris, but does that mean there are other Oris Sky Racing teams? Anyhow – that BC3 Air Racing Limited Edition watch comes in the same 42mm wide case as the BC3, but here in titanium. It also has… → Read More
There is also the Sportster Saguaro Meteorite version of the watch that has a really nice Gibeon meteorite dial. I first wrote about the Bovet Sportster Saguaro Meteorite watches here. Bovet claims the space stones that make up the dial are something like 4 billion years old – that is pretty cool. These are my favorite Sportster watches because I really like how the meteorite gives a sort of… → Read More
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