While automatic movements are more or less the norm today, the thinness and feel of a hand-wound chronograph still holds a special place in the hearts of many enthusiasts (this writer included). Hamilton has a long and proud history with hand-wound chronographs with standouts like the Chronograph A and Chronograph B of the late 60s, and the brand is staging a dramatic return to the concept in 2021. While sharing more than a passing resemblance to the current automatic Intra-Matic Chronograph lin [...]

For me, the most impressive element of the 2015 IWC Portugeiser Annual Calendar watch is the movement. Flip the large 44.2mm wide case on its rear, and through the expansive sapphire crystal caseback window, youll see what is a fantastic example of modern mechanical watch movements the in-house made IWC caliber 52850. IWC did a fantastic job giving us a deep view of the various valleys and mountains within the architecture of the movement. And the movement takes up much of the case, which is al [...]

I was with the people who run Breguet in America a few days ago and one of them asked me, what Breguet would you want to wear right now? That is a tough question when it comes to a brand like Breguet. Do I go with a beautiful and simple watch from the Classique collection that is meant to remind you of Breguets strong past? Or perhaps follow my love of sport watches and choose a Type XXI that everyone seems to love? If someone else is buying (which they clearly are in this scenario) why not go f [...]

2017 marked the 60th Anniversary of the Omega Speedmaster, one of the most recognizable and popular watches and one that?is also known as the Moonwatch by watch collectors and enthusiasts. Being?a NASA certified instrument for all manned space missions wont in itself suffice for a lasting success as that of the Speedy. No, it also took the Speedmasters evergreen and balanced aesthetic, highly comfortable fit, and excellent reliability. Throughout the years, we have seen the Speedmaster mature fr [...]

It took Roger Dubuis months to get a proper press release out on this watch with specs. I took images of the new Easy Diver watches back in January 2010, and am only now able to share them with you. I wanted some hard details to go along with the images. Prices will start at $12,900 for the subsidiary second model versions. Here are two different models. The sub seconds version and the chronograph. While the EasyDiver Chronograph is a sexy number, I think the real momentum is with the time only [...]

Breitling has been on a bit of a tear lately. It was not all that long ago that the Navitimer 8 collection was introduced, and now were starting to get word of what Baselworld has in store for the brand. As you might expect, some very classic, very Breitling?designs are going to be hitting the display stands. One of those is the?Breitling?Navitimer 1 Automatic 38.SpecificationsBrand: BreitlingModel:?Navitimer 1 Automatic 38Dimensions:?38mm diameter x 10.10mm thickCase Material:?Steel, or steel a [...]

Theo Jansen conversing with patrons of the Strandbeest Audemars Piguet pavilion at Art Basel, 2014Audemars Piguet has been a sponsor of the famed Art Basel in Miami Beach, FL, for the past two years. The relationship is ongoing, and Audemars Piguet uses the event as a means to introduce new ambassadors as well as to announce its ongoing commitment in supporting select artists and causes.At this years show, the focus was on Dutch artist Theo Jansen, whose Strandbeests are mechanical automatons re [...]

Luxury watch brands sponsoring sporting events that one fit into a more upper-class lifestyle makes a certain sort of sense. ?I mean, if youve got the coin to spend on, say, the training, equipment, and the like for things like equestrian sports or sailing, well, youre probably not going to be kicking around with your high school calculator watch on your wrist, now are you? ?There are several high-end brands that likely come to mind when youre thinking of sailing, but one that has never come to [...]

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 didnt. 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 also a GMT version but that comes in the 42mm wide case and will be discussed elsewhere.Aside from being [...]

UPDATE: The MCH Group which organizes Baselworld has issued its response to the news-see it at the bottom of the articleThis might not be the end of Baselworld, but it is the end of Baselworld as we know it. omega, which has been among the least vocal brands since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 cancellation of Baselworld, has just announced two important things. First, omega is supporting the Red Cross and some other notable humanitarian charities around the world during our [...]

The new Patek Philippe manufacture near Geneva is 6 stories high and nearly 200 meters long, with four staircases and 20 passenger and freight elevators. It is a $600-million masterpiece of modern architecture that will consolidate the companys functions, and it is being suitably commemorated with a special edition of Pateks modern classic watch, the Calatrava. The 40mm case of the limited-edition Ref. 6007A is made of stainless steel, a rare material for the brand. The modern blue dial likewis [...]

There are two ways that this watch was made Note that Bell Ross is based in France. Either the French military strong-armed Bell Ross because they felt like bullying someone around, or Bell Ross begged the Air Force for the PR opportunity as the military arm probably had better things to do, and was not interested in gifting a select bunch of pilots with an expensive watch. Who knows how it went?Well what ever the impetus for the creation of these Bell Ross French Air Force watches, they ar [...]

Casio has been selling out of some of its most popular watches lately, and one of the hottest models is the humble but slick-looking Casio G-Shock GA2100SKE-7A. I knew it was hot when at least a few of my otherwise well-connected watch hobbyist friends messaged me asking if they knew where they could buy one. The GA2100SKE-7A isnt a limited edition, but Casio quickly sold out of at least the first batch - it is entirely up to them if they will make more.The good news is that the new G-Shock GA21 [...]

As far as Im concerned, Hublot occupies two scarcely intersecting dimensions. First, there is the premiership footballers and footballer-wives Sellita-equipped expensive-looking watch. These have already been perfected to meet the rather straightforward expectations of their target audience. Then, there is the world of Hublot we are looking into today, the Hublot that takes watchmaking and its every aspect very seriously. Behold the Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium Ceramic 42mm chronograph, a more [...]

Perhaps no brand is better known for their pilots watches than IWC. When establishing a brand as the king of a segment, one must provide frequent displays of power to assert dominance over subjects and challengers alike. Among a largely refreshed pilot lineup for SIHH 2016, we find a welcome and very cool spin on IWCs Pilots Worldtimer, the IWC Pilots Timezoner Chronograph (debuted here) that we got to see hands-on. Using a unique in-house movement with a connected bezel system, you can set and [...]

While?most big brands seem?to be saving their RD pennies for another year as they dedicate 2017 to celebrating, ahem,?their?heritage and paying homage to watches their predecessors?had made?anywhere between 1917 and 1976, we saw the quiet debut of a competitively priced, record-setting, ultra-thin, and yet?decidedly bold watch with the?Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic.In all seriousness, we were scratching our heads as?we tried to put together a list of truly modern watch releases from BaselWorl [...]

It has been professed to me on more than one occasion that the Duometre is my grail watch. Depending on who you are,?Jaeger-LeCoultre probably makes some timepiece that is very high on your dream watch list, and if you are a Duometre person there is a relatively quiet new release at SIHH 2016 that youll rather enjoy. For 2016 we have the Jaeger-LeCoultre Duometre Quantieme Lunaire in 18k white gold with this new reference 6043420.Aside from the semi-open dial now being offered in 18k white gold [...]

In late 2010 Chronoswiss announced a new collection of watches called the Pacific. The family stylistically was a very different animal for the brand, and was seen as a unique attempt to capture the vintage watch loving market, from a brand already known for their vintage style watches. The result was a sort of futuristic 1960s mod design that felt both retro and contemporary at the same time. I was fascinated by the multi-level dial, and the bright areas of color.I was finally able to get some [...]

An introduction to Modigliani: New authentication projects may explode global collecting market by Daniel J. VoelkerCounterfeiting has been the bane of the collecting market for millennia and has, in many ways, served to gin up and extend interest in coveted items like art and luxury watches. While both these respective markets have been dogged by aggressive and continually advancing counterfeiting techniques, new authentication measures and technologies are entering the fold that promise to mor [...]

Ready to dive in style? If you had to ask me what Cartier watch Id want it would probably be something in the Calibre collection. If you had to ask me what Cartier watch Id want and budget was not an issue, it would probably be the Calibre de Cartier Astrotourbillon. A few years ago in 2010 when the Calibre collection was released, it was to be the brands new flagship mens model in a round case that also featured the brands new in-house movement (the caliber 1904MC). While not without its quirks [...]