Since its introduction in 1997, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut range has occupied a unique position in the hallowed brands lineup. Without the associated hype of the similar Nautilus or the traditional associations of lines like the Calatrava, the Aquanaut has evolved to become the sportier, more youth-oriented wing of the marque. The introduction of the Aquanaut Chronograph in 2018 firmly solidified this image, and for summer 2021 Patek Philippe looks to further cement this trendy, sporting reputa [...]
In April 2021, omega introduced the latest generation Explorer I watch with the references 124270 and 124273 models. While omega slightly upsized other models it makes, the Explorer I received a back to original form treatment by returning to a 36mm-wide (versus 39mm-wide) case size. omega also decided to supplement the more traditional all-steel (omega Oystersteel, that is) Explorer with two-tone steel and an 18k yellow-gold watch with the reference 124273 Rolesor model that is a more premium o [...]
I can say this from extensive experience; the Swiss do tend to?get rather dramatic when they decide they want to have all your attention. In this latest instance this tendency manifested in a black-walled chamber with pitch black tinted windows and dark orange lights, supposedly popular in the interrogation business, along with some pieces of timber to remind you that there is a nice, neat world somewhere out there-just not in here. Seriously, though, their focus on minimizing distractions is im [...]
For once, more than whatever minor design tweak has spawned a new Panerai reference, it is how the watch is being sold that is most notable. The Panerai Luminor Submersible Automatic Acciaio PAM731, with its limited-edition blue dial, is most certainly a handsome and capable dive watch. But, as the first Panerai to be offered exclusively online, it is representative of some pressing current issues and how the watch industry is, very slowly, adapting to change.Panerai already sells watches online [...]
Swiss watchmaker Rado has a history with unusual materials, starting with the original DiaStar in 1962, which was cased entirely in tungsten (which Rado refers to as hardmetal) and was marketed as the worlds first scratch-proof watch. The success of this timepiece set the company on a path of innovation with materials, and by 1986 they had begun using ceramics extensively for their watch cases and bracelets, which?offered a similar level of scratch resistance while being much lighter than tungst [...]
Gorgeous, isnt it? This is the IWC Aquatimer 2000, reference 3568-02. Introduced in 2009, the 3568 (the 02 suffix denotes the rubber strap version) replaces the internal-bezel 3548 model. Bolder in design, the 3568 retains the ETA-based 30110 movement (2892-A2 base), but upgrades to a sapphire-coated conventional bezel with spectacular six-layer underside SuperLumiNova. Its also available with bracelet, a white-dial version, and a limited edition with orange-on-white.The main crystal is domed a [...]
It was 2011 when Panerai first introduced its first bronze-cased (aka Bronzo) watch, which has since become some of the most desirable watches made by the brand. These bronze watches are sporadically introduced by Panerai, which released the Luminor Submersible 1950 3 Days PAM 671 two years ago (and its predecessor six years before that). Now Panerai has released the Submersible Bronzo PAM 968, which is the first Bronzo to feature a ceramic bezel.While most of these will have been spoken for qui [...]
Bedat Co. has an interesting history for not being such an old brand. Life, lost, and then reborn, the brand today is now trying to attack Cartiers market share for womens pieces. During the brands former life (and potentially again in its future) it had a few mens models as well. One of my favorite of them (and one of the only ones) was the Bedat Co. Number (No.) 8.Wit a sort of cushion shaped case that had a round dial, the watch comes in a few flavors. There was a power reserve model, and o [...]
I love the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean. In fact, I wrote an 8,000 word history of the Planet Ocean, a collection that I refer to as a modern icon. Fortunately, for fans of the PO, Omega just announced a new three-hand version that looks to its past (well, back to 2005) with an orange bezel. Its the classic Planet Ocean color and with the ceramic white dial, and it looks to be a real stunner. I personally own this Planet Ocean that shares a case, movement, etc., with this new model and can speak [...]
Back in March I wrote about my experience hanging out on the IWC Plastiki with its crew in San Francisco. This was prior to the ships maiden voyage, which was to be an ambitious journey from San Francisco to Sydney. Please refer to the original article there for all the details on what the Plastiki is, and the purpose of its mission.A few days ago the plastic bottle boat successfully made it to its location in Australia. I believe the voyage took over 3 months. It was not likely an easy ride as [...]
Movado has just released a new collection of watches called the Movado Edge which, according to the American-based watch company, have been designed by famous industrial designer Yves Behar and his firm fuseproject. The Movado Edge collection will initially be comprised of a range of models for both men and women, including timepieces both on straps and bracelets. Currently the collection appears to contain only quartz movements but that doesnt mean mechanical versions of the Movado Edge wont be [...]
Cartier is a word like gold that conjures thoughts of prestige, wealth, and taste. The name alone is worth much, adding a thick degree of immediate attention whenever it is applied to an item. Maybe you think that is an unfair characterization? Consider your rebuttal carefully. Think of your family and friends, and the possible strangers on the street who when asked whether they desire something from Cartier would respond with anything other than of course. I got to play with one of these magica [...]
With the Omega stuff for Omega watch lovers giveaway now over, Ive decided to choose a few finalists and let you the readers choose the three winners. Why? Well I simply cant choose a first, second, and third place winner because aBlogtoRead.com received too many good entries.Voting is simple. Each of the 11 images below has an associated number that goes with it. Choose just one that you think is best and vote in the poll box below. The photos with the top three amounts of votes will get first, [...]
Picture Credit: CITIZEN Watch GroupBaselworld has been the subject of much discussion in the horological world lately, as several high-profile brands have departed the massive watch industry trade show in the past few years in favor of more gradual product release schedules and a focus on brand-specific events. That said, Baselworld is far from finished. While several major players such as the Swatch Group and Seiko may not be displaying at the event in Basel, Switzerland in 2020, CITIZEN Watch [...]
A. Lange Sohne announced?the A. Lange Sohne Richard Lange Tourbillon Pour Le Merite in late 2010 (hands-on here), and at the time, it was pretty much the be-all and end-all timepiece in Langes history. Sure, their hugely impressive Double Split and?a few other highly complicated pieces were also available, but even just the name of this new release?indicated that it was something even more special. Today, A. Lange Sohne released?a new version of this remarkable piece, this time in a white gol [...]
ORIS Air Racing III Limited Edition Watch for 2013While I am a huge fan of pilot watches, and certainly of flying as an efficient and economical form of transportation, when ORIS invited me to attend the Reno Air Races in Nevada, I had a small pause due to a terrible accident there a few years ago and also the fact that Breitling has been historically such a huge sponsor of this event. Oris also produced a Reno Air Racing Limited Edition III watch for the 2013 event.However, after looking into t [...]
Since the quiet demise of the super-underrated Pontos S Diver, Ive been keenly awaiting Maurice Lacroix to fill the void in its lineup with a proper modern dive watch. And just ahead of Baselworld 2019, were getting exactly that, in the form of an expansion to the Aikon line of sports watches, called the Venturer. This is the first formal addition to the automatic Aikon, mixing existing key design signatures with a few new elements to yield an entirely new, and markedly more capable watch.One th [...]
A long-time fan of IWCs more entry-level luxury aviator-style chronograph watches, I was happy to get a chance to review this new Pilots Watch Chronograph 41 right before its official debut. You wouldnt be blamed for missing that this model is new if you havent been hawkish about the latest IWC watches. The company has made a watch called the Pilots Watch Chronograph for some time, and plenty of them look a lot like this. That said, the new-for-2021 IWC reference IWC388101 (also as the IWC388102 [...]
Since its introduction in 2019, the slim profile and Genta-esque octagonal case design of the Casio G-Shock GA2100 series have made the Casioak both an instant classic and an enthusiast fixture in the Japanese giants durable and multifaceted watch lineup. For its latest release, Casio looks to add a more premium feel to this smash hit entry-level design, bringing a stainless steel-clad flash to the brands signature shock resistant resin case concept. The new Casio G-Shock GM2100 series elevates [...]
The latest new watches from Hublot are sure to be commercially successful because we see the Swiss company offering its take on a popular trend. The Hublot Big Bang Integral Time Only watches are an exercise in creating a simpler, albeit still complicated product. Hublot has always been about modern lines and an aggressive stance, so what would it be like to tone down the iconic Big Bang into a dressier watch? Indeed, Hublot attempted to answer this question with its long-standing Classic Fusion [...]