There apparently was a time, a while ago, when pesky magnetic fields interfered with too many watches. Engineers and scientists who regularly experimented or worked around magnetic fields, large or mild could expect that their watches would experience a degree of unreliability, making them stop running or inaccurate. Engineers and scientists were not the only people effected by magnetism, and the issue was strong enough for watch companies to come up with a solution. This prompted a number of wa [...]

In September 2021 on , Omega debuted a revival to a historic name with the Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph watches here. The Chronoscope name is over 100 years old now, as I understand it, and was an early term used to describe a wristwatch able to show the time (which is how chronoscope translates from Greek). The name, along with the sports chronograph dial, returns and is incorporated into a modern (albeit revised) Speedmaster-style case. The result is an interesting [...]

The release of the Hublot Big Bang Unico Sorai watch sees the creative Swiss watchmaker link up with conservationists Save Our Rhino Africa India (SORAI) to raise awareness of the shockingly sharp decline in rhinos left in the wild. Behind the initiative is South African-born English cricketer Kevin Pieterson, whose interest in saving the endangered rhino is stoked by his strong emotional connection to the continent of his birth. With a highly visible founder working with a major brand on such a [...]

I was really excited about this watch when I got to play with it at SIHH 2010. Jaeger-LeCoultre has been working with the US Navy SEALs for a while making watches to suit their needs. Last year I wrote about my favorite version which was the Master Compressor Diving Automatic Navy SEALs Alarm watch. Now the brand has finally released the most mainstream version of the collection. It is a more basic three-hand version of the watch and is very pure in form. It really is a watch born out of an inte [...]

For 2020, Swiss Audemars Piguet has spent a lot of time tweaking and adding to its still-fresh Code 11.59 family of watches. This newest Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon Chronograph (reference 26399BC.OO.D321CR.01) watch debuted today is a highly exclusive limited edition that focuses on using the Code 11.59 case to promote an elegantly handcrafted, complex haute horology movement. For years, Audemars Piguet was urged by fans to diversify its appeal away from the Royal Oak collection. In [...]

Young Deok Seo sculpture from the MBF MAD GalleryIn six months, the pandemic crisis seems to have transformed the way the watch world works more profoundly than the industry has changed in the last decade. The acceleration of digital technology, the polarization of brands, and the experimentation with new formats and concepts are just some of the consequences. We interviewed brand executives to assess the effects of this historic moment.The CES tech show has already announced what next year will [...]

Baselworld 2015: The release of the Bulgari Diagono Magnesium Concept watch could put the watchmaking industry on a new path. Were in an era of change. Advancements in wearable technology are coming thick and fast. This is in stark contrast to the often glacial progress of horology en masse. For most of the 20th century, game-changing inventions were massive and infrequent. Nowadays, infinitesimal improvements seem to be happening all the time. Rare indeed is an addition that adds an entirely ne [...]

Parmigiani Pershing Chronograph 005 CBF Brazil EditionThe World Cup is one of the few global events that unites us as humans sharing one small planet in a vast universe. Every four years, the nations of the world compete in a mostly friendly atmosphere in one country to see who will be crowned world champions of football, or futebol in Portuguese (or soccer, if you are in the US).This global event is seen by almost every member of this planet of ours, and the passions run deep. As football is on [...]

These two jumping hour watches from Bell Ross represent their most high-end timepieces for 2012. In the past, Bell Ross has offered a few other jumping hour pieces a style and complication that the brand executes very well. Called the WW1 Heure Sautante (Jumping Hour), Bell Ross didnt want to just offer one watch in two materials. Instead, the brand decided to offer two distinct dials for the 18k pink gold and platinum models. Both are very beautiful, these are going to be highly limited edi [...]

The long-standing Raymond Weil Nabucco watch collection gets a tourbillon for 2015. In fact, I believe that the Raymond Weil Nabucco Cello Tourbillon is the brands first tourbillon-based timepiece, and in many ways, they are off to a running start (assuming the world needs more tourbillons) with this sporty and cool, music-inspired luxury watch.At 46mm wide in mostly black with carbon fiber elements, the Raymond Weil Nabucco would not be what most people would think of if someone suggested to th [...]

In the watch business today, one of the most common buzzwords (terms) youll hear is direct-to-consumer. The idea is that brands need to increasingly sell their products and services directly to consumers, bypassing traditional go-betweens such as retailers and distributors. Why? In short, money. In a world where the volume of new watches sold each year cannot be anything near the fantasy projections created by unscrupulous managers a decade ago (meaning it isnt possible for most brands to simply [...]

A bunch of you e-mailed me yesterday asking me to talk about the Richard Mille watch that tennis player Rafael Nadal is now wearing. Thats never happened before but since the mainstream media is all over the weird story, I figured I should mention that I did cover the topic on Luxist.com (where I also write daily) sorry, you need to cover two websites now. You can see my (and only my) daily Luxist.com articles right here. I initially discussed the Richard Mille RM027 Nadal watch here.The media [...]

In an interview with new Breitling watch brand ambassador Scott Kelly, the recently retired astronaut mentioned that, in his opinion, smarter watches like the Breitling Exospace B55 Connected (debuted here) would be the future of what professionals would wear in space. He was, of course, referring to the fact that traditional watches not only have an important part in the ongoing need for timing precision and accuracy, but the potential of the watches to interact with other systems is almost cru [...]

With the possible exception of the date window, the chronograph is the single most common and influential complication in all of watchmaking, offering a pleasing blend of useful functionality and mechanical complexity. Where does the term chronograph come from, however? The term dates back to September 1, 1821, and a prestigious horse race in Paris. Nicolas Rieussec, at the time the royal watchmaker to King Louis XVIII of France, created a new device with a pair of rotating dials and a fixed bla [...]

In recent years, IWC has followed the tradition of choosing one of their collections for a complete refresh which they announce at?SIHH. Last year, we saw a diverse?new set of Pilots watches added to the IWC catalog, but 2017 is all about the complete overhaul of their Da Vinci collection. We brought you news of the IWC Da Vinci Automatic watch not long ago and, when compared to something like the?IWC Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, with its revamped circular case, it really shows you t [...]

Bucking the current trend in watchmaking where old is hot, but too-old is not, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso spent?the year celebrating its 85th birthday with the Tribute Calendar announced at SIHH 2016-a fully modern, yet carefully preserved icon that we recently had a chance to experience in 18k rose gold. An absolutely gorgeous dual faced watch, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Calendar watch?will make enthusiasts drool. Even those a little more weary of the ubiquitous Reverso will likely [...]

Hey mister? You want a big watch that is easy to read? Well do I have something for you! The iconic classic aviator watch look is one that IWC has been more than successfully perpetuating for quite some time. They probably do it the best, and at the least they are the best at selling it. It is an classic look that feels great on the wrist as was originally developed for optimal legibility and ease of operation. What more could you want from a timepiece?As youll be hearing over the year, 2012 is [...]

One of the more interesting high-complication watches for Jaeger-LeCoultre this year was the Reverso Repetition Minutes ?? 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 push the curtain aside to reveal one of the two watch dials. The curtain also activates the minute repeat [...]

Richard Mille is quickly becoming the choice brand of incredibly high-budget miniature model enthusiasts. Looking over the new-for-the-end-of-the-year Richard Mille watches here in Hong Kong at Watches Wonders 2015, one can easily grasp that Mr. Mille is incredibly serious in having his timepiece (among many other things) serve as ultra-modern tiny art displays. Things like watches with a tiger and dragon facing off in front of a tourbillon, or having the pop?culture-accurate Richard Mille RM 2 [...]

Historically speaking, quartz innovations have long enjoyed a key role in Breitlings range of modern offerings-particularly as a cornerstone of the brands Professional line of aviation-themed watches. Now joining that collection is a brand first: the Chronospace EVO B60, fitted with Breitlings very first in-house manufactured SuperQuartz chronograph movement-a flyback characterized with a 24-hour register, a center-minute counter, and a few neat features exclusive to the Grenchen manufactory.Des [...]