The ETA 2824 movement was a groundbreaking invention that left a lasting impact on the watchmaking industry. Introduced in the 1970s, the ETA 2824 quickly set the standard with its efficient mass production and reliable performance. It retained its popularity for over fifty years until the circumstances and demand for innovation led to the creation of the Powermatic 80, a movement designed to surp...
Just ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (this Saturday), Roger Dubuis fetes its partnership with Lamborghini Squadra Corse with a special Verde Mantis version of its Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph. This year, Lamborghini will compete in the Le Mans Daytona Hybrid Series with its first hypercar, the SC63. Flying the SC63's signature paintwork, the chronograph is packed with allusions to the hyp...
This weekend, on Saturday the 15th, we’ll be attending one of the most legendary car races of all time, the 101st edition of the 24h of Le Mans. And just like in Formula 1, watches are everywhere. While is the official timekeeper of the event, many watch brands are also sponsoring teams, such as Moser and Alpine, Richard Mille and Ferrari and, of course, TAG Heuer as the sponsor of Porsche...
To many, watches are all about creating memories and lasting experiences. I still vividly remember where, when and how I bought one of my most precious watches, the Tudor Black Bay 79220N. It’s that connection that keeps me from ever selling it. But what if you wanted something more than just a ready-made product? What if you wanted some hands-on experience building a watch? Well, DIY Watch ...
Mido's decision to revisit some of its vintage models and update them with contemporary specs has resulted in some very attractive yet affordable pieces. Models like the 1960s-inspired Ocean Star Decompression Timer with its colourful dial, the 1930s-styled Patrimony Chronograph?and the more recent Multifort TV Big Date are winning combinations of retro details and modern mechanics. Introduced in ...
Rado is synonymous with high-tech ceramic, which is used to great effect on its sleek, geometric designs and vintage models alike. Rado's 1962 Captain Cook dive watch, resurrected in 2017, was given a high-tech plasma ceramic makeover in 2021. Not only did it feature a ceramic case and bracelet, but its dial was also skeletonised to reveal the movement. In this same vein, Rado releases a duet of C...
Eliminating the need for regular hand-winding, the automatic watch harnesses the energy from the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist to wind the mainspring that powers the watch. In general, it contains a rotor, a semi-circular piece of heavy metal that rotates with the motion of the wrist. As the rotor spins, it winds the mainspring. Automatic watches are appreciated for their practicality...
Like watchmaking, gastronomy demands extreme precision and excellence. Both Haute Horlogerie and Haute Cuisine aim to evoke emotions through their craft. Unsurprisingly, many of the world’s best chefs have become ambassadors for some of the most prestigious watch brands. Hublot counts Yannick Alleno, Anne-Sophie Pic, Clare Smyth, and Andreas Caminada among its ambassadors. Caminada, awarded ...
Dive watches, pilot watches or luxury sports watches are some of the most popular types of watches, but when it comes to complications, the chronograph probably reigns supreme. However, even in the field of chronograph watches, there are a lot of differences to be found! With that in mind, we go beyond simple manual and automatic chronographs and dissect seven complex ways to measure elapsed time....
Mr Gerald Genta needs no introduction anymore. One of the most famous watch designers of our time, responsible for the creation of icons such as the Royal Oak or the Nautilus, he also created watches under his own name. From 1969 on, Genta produced exceptionally complex watches (incl. an automatic tourbillon grande sonnerie, often considered one of the craziest watches of the 1990s) as well as tru...
The legendary Italian Mille Miglia vintage car race, from Brescia to Rome and back, is just around the corner, drawing crowds of car lovers and drivers from around the world. As the sponsor and official timekeeper of this race since 1988, Chopard enjoys one of the longest-standing alliances in classic motorsports. The brand's co-president, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, has participated in every Mille ...
There's no stopping the rise of small, independent brands hoping to secure a footing in the tricky world of watchmaking. While many fledgeling brands will pop up briefly and then fade into oblivion, we try to select brands with potential staying power. The latest to brave the scene is Anoma and its sculptural A1 watch that underscores the brand’s strong focus on design. Belonging to the cate...
Many may look at the pocket watch as a relic of a bygone era But what happens if it is reimagined by Daniel Arsham, an artist known for ideating fictional archaeology through which he transforms everyday objects into future relics? Well, you get the Hublot Arsham Droplet, a fascinating mechanical sculpture merging the past, present and future.The Arsham Droplet is a true testament to the power of ...
While mostly known as a stainless steel watch, the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch has been seen in multiple precious metals over the years, including recent Moonshine, Canopus or Sedna gold alloys. With two-tone watches somehow making a comeback in the past few years, it’s without much surprise that Omega releases today a new duo of bicolor, steel-and-gold Speedmaster Moonwatch mod...
Karl-Friedrich Scheufele's dream of mechanical independence materialised in 1996 with the presentation of Chopard‘s first in-house movement known as calibre 1.96. Produced in Chopard’s Fleurier manufacture, the calibre was fitted inside the first L.U.C 1860 watch, writing a new chapter in the brand's high-end watchmaking journey. Recognised as one of the finest ultra-thin micro-rotor a...
TAG Heuer is renowned for its automotive heritage and racing chronographs, but the brand also boasts a strong nautical and water-sport legacy, particularly with its Aquaracer dive watch collection. Introduced in 2004/2005 as the direct successor to the 2000 series, the Aquaracer line has become a cornerstone in TAG Heuer’s portfolio. The collection was fully revamped in 2021 with a rather co...
Even though the watch industry is often regarded as quite conventional, and focused on tradition and history, there is a far more forward-thinking side to it as well. People and brands that are not afraid of experimenting to bring never-before-seen stuff genuinely excites us. The resulting watches might not be to everyone’s liking, but you have to admire the audacity of some of these watches...
Birthday celebrations are fast becoming a tradition at Oris. Known as the Holstein Editions, after the town in the Swiss Jura mountains where the brand was founded on June 1, 1904, the watches are generally modified variants of existing pieces. Coinciding with the brand's 120th anniversary, the brand issues a special version of its Divers Sixty-Five, a well-designed retro dive/sports watch that is...
Earlier this year, alongside multiple new watches such as the RO Perpetual with John Mayer and the Sand Gold alloy applied to an RO Openworked Tourbillon, Audemars Piguet also presented an unexpected and entirely novel multi-coloured ceramic called chroma ceramic featuring a polarising but cool camouflage pattern. In the same vein, Audemars Piguet now applies this concept to a gold alloy, a first ...
Audemars Piguet launched its first [Re]Master model with the recreation of a superb chronograph from the 1940s. For the second chapter of this historical collection, the brand reimagines one of its most expressive designs from the 1960s. A model of brutalist inspiration, the reference 5159BA stands out with its yellow gold asymmetrical case and eccentric shape. As for the first [Re]Master, the ide...
Openworked or skeletonised watches are treats for the more mechanical-minded admirers of watchmaking, and the more complex the movement, the better. In 2016, Audemars Piguet increased the viewing pleasure two-fold when it unveiled its Royal Oak Double Balance Wheel Openworked ref. 15407. As its name indicates, the movement was equipped with two balance wheels, one exposed on the dial of the 41mm w...
Recently, luxury brand Chopard expanded its presence by opening a prestigious hospitality establishment at Place Vend?me 1, in Paris. This boutique hotel offers five rooms and ten suites, each uniquely decorated. To mark the opening of the Chopard Hotel, the brand has introduced the Chopard L.U.C XPS 1860 Officer Vend?me One, a special edition watch available exclusively from the brand’s bou...
Gerald Genta is surely mostly known for his work with Audemars Piguet (1972, Royal Oak), Patek Philippe (Nautilus, 1976) or his own bold and original creations. There is, however, much more to the man than just these two icons of the luxury sports watch category (think Universal Geneve Polerouter, Omega Constellation or King Midas). Lesser known is his work in Japan, and in particular, a watch d...
Kauri is an independent watchmaking brand recently founded by Samuel Gillioz. This young watchmaker studied at the ecole d'Horlogerie de Geneve before gaining experience at Timelab and Vacheron Constantin in the highly respected Cabinotiers workshop. In 2019, Samuel Gillioz launched Kauri with the vision of creating something unique and original. The main specificity of his first model was its cas...
Beyond their cultural and aesthetic value, luxury and high-end watches have increasingly become recognised as a viable investment asset class, offering the potential for both financial returns and personal enrichment. Indeed, watches can be a way to invest while enjoying the passion for beautiful objects. But the topic can be controversial. Just like any investment, one should navigate cautiously....
The aphorism “if it ain't broke, don't fix it” is not often used by watchmaker Stephen McDonnell, the mastermind behind MB&F's most complex timepieces enhanced with his innovative technological breakthroughs. Responsible for the 2015 LM Perpetual and the LM Sequential EVO, fans of MB&F's wonderful watches will be delighted to learn that Stephen McDonnell is back. This time, McD...
The use of luminescent materials on watches is far from new… Soon after the discovery of radium and its properties (and dangers…) by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898, watch dials – markers, numerals and hands – have been coated with radium and then different substances (tritium, Super-LumiNova) to produce light in the dark. Fully luminous watch dials are a far more recent tre...
For regular readers, it’s no real surprise that we have a deep-rooted passion for indie watchmaking;?in fact, it is the very reason for our existence. Although we tend to cover much more than high-end artisanal watchmaking, independent watchmaking forms part of our core. Uncovering new brands and projects from all corners of the globe genuinely gets our hearts racing and the juices flowing. ...
Summer is in the air, and the holiday season is just around the corner. As a brand that has never been shy of colour, Oris proposes two watermelon-coloured models for its versatile Aquis Date 41.5mm dive watch. Perfect for outdoor activities but smart enough to wear daily, the Aquis Date collection was recently refreshed. The design tweaks applied to the Aquis Date collection introduced at Watches...
The ETA Valjoux 7750 chronograph movement is well-known in the world of watchmaking for being tough, reliable, and versatile. Since it was first introduced in the early 1970s, it has gained a strong reputation for being accurate and long-lasting, which has made it a favourite chronograph calibre among both watchmakers and enthusiasts. In addition, the 7750 is built in a way that makes it relativel...