Believe me when I say that I dont want to write anything presumptuous, but contemplating watch brands and subsequently writing down thoughts and ideas is something I thoroughly enjoy. And so thats exactly what Im going to do in this first installment of Breaking Down The Watch Brand. First up is Breguet, the most famous name in watchmaking, but not the most famous brand in watchmaking. Why could that be the case? Let me give it a go and try to answer that question.I will not go into the life of Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747 Neuchatel, Switzerland C 1823 Paris, France) because that has been done more than enough, if not here, then most certainly somewhere else. But I have to say this: apart fro...

Sometimes curiosity gets the best of you. This is what happened to me when I was asked whether Id be interested in checking out the new Polo Ralph Lauren Vintage 67. Only having been provided a couple of press images, I looked past my gut reaction to what I couldnt help but believe was just another fashion watch. What I saw was something rather interesting - a well-sized, charming, slim, hand-winding watch, and on a Bund strap, no less. Now, Ive never been shy to admit that I do love a good Bund strap. Perhaps not on every watch, but the vintage-inspired aesthetics of the Vintage 67 certainly seemed to suit it nicely. A few days later, the watch arrived. Without giving too much away, Ill say...

CuSn, also known as bronze, is an alloy consisting primarily of copper (about 88%) and tin (12%). An entire age of humanity bears the name of this metal. And though these days it isnt used nearly as widely as it was between 3300 BC to 1200 BC, it certainly has found new life in the watch market (and continues to enjoy one in the nautical milieu). Until recently, bronze watches were somewhat of a blind spot for me. I didn t really get the appeal. I suppose sometimes it comes down to finding the right watch for the metal. This got me thinking about watches that are somehow inexplicably suited to the warm-toned king of patina-prone metals. After a brief chat with some of the editors at HQ, we f...

MeisterSinger has released two new variants in its Neo collection in a bold green hue. The Neo is the leanest and one of the most minimalistic pieces in the German brands lineup. With its thin, round case and single-handed dial, the Neo has a timeless style that looks as if it has been around for decades. The simplicity of its dial is the master stroke of Manfred Brassler, the founder of MeisterSinger. Since relaunching in 2015 with a design renovation, the Neo has offered classic retro expression with modern touches.The Mnster-based watchmaker has been busy with its high-mechanical watch launches of late. First, there was the Singularis with its in-house movement, then came the Bell Hora w...

If watches attended classes on elegance and dignity, the Breitling Chronomat ref. 769 would be a lecturer, if not a rector.The first Breitling I acquired was the Chrono-Matic ref. 2110. I liked the race for the first automatic chronograph as much as I liked the design of the chronograph itself. It ticked so many boxes for me. It had an unusual movement that brought a 12-hour recorder and left small seconds behind in favor of a date window. The Breitling Chrono-Matic was one of my very first vintage watch purchases.From Chronomatic to ChronomatWhen you put the Chronomat next to it, they seem like siblings, yet they are each very individualistic. It s almost hard to believe that there are thre...

Omega has announced six new watches that are joining the De Ville Prestige collection. The De Ville name has been with Omega since the 1960s and was preceded by another familiar name - Seamaster. However, in 1967, the De Ville became its own collection within Omega s catalog. The watches represented the slimmer and dressier side of things. In 1994, Omega introduced the De Ville Prestige collection. This was the contemporary vision of the classic dress watch. The Prestige series focused on several key elements, including the watch s triple-apple bassine case shape and the signature bracelet design. Just five years later, Omega used its De Ville platform to introduce the Co-Axial escapement. B...

Before I got into writing about watches full-time, I worked in the museum management industry. I was brought to attend seminars and conferences and meet colleagues worldwide. Most people I met there were passionate about their work, but it wasnt their passion. As I boarded my New York City-bound plane in Paris for the Windup Watch Fair a few days ago, I had a sudden realization. I was soon to be surrounded by hundreds - if not thousands - of like-minded watch enthusiasts and professionals. The experience would be different than that of a museum conference. For the very first time in my life, I would be surrounded by people who share the same passion for horology.As you might know, luxury bra...

Since launching its first ladies timepiece in 2016, Bremont has been fusing British engineering, aviation, and military inspiration for a growing womens collection. Last month, the independent watchmaker added not one, not two, but six new models to its lineup. The Maya and the five Lady K variants are certainly not gender-neutral. These five new chronometer-certified mechanical watches are the most feminine in the British brands 20-year history.The inspirationsFor a company that built on testosterone and adventure-fueled aspirations, its no surprise that Bremonts offerings for women have been somewhat unisex. They are, essentially, tool watches for slender wrists. Their styles are classica...

After Daan spent a week with Lexs Grand Seiko and Lex had a test run with RJs Speedy, I felt it was about time to raid Nachos collection. I immediately knew which watch I wanted to try - his Cartier Tank Solo. It is an icon within our little sub-universe, and it is like nothing in my own collection. It would be a great opportunity for me to spend some quality time with the Cartier Tank.Interestingly, it is probably the watch that least reflects Nachos personality. He has a specific taste and style that is clearly reflected by his watch box. His Cartier Tank is the odd one out. Let me try to paint you a picture of the watch and its owner-Nacho and his watchesNow, I will not pretend to know Na...

We see many new brands and releases at the Fratello offices, but it s not often that watches make a great first impression. All too often, new releases are a take on familiar designs. This familiarity obviously creates comfort, but sometimes you want to see something a bit more surprising. When we received the first glimpses of the new Atelier Holgur Fr?mand, that s exactly what I felt. The excitement of seeing a watch that is not a derivative take on a classical dive watch makes for a great first release of this new Singapore-based brand. Let s find out more about the modern and stylish Atelier Holgur Fr?mand.We watch enthusiasts are a weird bunch when it comes to design. As I have said bef...

The Czapek Faubourg de Cracovie has been with us now since 2018 and was the third new model line from the brand following its resurrection (or genesis, depending on your take). Named after the location of the third boutique opened by the mysterious Francois Czapek in Warsaw the first time around in the 1800s, it has always been a bit of a sleeper in the lineup with low production numbers and an even lower profile. I think that is about to change.The Faubourg de Cracovie has always had a bit of an identity crisis. It packs a cutting-edge automatic chronograph movement with very modern, technical finishing techniques visible through the display case back, but from the dial side, it looks more ...

My love of Japanese independent watchmaking is no secret, but it took me a while to acquire a Kurono. While I am a staunch advocate of online purchasing, when it comes to lesser-known brands at over $2,000, I still like to touch something first. And if I can t experience the model in question, then I do like to see another piece of their work. With small brands that do limited-production runs, that is always a challenge. But going hands-on with the Kurono Calendrier Type 1 might prove a sweet-sized point.To be honest, when it comes to Kurono, it is a case of being too late to the game for me. Ive fallen for the brand s smaller three-hand models long after their half-minute sell-out windows. ...

There are many kings in the realm, but which king exactly should you stay away from? Im talking about the Air-King. But since not all Air-Kings are created equal, I will specify. Im telling you, don t make the mistake of buying a 34mm Air-King. The neo-vintage one. Not the very first rare ones, and not the ref. 5500 that ruled for 30+ years. I mean the generation of modernized Air-King models that first came on the scene in 1989. Let me tell you why you might think these Air-Kings will scratch an irresistible itch but they wont.When I was studying to become a journalist in the 1990s, I wanted a . It was in my early years of discovering watches, and because I was an avid reader of National ...

To state that Omega did a thing would not come close to doing these two new watches justice. But Omega most certainly did something big here indeed. Today, we see the fruits of the brand s Project Colibri with the introduction of two watches that share the same brand-new movement. An extraordinary, complicated movement, in fact, with a development time of no less than six years. It s time for you to meet the new Speedmaster Chrono Chime and the Olympic 1932 Chrono Chime.Omegas watchmaking historyIn 1892, Omega released the first minute repeater for the wrist. Up until then, minute repeaters were only available as pocket watches. For this occasion, Omega created a miniaturized version of an e...

Happy Diwali! This week is the Festival of Lights, which has officially kicked off the season of festivities across the globe. Next up is Thanksgiving, followed by Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year, Orthodox New Year, Lunar New Year, and so on. Of course, not everyone has a family like the United Nations, but as long as you re not a hermit, there may just be someone special you would like to indulge with a thoughtful gift. To save you some legwork, Tissot has put together a gifting collection with a selection of watches for your loved ones.For him and for herTop of the most coveted list is the Swiss watchmakers recent sensation, the PRX line. If you think this is a recycled idea from last years ...

Patek Philippe, , and Audemars Piguet watches are not the only ones that fetch staggering amounts of money at auction. Omega watches have also proved their tremendous value to collectors at auctions over the last few years. One watch that comes to mind is a Speedmaster CK2915 that fetched over CHF 3.1 million in 2021. Just recently, NASA astronaut Wally Schirra s gold Speedmaster BA145.022-69 sold for $1.9 million as well. It seems that passionate collectors really do love a watch with a great story.Especially if it is connected to a famous person, a watch might get that extra bit of attention at auction. A prime example would be Paul Newman s very own Paul Newman Daytona, which sold for a ...

Oris quietly introduced the Strapfinder section to its website a couple of weeks ago. Among the 60+ straps are options for just about every watch the brand sells. Various widths, materials, colors, and closures abound, with each strap branded with Oris on the clasp. If you have an Oris watch and have been wanting to switch up your strap game while keeping it on-brand, the Oris Strapfinder has you covered.Oris is all about options. Many of its favored watch designs come in various sizes, dial colors, and even metals. This allows one to find the perfect Oris for them. But, until now, one was essentially stuck with the strap or bracelet that Oris provided with the watch. Of course, it s easy en...

To me, watches are a way to stop the world around me for a moment. Choosing which watch to wear in the morning, winding it, setting the time… All of this gives me a moment to stop running on the way to my kids daycare, then school, and eventually, the office. The same happens when I glance down at my watch during the day. I don t necessarily look at the time. However, I often catch myself looking at my watch when I m searching for the right words, for example. Somehow, a watch can put you into a different state of mind. The people at Grand Seiko really understand this principle in a way that no other brand does. The design of their new limited edition for the European market, the SBGY...

Have you felt it already? That cold nip in the air as the daylight hours taper away one day at a time. The trees lose their summertime verdure as leaves blush with the ochre and copper tones of fall. Dress-watch season is finally here. As we begin to leave the long, warm, short-sleeved days of summer behind - that time of the year when the sports watch reigns supreme - and the pre-winter layering begins, its the slimmer dressier pieces that get their chance to shine. Sure, watches should be worn regardless of season, but theres something about the first days of fall that gets me thinking about the smaller, dressier pieces in my collection. However, the occasional day (or week) of torrential ...

Whenever I think of James Bond - any version of him - I dont think about the watches he wears. Instead, I think about the watch that Ian Fleming was known to have worn, the Explorer ref. 1016. To me, the 1016 exemplifies versatility in an everyday watch. It was capable, small, and elegant. In my personal quest to find a similar watch, Ive come across many models at many price points. But none of them satisfied my yearning for a small sports watch that flies under the radar and, more importantly, comes at a price that I can afford. That was the case until I came across Dryden and its new collection, the Heartlander. The latter comes with different dial layouts, but they all share the same sp...