Karina and RJ talk about the Grand Seiko SBGJ201, also known as the Mt. Iwate, due to the structure of the dial. A beautiful stainless steel 44GS case style Grand Seiko, with Hi-Beat GMT movement.The Grand Seiko SBGJ201 Mt. Iwate was not his first choice, as the Snowflake (reference SBGA211) also made quite the impression. The Snowflake turned out to be one of the best-selling Grand Seiko models. In this video, we talk about what made me pick the Mt. Iwate over the Snowflake.Grand Seiko SBGJ201Grand Seiko s reference SBGJ201 has a diameter of 40mm and a thickness of 14mm. The relative thickness is partly due to the GMT complication on the movement. Inside, is caliber 9S86, a Hi-Beat automati...
I have a weak spot for gold Speedmaster watches. According to some, a Speedmaster doesn t belong in gold, it s a tool watch after all. However, I find precious metal a great way to celebrate one of the most iconic chronographs in the world.My first encounter with a gold Speedmaster was in 1999 or so, as my watchmaker had one of the original BA145.022-69 watches. The gold Speedmaster from 1969 was presented to the Apollo astronauts and officials of the White House. We all know the story (if not, click here). Omega made 1,014 of them in total. In 2019, for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo XI mission, Omega introduced 1,014 pieces of the Speedmaster Professional in Moonshine gold.The gold non...
Picture this; youre clutching four aces in a game of Texas hold em poker. Its down to you and a single opponent with all other players either folding or busting out. The only possible hand that could trump you at this point is a straight flush. Your chips are low, and its all on the table, but your opponent has just pushed. It is not with more chips, but their wristwatch, which they remove from their wrist and gently slide to the middle. It just so happens this is your grail watch, the unicorn, the one thats hard to find, let alone purchase.Your eyes flicker from your hand to the table. You dont have enough chips to match the bet, but you also dont want to split the pot. Its too late to buy ...
We re back with a look at two Grand Seiko watches. One happens to be brand new, but it s already gaining loads of attention. Does the new Grand Seiko White Birch have what it takes to dethrone the Snowflake in a battle of textured white dials?Over the last ten years, Grand Seiko has transformed itself from an eccentric JDM media darling into a legitimate global player. For certain, the brand no longer requires the ooh-ing and aah-ing of journalists and collectors to sell itself to the greater public. With a mix of models that draw upon past designs intermixed with a number of modern pieces, Grand Seiko has a lot to offer. Still, out of the entire lineup, there s one watch that fans love most...
As well you all know by now, my ties to NOMOS Glashtte run deep. For three years, I lived on the road for the brand, explaining its ever-evolving catalog to retailers and watch lovers all over the northern hemisphere. As a watch lover first and watchmaker second, this role gave me an unusual insight into the development of a brand as it transitions from a small, plucky independent to one of the most major players in its country s watchmaking landscape. As we prepare for a new release this week, I thought now would be a good time to reflect on that transformation and how it came to pass…When NOMOS watches first went on sale in the early 90s, the brand was known for being a tireless ex...
Already last May, Omega announced its partnership to the 36th edition of the America s Cup in 2021. It was celebrated with a beautiful Seamaster Planet Ocean watch. Today, another America s Cup edition is being introduced: the Seamaster 300M Diver America s Cup.Omega has been involved in this prestigious race since 1995 and I wrote a lengthy article on last year s edition here. Our contributor Paul Dezentje wrote a very cool article on Omega and the Americas Cup in our Seamaster 300M Magazine. This magazine is available for (free) download here.For today, I just want to focus on the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph America s Cup watch, as it deserves this.Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Ame...
Mechanical watches are expensive. At least, that s the general impression. But still, there s a lot to choose from, even if your budget doesn t exceed three figures. Let me propose five watches that won t break the bank but do provide real mechanical watch pleasure.You won t find any batteries on this list. Mechanics for the win. Each of these watches features either a hand-wound or automatic movement. This list features a new-school interpretation of the old-school. There are heritage-inspired pieces, pieces of genuine heritage, and a bit of sportiness thrown in for good measure. And, hey, let s face it: who doesn t love a bargain?Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer MechanicalEstablished in 1892, ...
Last week, I shared my journey to owning the Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520. This time I m looking at the references of the illustrious Daytona s history that came to shape the modern 116500. The newly re-named Oystersteel Daytona features five distinct design cues: A black Cerachrom bezel, screw-down chronograph pushers, crown guards, black sub-dial rings, and an Oyster case. But how did these elements gradually integrate into the steel Daytona? And which references form the basis of inspiration in its 60-year history?Crucially for this article, I am predominantly discussing the design elements that mold the Daytona. I refer to the movements that power each reference, but only regarding h...
The best ideas often come from the heart. Artem Straps began its journey when its founders couldn t find the watch straps they wanted for the watches in their own collections. And so, in the center of Adelaide, Australia, the brand was born. The remit was simple: attention to detail; a tireless pursuit of quality materials and execution; and sailcloth, sailcloth, sailcloth. Interested? Read on…We re used to leather. We re used to rubber. I d wager a great many of you have steel bracelets in your collection along with one or two fabric straps, too, right? But what about sailcloth? It s a material that has been gaining a lot of ground on its alternatives over the past few years. This has...
I love being involved in good conversations. The discussion generated by our latest giveaway project was a treat. I really enjoyed the suggestions (some of them really deserve to be made), and am grateful for the engaged and respectful way in which everyone chipped in. It s a shame I don t have ten of the Avi-8 Flyboy Sydney to give away, but there are plenty more watches on the way for those of you that didn t win this week…I want to draw attention to a few of the entries that didn t end up winning, but were so awesome they need to be highlighted. I know for a fact that brands read our comments section, so who knows? Perhaps some of these stellar suggestions will wind up in AD cabinet...
In our Sunday Morning Showdown, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don t forget to let us know which watches you d like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We ll try and feature as many of our readers choices as we can. For this week, two cold-as-ice chronographs face-off in a scintillating sub-zero showdown. The Sinn 206 Arktis II and the Fortis Official Cosmonauts Amadee-18.But before we start exploring the two chronographs facing each other this week, let s look back at last week s Showdown. Our readers were undou...
This time, Balazs and Mike welcome a very special guest from the icy North. Fellow Fratello member Jorg Weppelink graces the mic alongside the duo with his thoughts on the current trend of supposedly rare and exclusive watches.Yes, we touch on a topic that s top of mind for many watch collectors and that s this idea of rare and exclusive watches. We have so many questions! Is it foolish when we call a watch such as the Submariner rare? Would we snap up a steel Rollie at retail? Do we think this current trend of finding scores of supposedly unobtainable watches on the grey market is a bit ridiculous? What do we think about burgeoning brands like MING or Unimatic that purposely limit productio...
As a fan of watch design, I have developed a healthy obsession with the first generation Omega Constellation Manhattan. The Constellation Manhattan is Omega s biggest icon introduced in the 1980s. But it s also one of the few introduced in the decade of decadence. The seventies is where the true magic of vintage Omega design is for me. Enter another healthy obsession. It s time to take a look at a selection of brilliant releases from the seventies that have crept to the top of my list of vintage wants.I couldn t believe it when I read it, but the 1970s have officially been hailed as the most stylish decade ever. Sure, the 1980s are criticized for a lack of taste (although I feel very much at...
Its amazing how many requests we get in our mailbox from emerging watch brands. PETA-approved watches, microbrands producing this, that, or the other, the latest emerging independent brand producing just a couple of examples of who knows what. You can imagine my excitement when I saw a nicely done website, a woman running a business, and a star of Project Runway Canada taking care of the creative side. As a luxury fashion consumer and a watch lover, I felt it might be quite an interesting mixture to check out. And so the Vieren OG Automatic steps into the ring. Will it emerge unscathed?Dont be fooled by the oh-so-Hollywood-Boulevard design, this isn t some cheap, Chinese-made fashion accesso...
Just recently, Zenith introduced its new Chronomaster Sport El Primero. We take a look at this chronograph and compare it to the obvious competitor: the Daytona.In this video, we talk about the new Zenith Chronomaster Sport with El Primero caliber 3600 and the elephant in the room. Is it too similar to the Daytona, or is it different enough to make a comparison with the Daytona pointless? The Zenith Chronomaster Sport is using ingredients from its past models (DeLuca, for example) but also brings some new elements to the table.Zenith Chronomaster SportTo us, the main attraction is in the El Primero movement. This caliber 3600 is a wonderful movement, with historical significance, and can be...
Welcome one and all to a very personal journey. Today, I ll be discussing my experiences of sourcing a new and entirely appropriate strap for one of my all-time favorite dress watches - the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Jubilee. There is often a lot of discussion surrounding the nature of dress watches. And yes, it is true that the nature of formal attire is changing. But here is an example than can be defined no other way. The Master Ultra Thin Jubilee is a manually-wound, super-slim, two-handed slice of heaven. And while that pared-back simplicity might make it sound like a strap monster on paper, nothing could be further from the truth…Pairing new straps with old watch heads is...
In these Covid-stricken times, there is nothing quite like chatting with friends. As such, we got together (virtually) to share our favorite Seiko watches. The question is, what would our writers spend their own money on? I posed the question with no budget restrictions. The choices could either be new or vintage - anything goes. Our editors got one choice and one choice only. Lets find out what they picked…Obviously, the first thing to ask yourself is where you stand on the new vs. vintage divide? Seiko is a brand with a great deal of history, making a deep dive into the brand s history a great adventure. You will quickly learn that a lot of today s collection is inspired by the class...
The original Heuer Monaco from the 1970s is a big deal. That s true, no matter your approach. Whether its the innovative case size and style, the movement, the dial design, or todays pricing, this watch is truly something.? ? ??The Heuer Monaco is not a watch that many will be enamored by when they first see it. It takes time for many collectors to become mature enough to appreciate it. I know collectors that are very aware of the watch but feel like its not a fit for their wrist. Despite that, most of them want to have one. I was generally quite indifferent to it. That is until I met this manually wound full set Heuer Monaco ref 73633B in real life, presented to me by the original owner. Af...
Given the current situation, you could be forgiven for having forgotten what its like to travel. On the other hand, not flying out on a near-weekly basis, helps remind you where you actually went and when. It was last August that we went to Switzerland for the Geneva Watch Days event. Back then, there were a lot of watches that were still under embargo and the Chopard Alpine Eagle XL is one of those.?The atmosphere at Chopard was amazing and relaxed as we had plenty of time to look at all the novelties. Right next to a well equipped private bar we got a first glimpse of the new Alpine Eagle XL chronograph watches. All three models were available, two in steel, and one in gold and steel.Chopa...
The concept of integrating the car world into the world of watches is nothing new. But few watch brands take the task as literally as REC Watches from Copenhagen in Denmark. The brand is known to integrate parts of iconic vintage classics into its watches. For its latest project, REC founders Jonathan Kamstrup and Christian Mygh integrated parts of two legendary Ford Mustang prototypes to come up with two very special dials. Time to go hands-on with both and find out more about the story of these REC P-51 Limited Editions.Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities in the world. Over the last couple of years, I have visited the city every year. Last year was an unwelcome break from that traditio...
