Believe it or not, this one has hit our inbox on several occasions. With more and more people tuning-in to the challenges facing our environment today (and the potential cataclysm awaiting humanity in the not-so-distant future) it is perhaps unsurprising. Sustainability is key. The responsible disposal of waste has never been more important to so many people. Reducing consumption by reusing old products is a proactive hobby sweeping the globe. And so thats probably why you asked us, Can watches be recycled?Well, the simple answer is yes, they could be. Pretty much every watch component is either recyclable or upcyclable in some way. It is not that common for watches to be recycled, however, ...
This week, I am checking out some intriguing watches from H?lstein s premier independent. Yes, I am talking about the plucky soloist Oris. In its heyday, Oris was outputting up to 1.2million watches and clocks per year. The onset of the low-cost and reliable quartz timepieces from Japan in the 70s and 80s, however, took a toll on the brand.The choice was either to follow the herd and produce quartz with a Swiss twist or, like so many Swiss watch-makers, fold and fade into obscurity. For a time, Oris did?produce a range of quartz pieces. But fortunately, a management buyout in 1982 changed the fate of Oris. The brand became Oris SA and swore never to make a quartz-operated wristwatch.Oris Div...
Working as a watch journalist is obviously a massive privilege. It s something I am reminded of in myriad ways on a daily basis. Probably the clearest example of this privilege is being privy to new releases before they hit the market. In many cases, this means having the chance to see, wear, and review groundbreaking releases from some of the most prestigious brands in the world. At the other end of the scale, however, is the opportunity to see fledgling brands come to life. We are frequently sent watches for review from makers hoping to catapult their efforts into the limelight. Recently, I spent a few days with the new Audric SeaBorne 500 M. The model I received for review, however, was a...
Throughout the last couple of months, we have witnessed the great appreciation our readers have for the Grand Seiko brand. In our weekly Sunday Showdown series, many of the Grand Seiko models are incredibly popular. And there is more fuel to add to that fire. For 2020 we have seen a string of brand new Grand Seiko models as well as updated models replacing current models in the line-up. With the introduction of the new Grand Seiko SBGP001, SBGP003, SBGP005 models, the brand introduces three new regular models. All of them are powered by the new Grand Seiko 9F85 quartz movement. We go hands-on with the black-dialed Grand Seiko SBGP003.In the last week of January, Grand Seiko released its high...
When I look at the vintage time-only Omega watches that I own, I see a pattern. Most of them are from the 50s. They have a larger 35mm+ case size and a second s sub-dial at 6. I don t know why, but I m just drawn to these timepieces like this excellent reference 2639(-14) with golden stardust dial and Dauphine hands.Today s subject is not my first 2639. Throughout the years I ve been collecting watches, I came across a good few examples. Still, I have to say; this is the most beautiful example I have ever had. There is just something special about watches with black dials. Although I m not a big fan of gold indexes and steel cases, it just works well with this 2639.Reference 2639PostThe fir...
New releases from A. Lange & S?hne are rare. When they do come along, they should be given the respect and attention they deserve. While the latest A. Lange & S?hne Lange 1 Time Zone is not a new model per se, it does feature a new caliber, which thoroughly bolsters this model s presence in an already star-studded catalog.The Lange 1 model first emerged in 1994 as the soon-to-be icon charged with establishing the brand as a major player. It was the piece that put the Lange family name back on the map. Since then, it has remained (in several forms) a mainstay in the Lange catalog.Thanks to its defining role, the Lange 1 s memorable layout has remained largely unchanged since inception...
A little over a month later than usual mid-May, the Geneva watch auctions are back on. At last, some sort of normalcy has returned. Two auction houses will host watch auctions in Geneva before the end of June. Antiquorum and Phillips return to action. Meanwhile, Sothebys has opted for bi-weekly online auctions since March instead and Christies pushed back its sale for a second time to the end of July.Since March, when many countries began confinements, weve seen surprisingly strong results for online watch auctions. And while live auctions are returning, their format will be much changed. Travel restrictions remain in place. As such, t will be interesting to see how they fare without many fo...
A collaboration of the highest order. It is so good, you cant tell for sure who is helping who here. Contributions are equal. You can see both parties influence, but the end product feels different. Its just better. Louis Erard Alain Silberstein Le Regulateur combines best from both DNAs in a unique piece that doesnt have competitors. Why?I?always respected and admired Louis Erard for its obsession with regulators. Since the brand s rebirth in the early 2000s, watches with three separate hands became its primary focus. That was a shame, but it was understandable. I can imagine it needs a lot of persistence to go against the mainstream.Alain SilbersteinFrench artist Alain Silberstein has b...
It s time for Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly series that lets you stop or start your chronograph. This week, we ll discuss a unique blip on the Breitling radar with the Superocean Heritage Chronoworks. But first…Last week, I did my best to take you back to the era of Boyz II Men with a look at the TAG Heuer Link chronograph. Sadly, it was the end of the road for this ornate sports watch as it fell to a crushing 68% crying shame loss. Let s see if today s watch can bring some of that Motown Philly magic because our Breitling Superocean Chronoworks happens to sit in a showcase near the City of Brotherly Love.Pricey cars and suchI m not sure why high-end watches drive so many auto...
Ever since getting into the world of watches, I have always loved the discussions about watch design. The recurring topic is often progression. The arguments are as much about the lack thereof as they are about the ongoing quest for finding that new instant classic.? Creating something genuinely new that meets with immediate acceptance seems to be the hardest thing there is. Especially when it comes to case design. But the excitement of seeing something novel is excellent.The thing that has intrigued me most over the years is the shape of a watch case. It is often the most crucial element for an immediate yes or no. And a well-designed case can make a design become a proven classic. But the ...
The new Chronomat trims the case diameter from 44mm to 42mm and brings back the unique Rouleaux bracelet. Those are the headlines, but as I have found, this new chunk of steel is filled with hidden details.I was a little shocked when my Chronomat turned up at my door in the middle of May. I placed an order for the limited edition Frecce Tricolori a day after the launch in April but fully expected an email informing me that I had missed out on securing one of the, justifiably limited, 250 pieces. Not only was I allocated an FT, but it was also delivered in less than a month.My own Frecce TricoloriMy eagerness to lay eyes on my guilty acquisition may have overcome my motor skills. I ripped the...
Limited editions are not to everyone s taste. Sometimes, the sheer volume of limiteds can be overwhelming. With the #SpeedyTuesday editions we ve contributed to that as well. While limited editions may be more common these days, that s nothing new. Let s have a closer look at my Top-5 of earlier NASA/Apollo dedicated Limited Edition Omega Speedmaster models.In 1969, Omega introduced a numbered series of 18k yellow gold Speedmaster Professional watches. We did a review of that model here. These were more or less Limited Editions avant la lettre. They weren t limited, but they were sequentially numbered - we learned that only 1,014 pieces were made, of which #1 was offered to President Nixon. ...
Today, we re taking a look at an authentic Omega Seamaster 300M and a very high fidelity replica. It used to be very simple to tell the difference. Fakes were cheap knock-offs. They often made obvious mistakes. Many of the key details were wrong. Sometimes, everything was wrong. But in today s world,? replica watches are getting better and better. Sometimes, they are awfully close to the original.The fake Omega Seamaster 300M James Bond limited edition for the 50th anniversary of On her majesty s secret service we have here, is being offered online for prices that come very close to 25% below retail. And it is being offered as an authentic watch. So this is not a watch for those who want to ...
It s Two For Tuesday time and this week we take a look at the Seiko Marinemaster 300 versus the so-called Baby Marinemaster. Let s see if a mere 100 meters is all that separates these two (marine)masters of the deep.Before we get to the Marinemaster and its stable mate, let s talk Omega. Specifically, I asked you to consider the iconic Speedmaster Professional against the far newer Seamaster 300M. It seems that practicality trumps the moon because the modern diver took home a solid 53% win. We thank the nearly 3,000 of you who voted and the many who commented. The comments, by the way, were almost all in support of the 300M and its everyday abilities. Today, we ll look at two watches of the ...
Just before the news hit us that Matthias Breschan (Rado) will be the successor of Longines CEO Walter von K?nel, I had an interview with him. Although things are slowly getting better here in Europe, we still had to use a Zoom call to do the interview.Times are a-changing, and the Swatch Group is endeavoring to change with them. Shuffling the positions of power within the group was a nice move. Different perspectives are always welcome. Mattias Breschan will bring his experience and enthusiasm to a post recently vacated by the long-serving von K?nel.Interview with Matthias BreschanBreschan has been working for Swatch Group since 2000. He has been president of Rado since 2011 and will become...
Every brand should be built on passion. More often than not, the first passion of watch company founders is watchmaking itself. What adds real flavor to the dish, however, are the secondary passions and interests of a brand s creators. In the case of French brand Depancel, the obsession remains within the mechanical realm. The new Depancel AUTO RS collection continues the brand s established theme of blending automotive design cues with those of the watch industry. The result? A rather stylish number…If you ve not heard of Depancel, allow me to give you a brief introduction to the brand. The brand was founded in 2018 by Clement Meynier, a former CERN engineer. It has, so far, sold watc...
For a while, when I was a kid, I think I was the teacher s pet. I m not entirely sure how comfortable I am with acknowledging that, but in hindsight, I m sure it must be true. I hadn t realized how easy I d had it until I started to analyze the position of the (three) Nezumi Voiture watches in my collection. At last. I ve found my kindred spirit…Everybody has things in their lives that don t make much sense when stacked next to the rest of one s existence. These little erraticisms make us interesting. They are very often the best bits of us. The weird streaks of madness that make our otherwise beige existences pop with color. From outside the industry looking in, it would be understand...
Last year saw the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus movement. Many watch brands also celebrated with the release of a special Bauhaus edition watch. But there are brands that celebrate Bauhaus design every day. One of those brands is the Hamburg based brand Sternglas. They just released their Sternglas Zirkel Edition Bauhaus as a special celebration piece showing the symmetry that makes Bauhaus design so effective and playful at the same time.Although still a young brand, naming Sternglas a new brand is not really fair at this point. If you are present in the online world of watches, chances are you have seen its many ads on websites and social media. The brand s online pre...
In this Sunday morning column, 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 dont forget to let us know which watches youd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. Well try and feature as many of our readers choices as we can. You asked for it. We (finally) delivered. Perhaps the most hyped punch-up since the Rumble in the Jungle. This week the two RJs go head-to-head. Their champions? The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus.In our efforts to bring something new to the party every week, we can t help but ru...
Welcome to This Week in Watches for June 20, 2020 - the more edition. We ve got more of everything on the eve of Summer so let s get to it!Corum LAB 02First up this week is the Corum LAB 02. If you want more skeleton, this just might be your watch! Just remember to bring at least CHF 180,000 because that s where life with this manual wind flying tourbillon (cal CO 300) begins. The massive 45mm case is available in several shades of gold and with or without diamonds. Corum calls out 10 of each style, but they will also allow you to choose colorful gems and other modifications. A power reserve and date function also show on this piece. When I think of older Corum, I think of the Golden Bridge ...
