Breguet introduced the Marine Tourbillon equation Marchante 5887 at Baselworld 2017. Back then they did so in platinum and rose gold. Breguet has added another rose gold version to the 5887 lineup. A spectacular slate-grey dial gives this model a distinct character.For a long time, I thought Breguet watches were too classically-styled for my taste. Despite this, they keep growing on me. Every time I take a closer look at the Breguet collection, I find myself attracted to a growing number of incredible watches. I have had a soft spot for the Breguet Type XX line but I have started to appreciate more watches from the brand s catalog. Maybe it s an age thing? Maybe, now I ve hit my forties, I m...
Last week I joined the #SpeedyTuesday Live session on the official Omega Instagram account and talked about my precious Speedmaster Professional from my year of birth. It resulted in a lot of messages from viewers that are also searching for their perfect Speedmaster. But that means something different for everyone. For some, the perfect Speedmaster is an honest Speedmaster.A pre-owned watch that has been worn, so it was loved by its previous owner. An honest watch would be a watch that has signs of wear, ranging from minor signs like hairlines and a little dent in the lugs to one that has seen bars, banks, and perhaps the occasional gutter. As long as there s a good story to it, I am not so...
New from the Swiss watchmaker with English Heritage is the Arnold & Son Nebula 38 in stainless steel. The technical achievement of the skeletonized dial can now be appreciated in a daily durable material.The human brain finds beauty in symmetryIt is posited that how attractive humans find each other has at least something to do with facial symmetry. As scientifically grounded as that theory may be, I think most of us would agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But if you were to put together a grid of the most universally beautiful people on earth, the characteristic trait would be the symmetry of the left side to the right side of their face. The same can be said for watch di...
Sometimes it s difficult to describe how a watch makes you feel. That s exactly what I had when I received this Raketa Polar Watch. My first reaction was one of amazement because of its retro Soviet looks. Now I appreciate some retro style communist-style design because of its boldness and clarity in getting the message across. But I wasn t too sure about what the Raketa Polar Watch was trying to tell me.Let s be clear, Raketa is a Russian brand with a lot of history. From Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin to former Soviet leaders Leonid Brezhnev and Mikhail Gorbachev, Raketa is connected to some amazing stories. But it s not just a great story that makes a great watch. And for the last two wee...
For many years the Sinn 142.St has been an important player in Sinn s professional chronograph lineup. Unfortunately, the end of the Lemania 5100 caliber in 2002 initially resulted in this striking model s curtain call.Sinn 142.St C reference 142.010My first encounter with Sinn was in the early nineties. Helmut Sinn was still at the helm. Sinn was virtually unknown outside of Germany. Your best chance? Talking to an aviator who might have recognized the name?from some of their airplane instruments. Consequently, the bulk of Helmut s clientele were pilots. This was a comfortable relationship for Helmut, who was a former pilot himself. But when one earns a reputation for excellence in a niche ...
Its a hard choice to pick just one of the two military novelties from Christopher Ward. Do you prefer the smaller 38mm C65 Sandhurst or the 41mm C65 Cranwell?Tough as that decision is, it could have been tougher. You see, Christopher Ward introduced three military watches at once. To spare you from unnecessary pre-purchase overload, I dropped one of the three models immediately. More specifically, the C65 Dartmouth bearing the Royal Navys Naval crown on its backplate. Lets say it is too Christopher Ward Trident and not as novel as the other two models. From the remaining duo, it took me just 10 seconds to arrive at the conclusion that I?like the bigger Cranwell more. Yet I?continued leaning ...
Last week, I got in touch with Johann who posted a story on his Instagram account about a TAG Heuer he received from his dad. This TAG Heuer once belonged to Microsoft founder Bill Gates. So time for us to ask a few questions to the current owner of the watch.Johann runs the Instagram account @watchyouwearin. He posts incredibly crisp wrist shots of his watches. Definitely, a? feed to add. Recently, he posted the picture of his TAG Heuer 2000 model. And, along with the pics, the amazing story of how this watch ended up on his wrist. Interested? You should be…Robert-Jan: Johann, before telling us a bit about that TAG Heuer 2000 on your IG feed, where does your love for watches come from...
Hamburg start-up, Sternglas, pays homage to its hometown. The Sternglas Hamburg is inspired by old measuring devices once used for maritime navigation.The hometown of this watch brand is emblematic of the seafaring tradition like no other German city. Hamburg certainly has its fair share of iconic locations. The Hamburg harbor, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall, the Speicherstadt, the Alster, to name but a few. And now, Hamburg-based Sternglas has created a model to celebrate a city replete with fine design.Vintage lookThe Sternglas Hamburg has a diameter of 42mm and a case height of just 6mm. Those proportions make an ideal everyday watch for the man with an appreciation for its blend of sty...
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. This week, we ve got something special for you. It s finally happening - RJ and Rob go head-to-head on a divisive Speedy. The Omega Speedmaster X-33.Last week s Air-King battle between RJ and Jorg was a real humdinger. Normally, I have a pretty good idea of which way a vote is going to swing. But the thin...
Hello homebound friends, we welcome you to another episode of This Week in Watches for April 4, 2020. We have a decent amount of news today, so let s get to it!Ollech & Wajs COVID-19 AidIt s nice to know that while you re homebound, there are companies at work trying to do the right thing. Zurich-based Ollech & Wajs sent a couple emails over the last week. Firstly, they ve announced that every watch sold will result in a donation of 100 CHF to the Italian Protezione Civile.?If you head to their site, you ll learn that equates to roughly 10% of the sales price of most watches. Second, O&W is in the process of making and donating 10,000 surgical masks to front line professionals. W...
We tend to tell romanticized stories of brave men and women in survival situations. As watch-lovers, we find ourselves drawn to the wrists of these heroes and heroines. A watch worn during an adventure can take on a character of its own. And for those of us that can t get enough of these little tickers, they can make or break the story of survival itself.How many of you have pointed at your Omega Speedmaster, explaining to the non-watch aficionado that it went to the Moon? Or how the Speedy helped bring the Apollo 13 astronauts back to Earth? Maybe you drone on about the DEEP-SEA Sea-Dweller diving the depths of the Mariana Trench? Perhaps you prefer to talk about the Smith s Explorer summi...
Cartier is well-known for its stylish, slimline dress watches. Among the many elegant forms, the Santos collection often stands-out as an edgier take on the classic form. Now, in an attempt to further modernize a model that was birthed more than a century ago, the Cartier Santos Dumont XL hits the shelves.Living up to 116 years of heritage is no mean feat. In 1904, Louis Cartier created the very first Santos model for his friend and aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. This large square model has seen quite a few overhauls in its time and the latest focuses on increasing the diameter while keeping the model as thin as can be. The original style is largely retained, with the Breguet-style hands dro...
-we ve got news for you. Meet the Sperina Regulator, a bizarre watch most likely from the 1970s that takes the regulation of the balance wheel out of the watchmaker s hands and places it firmly in yours.By now you all know I have a deep love for quirky mechanical timepieces. They are the embodiment of a creative watchmaking spirit that brings to life unbelievable watch complications that many of us never thought possible. To refresh your memory, last year in the #TBT column we featured the dead seconds Tourist Radio-Top with a Chezard movement, that makes a mechanical watch move just like a quartz. We also remember the Gruen Airflight with a mysteriously changing dial every 12 hours or the q...
Rationally, its pretty simple to sum-up what makes Farer watches stand out from so many competitors. But the magic of Farer is the result of putting all these elements together and making them work. Because honestly, the chances of getting it completely wrong are pretty big if you dont have a great eye for design. That great eye for design is the reason why you need to see and wear a Farer watch in real life. That s the only way you re able to truly feel what makes it special.Part of that experience started immediately when I received the Lander II GMT for review. When I took the watch out of the packaging my first reaction was, That s a blue dial isn t it? Farer calls it a sea-green sunray ...
There s a new kid on the block…chain…Accompanying the rebirth of the Breitling Top Time (something all of us at Fratello are VERY excited about), is the news of a new digital service available to buyers. To better understand this new blockchain-stored digital passport, I caught up with Antonio Carriero, Breitling‘s Chief Digital and Technology Officer and a member of the senior executive team, the man with all the answers. Welcome, one and all, to the future…The InterviewRob Nudds: Its a very exciting time for Breitling with the continued overhaul of the catalog. Everything feels very much on brand. That s hard to achieve while also being progressive. And now we see t...
Hey there Fools of April, it s time for Wrist Game or Crying Shame - the weekly scientific study that measures whether you show non-clinical interest in a given time control unit. This week, we ll turn our attention to a vintage Doxa SUB 300 Professional. But first…Last week, we showed you the lovely 1990s Breitling Navitimer Montbrillant and a full 70% of you decided that this retro chronograph was worthy of a Wrist Game vote. I approve that message and my vote was cast accordingly. This week, we move away from a retro-styled watch to a retro watch that s served as inspiration for plenty of re-editions. The watch is the legendary Doxa SUB 300 Professional. We ve covered this watch ad ...
Over the last few years I been fortunate to write several books about horology. This is a subject that absolutely fascinates me because of the microengineering involved.The last book I produced was entitled Independent Watchmakers and the contribution they have made to the industry. Within the last 15 years, watch design has progressed exponentially. In fact, companies like Cabestan, De Bethune, Louis Moinet, MB&F, and Urwerk were the catalyst for me launching my own blog. They also inspired a whole new wave of other microbrands like Franck Dubarry to create their own Avant-Garde designs.For the Independent Watchmakers book, I wanted to ensure there was a diverse selection of timepieces....
The Seiko Senbei with a dial made of Japanese rice crackers, Bremont with Shark Recognition Technology, or Timex showing 25 hours a day. Keep reading and have fun. Top 8 April Fools Watches.We have seen a lot in recent years. Anything you can think of, ranging from fake news and funny mockups to crazy prototypes that made the story so real that even non-believers got hooked. Some of them are actually so good, we would like to see them in production.It is interesting to see how far brands can go.Not only in terms of ideas, but also in terms of production. Special promotions featuring landing pages filled with pictures, detailed long reads, even videos full of interviews and visual effects. A...
Minase is a Japanese luxury watch company based in Yuzawa, some 450 kilometers from Tokyo, Japan. All the watches are hand-made by skilled craftsmen and watchmakers.Minases philosophy is to make beautiful and qualitative timepieces that embody values, traditions and typical crafts of Japan. There are three things that make Minase stand-out completely: the unique design of its timepieces, the technical prowess achieved with the case in case construction, and the brilliant Sallaz polishing technique.Four collectionsMinase watches are all paying tribute to the origin of the company: Kyowa, Minases parent company which is a renowned Japanese tool manufacturer specializing in the watch industry f...
Just days before the borders came to a jarring close, I nipped over to Switzerland to meet with Jupp Philipp, owner of Fortis.Although the trip bought me two weeks in isolation, it turned out to be worth it. So now, Corona-free and enjoying the view from my bedroom window, I d like to share with you our conversation. Fortis is a fascinating brand with an even more fascinating history. If you re anything like me, you ll become more mesmerized by its past the more you learn. And so, should you have any questions of your own, please add them in the comments section below. We ll do our best to source the answers for you.The InterviewRob Nudds: Don t worry. I m not going to transcribe this interv...
