There are always watches that are high on your wish-list while knowing you probably will never actually own one. Simply because it s (far) out of budget or because they are only produced in limited numbers and hard to acquire. And sometimes it s even both. But that doesn t mean you can t enjoy it in some way which is exactly what happened when we had the A. Lange & S?hne 1815 Tourbillon with enamel dial for a few days.First of all, it s a Lange. Not that this is a reason to buy one right away but simply put I am biassed when it comes to this brand. The designs and an incredible level of detail always impress me. And the same goes for this 1815 which impresses more the closer we look at i...

We get a regular supply of emails from new watch brands introducing themselves as the next best thing in the watch industry. Best value for money and so on. Usually, it s better than anything we ever saw before. And all that for a bargain price which also leaves plenty of space for a commission. Besides those weekly introductions we occasionally also receive one that triggers our interest. We got in touch recently and tried the DB Milau Diadem, one of their flagship watches.Dutch Brand MilauLet s have a short introduction to the brand first. Although The Netherlands is quite a small country we sure have a lot of watch enthusiasts and it s also where our headquarters is based. For DB Milau it...

List articles are a bit controversial C so you can start your concerns now on this Top Vintage Seiko Divers posting. First off, theyre seen as easy puff pieces to write and many complain that they show little creativity. Second, they naturally exclude some pieces that some feel strongly about while including others that may not be as popular when considering public opinion. But there are some positives for sure, list articles allow for a nice reference of watches in one place. Also, they make for easy reading (and, to a large degree, writing), which is a great thing for the summer holidays. I dont know about you, but I like to keep things nice and light while Im poolside sipping a beverage.T...

This week Eddie sent us an interesting question. It seems that his chronographs don t change their date at midnight. Here s the whole text of his question:Has anyone noticed the common phenomenon when it draws near midnight for most mechanical chronograph watches? The date change does not usually occur! With simpler movements, manufacturers of brands usually set the date change fairly close to the dot but most chronograph watches I have come across, including half a dozen I own: Omega, Longines, Ventura, Sinn, Schwartz Etienne etc, tend to have the date change only after 1 am. Is there a reason, technical, conventional or even habitual, for this delay?You Asked Us: Why do my Chronographs Cha...

Already three years ago, we created an overview of all gold Speedmaster Moonwatch models that Omega released since 1969. It seems that the interest in gold watches, and gold Speedmasters, is picking up. A number of our friends, colleagues and readers purchased a (vintage) gold Speedmaster in the last few years.? Time to update our overview of Speedmaster Moonwatch models in gold. This article is divided in two parts, from 1969 (BA145.022-69) till 1994 (Apollo XI 25th anniversary). In part two, we cover the models from 1995 and onwards. That part will be updated soon as well, as the Apollo XVII and Starmus models can be added to that overview.Speedmaster Moonwatch in GoldAlready in the early ...

Reading the subject line of Piers Berry s (owner of Pinion watches) email, I was already clapping my hands due to the bold move of introducing a two-tone watch. My love for the precious metal goes very far. But opening the press release learnt that TT stands for Two Time-zones, that s why I made sure to write it in full in the headline of this article.Pinion TTI would be lying if I d say there was no little disappointment, but that quickly went away after seeing the new 42mm Pinion TT. A GMT watch is one of the most useful complications there is, I believe. Perhaps even more useful than a date. Or chronograph, to be dead honest here. Especially for those who travel a lot, or do business on a...

Last Sunday, the news broke that Swatch Group is pulling out of Baselworld. You ve probably read that already somewhere last week as every major publication covered this ‘shocking news. But is it shocking?In this article, we will give the opinion on this matter by three of our writers: Gerard Nijenbrinks, Michael Stockton, and Robert-Jan Broer. Gerard is a veteran when it comes to BaselWorld with 25 annual visits, Robert-Jan can write ‘only a decade of Baselworld visits behind his name and Michael joined the last three Baselworld fairs with the Fratello team. Let s see what we think the effects will be of Swatch Group pulling out of Baselworld and what chances there (still) are...

Last weekend we found our way to the Belgium Ardennes for the 70th edition of the Total 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps. This circuit which is surrounded by forests is rated as one of the most iconic tracks in the world. And its always a pleasure being here as it brings back memories dating back to the 1990s when I used to go there regularly to experience the F1 from up close.Going to Spa-Francorchamps in good company, soon more!24 hours of SpaUpon arrival at the paddocks, we are welcomed by IWC at the stand of their automotive partner AMG. During the event, we get to explore the track from different positions and get a behind the scenes view of the 24 hours of Spa. Apart from the obvious ther...

Sitting by the ocean somewhere along the coast of Menorca, I glance down at my wrist and spy the Seiko Digi Tuna SBEP005, a watch thats not overly typical of anything that Id choose to wear due to its method of displaying the time. Still, due to the inclusion of a shroud, I felt the need to track this JDM-only piece down and add it to the collection. Its an oddity, but its a watch thats been making waves online for a lot of reasons. Lets get into it, talk about what it is, what it isnt and my overall impressions.The Seiko Digi Tuna SBEP005 is one of three regular production versions of an all-digital Landmaster within the Prospex line of watches (an SBEP001 with silver hardware and detailing...

This week we re answering a question we received from Joost in The Netherlands. With a budget of around $ 1.000,= he wants to buy a stainless steel watch and asked us to give an opinion about the Longines HydroConquest and MAEN Hudson 38 Jet Black. He has read our reviews, however, now asks us to give a personal opinion. Which one of these watches would we buy?You Asked Us: Longines HydroConquest or MAEN Hudson 38 Jet BlackGentlemen,To start with, with much pleasure I read your well-written reviews. [Thank you Joost, we love to hear that!]I have a question about two watches which I consider buying, and I hope you would be willing to share your opinion about.I want to buy a nice stainless ste...

Maybe its because the Seiko Astron is the worlds first GPS solar watch that I have a weak spot for it. From the moment the very first ginormous 47mm version came out, I was sold on the idea of having a watch that connects to the GPS network and gets all its necessary energy from light. In particular, I strongly believe that using a solar-powered quartz movement is the way to go. I know Im not the only one who hates to deal with battery changes, though my concern for the state of our planet drives my appreciation for non-battery movements even more. Anyway, Seiko has released two new Astron limited editions, the SSH157 and SSJ027. Both use solar-powered movements and are limited to 1,500 unit...

On the 6th of June this year, it will have been exactly 80 years since D-Day took place on the beaches of Normandy. By that day s end, 156,000 Allied troops successfully stormed the French beaches during Operation Overlord. To commemorate this historic day, Praesidus releases the special C-47 A-11 D-Day. This version of the brand s A-11 field watch features a dial made from two Hamburger doors of the C-47 airplanes that were part of D-Day. I had a chance to go hands-on with one of these special timepieces that reminds us of the day that eventually led to the end of World War II.Over the past few years, I ve gone hands-on with several Praesidus watches. The brand has quickly made a name for i...

In just less than two weeks, on June 15th and 16th, almost 50 independent brands will assemble to exhibit their watches at TimeFest in Bordeaux, France. This is the first time this event is happening, and if I lived a little closer, I d be very curious to check it out. There s a nice mix of younger brands, including Serica, Baltic, and Furlan Marri, and more mature ones, such as Oris, Sinn, and Citizen. And best of all, the event is free! Just make sure you pre-register on the TimeFest website.Every summer, my wife and I drive down to Spain with our kids in the backseat. Depending on the traffic, the first stopover from Amsterdam is usually just south of Paris. That s a quick sleepover stop ...

The chronograph that won the GPHG Aiguille dOr two years ago is now available in platinum. Well, not exactly. The 33 pieces of the LM Sequential Flyback Platinum have an extra function compared to the prize-winning watch - a flyback function. On top of that, the chronograph comes in a different case. The sporty EVO case makes way for the more classic Legacy Machine case. And this time, rather than zirconium, it s made of prestigious platinum.The LM Sequential EVO is the brainchild of the Northern Irish watchmaker Stephen McDonnell. The watch has two chronograph displays and one time display. Its wearer can start, stop, and reset both chronographs independently using the pushers on either sid...

TAG Heuer released the last generation of Aquaracer Professional 300 divers in 2021. That s not long ago, but the brand must be listening to the market. Updated versions are here today with new dials, smaller cases, and significant mechanical changes. The outgoing models were already compelling, which makes these new versions even more intriguing.TAG Heuer s releases from the prior decade disappointed many watch enthusiasts, so I was skeptical when the brand announced the new Aquaracer Professional 300 in 2021. Thankfully, the watch ushered in a new era, and most TAG Heuer releases since that time have been quite good. Today s news relates to the largest case size in the lineup and affects t...

Military-issued watches are fascinating to learn about. In this article, I ll share my chat with IWC s historian about one such watch, the Porsche-designed Ocean Bund.The IWC Ocean Bund (short for Bundeswehr or German Federal Armed Forces) is one of those fascinating watches in history. It was a cutting-edge design at the time and an absolute beast of a watch meant to take a beating. It was issued to members of West Germany s Kampfschwimmer?(Combat Swimmers). These frogmen were among some of the country s most elite and well-trained military units. Thanks to this wonderful post by Bulang & Sons, we can see some wonderful images of this rare watch.Image: Bulang & SonsThe IWC Ocean Bun...

Full-metal versions of G-Shock s Square and CasiOak models are among the most popular watches in the lineup. The first all-steel G-Shock Square was presented at the Baselworld fair in 2018, and an all-steel CasiOak had to wait until 2022 to see the light. These premium models are much appreciated and in great demand. After some other colorful variations, Casio is now adding blue to the standard all-steel models by introducing the GMW-B5000D-2 and GM-B2100AD-2A.Full-metal G-Shock Square models exist in many variations and colors. Full-metal CasiOaks, however, are not as common. So, specifically for the latter, the newly introduced blue version is a welcome addition. Tip: Shockbase offers a co...

Watch prices are rising, and these are economically uncertain times. Perhaps we should consider looking for horological fun a little further afield. If that sounds like a good idea to you, read on.I don t know about you, but I have noticed a shift in my area over the last six months or so. People are being hit hard by the rising costs of basic goods, including groceries and petrol. In my home country of Australia, inflation has been up around 3.5%. This is according to figures from the International Monetary Fund s World Economic Outlook.But that only tells a limited story. In Australia, inflation has seen the cost of critical basic goods rise more than 7% this year (and 7.8% the previous ye...

At the end of August, the official opening of the 37th America s Cup will take place in Barcelona. Six sailing teams will compete against each other, and a few of them are backed by big names in the watch industry. Today, we ll put two of those brands up against each other - Panerai and Tudor. The members of the Luna Rossa team will be wearing a Submersible QuarantaQuattro Ti-Ceramic, and on the wrists of the members of the Alinghi team will be the Pelagos FXD Alinghi Red Bull Racing Edition. Which one would you pick?Of course, Omega is also competing in the America s Cup with its Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Chronograph Deep Black ETNZ Edition. However, we thought it would be nice to battle ...

Oris H?lstein Editions are an annual celebration for the independent Swiss watch brand. This year marks a rather special occasion - Oriss 120th anniversary. To celebrate this impressive birthday, the house is releasing a special Divers Sixty-Five, fully dipped in black paint.Okay, technically speaking, it s not really black paint. But we do get a black case, black dial, black strap, black hands, and even black lume. Rarely are watches murdered out as thoroughly as this. Lets have a closer look!The 2024 Oris H?lstein EditionOris was founded on June 1st, 1904. Therefore, todays release marks the brand s 120th anniversary to the day. Interestingly, Oris has remained independent, which is rare i...