The folks at Ming showed us a host of upcoming releases and conceptual drawings during our time with them at Time To Watches in Geneva. As the two biggest fans of the brand on the Fratello team, Balazs and I have had the difficult task of keeping our traps shut until these pieces are eventually released. Today, we can discuss perhaps the most eagerly awaited of the bunch. The 57.04 Iris Chronograph is out in the light, and for many reasons, it s a stunner.Whenever I review a Ming watch, I find myself mentioning the brand s strong design DNA that runs clearly throughout its pieces. The modern, simple cases with their distinct shapes quietly whisper traces of vintage Calatravas. Scalloped lugs...
Arabic numerals are often recognized as one of the easiest means to read the time at a glance. For centuries, Roman numerals were the fashionable standard for time-telling. These days, Arabic numerals, alongside markers, are now considered more of a standard means of telling the time. This is particularly relevant in the digital age, when Arabic numerals are most often displayed on digital screens. I also find Arabic numerals the easiest shorthand method of reading the time. Here are five examples of watches incorporating Arabic numerals that are worth your time.First, though, I should explain what I mean by the term Arabic numerals. Arabic numerals originate from India. Europeans were first...
A rattrapante, split-second, or double chronograph is not something you see every day. Such a chronograph, capable of measuring intermediate times without interrupting the ongoing measurement of a longer elapsed time, is a seriously complicated watch. For many, including me, the double chronograph is one of the most fascinating complications the world of Haute Horlogerie has to offer. And Montblanc has one on offer. Its a split-second chronograph that sits in a long and fascinating timeline. The burgundy-dial Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition is a rattrapante chronograph with a high-end, handmade, and hand-finished Minerva movement. The watch is limited to 100 pieces, m...
The ascent of Mt. Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953 is etched into folklore. British watch company Smiths was the official supplier of 15 watches to the British expedition involved in the 1953 ascent. It is highly likely that the Smiths watches, not Oyster Perpetuals, were worn at the summit of Mt. Everest. Regardless, was able to successfully tap into the historical moment by providing watches to the members of the expedition after the climb and making Norgay and Hillary ambassadors.It is hard to overemphasize the pop-culture significance that the 1953 ascent of Mt. Everest had. The news of the ascent by a British team led by Sir John Hunt reached London in time f...
It s Sunday morning, so fire up the engines and prepare for a nice weekend drive. The question is, what is the racing chronograph of choice for today? Two suggestions go head to head in this week s Sunday Morning Showdown. Mike s pick is the classic-looking TAG Heuer Monaco Chronograph Gulf in titanium. This lightweight version of the Monaco came out not too long ago to celebrate the iconic Gulf livery. Jorg s pick is the Tudor Black Bay Chrono Carbon 25. This lightweight version of the Black Bay Chronograph also debuted earlier this year. The watch was inspired by the livery of the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 team. It s a battle of old school vs. new school in this week s Sunday Morning...
The young California-based brand Arroway Modular Bracelets has boldly entered the world of aftermarket bracelets with the AMB-001, a thoughtfully designed, high-quality Milanese mesh bracelet. Aftermarket bracelets are a polarizing subject of discussion. The issue stems from the nature of the object; they tend to be affordable but of lesser quality than a bracelet designed and produced by (or for) an established watch brand. Should you put your expensive watch on a relatively cheaply produced bracelet? To some, the combined benefits of having an affordable alternative to an expensive OEM (original equipment manufacturer) product or even the option of having a bracelet where one usually isn t...
Welcome to another installment of Back To Basics, our series aimed at newcomers to our lovely shared hobby. This time, we ll take a look at five of the best practices for watch ownership. This is how to treat your watches and the hobby itself to maximize joy and minimize stress.As always, this might all be obvious stuff to experienced collectors and enthusiasts. If thats you, I would like to invite you to add your ideas in the comments section below. Lets make this as useful as possible to budding aficionados as we can, together.Five of the best practices for watch ownership - #1: Store your watches properlyOne of the simplest five best practices is proper storage. Keep your watches in a ded...
The Datejust is arguably the most versatile and enduring watch in the Genevan brands lineup. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the model, so we decided to mark the occasion. Over the past few weeks, members of our editorial team have shared their favorite Datejust references. Now its time to gather them all in one place, revisit our writers choices, and ask you, our readers, to crown the ultimate Datejust. From archetypal icons to quirky outliers, these seven picks show just how wide the Datejust spectrum truly is. Which one will stand above the rest?Thomas - The archetypal Datejust 1601For Thomas, the Datejust is at its strongest when it embodies simplicity. His pick, the 1601, rep...
Another Friday, another list! This week, we re finishing our trilogy of lists focusing on affordable watches under $500. We started the series two weeks ago with our five favorite watches from big brands. Last week, we looked at our five favorites from small brands. This week, we ll end the series with our five favorite affordable quartz watches under $500. If you thought picking five watches for each of the previous lists was a challenge, picking five for this list was a monumental task. After much deliberation, though, we managed to do so. Let s find out what they are.Before we dive into our list of five picks, a quick word on what quartz watches we looked at. The short answer is all of th...
Micromilspec is a hardcore watch brand from Oslo, Norway. The watches from this young and dynamic brand are rough, rugged, and ready for almost everything you can throw at them. The Milgraph, for instance, flaunts its rugged military capabilities with a cool sense of Scandinavian style, especially now that theres a new version with a frosty white dial. But the biggest news is the introduction of the Micromilspec Pilot GMT Dualtimer, the brands first pilots watch available to the public. Both watches are limited to 75 pieces in this years annual collection.In August last year, Micromilspec, a brand known for creating custom watches for military units and first responders, introduced its first...
Ever since I had my first taste of Paulin s watches almost two years ago, I have been all ears whenever the brand releases something new. But I was particularly excited when Nacho alerted me about the Glaswegian brand s take on a dive watch. Put the most popular category of watches in the capable hands of the ladies at Paulin, and you know something interesting is going to happen. It took a couple of seconds to let this seemingly playful take on a serious genre sink in. But after reading the brand s story, seeing the press images, and trying the watches out for a bit, I can say that the pieces of the puzzle fell into place flawlessly. The new duo of Paulin Mara divers is seriously well done....
Theres a strong demand for products and experiences from the past. Nostalgia is a yearning for the good ol days. The word nostalgia is derived from the Greek words nostos (return) and algos (pain). That pain is felt today by practically all, from the baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, to Generation Alpha, those born after 2013. Alphas are the children of millennials, individuals born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s, and the younger siblings of Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012. Millennials and Generation Z are often considered the most nostalgic generations, partly due to the digital tools they use to reminisce and share their memories. Nostalgia for vintage cl...
Have you ever wanted to know what it s like to enter the space where watches are made? These very real places remain an abstract thought to most people, as passionate as they may be about the time-telling objects on their wrists. You can read about them, see images and video, and hear all about them, but that only provides a two-dimensional view. As media voices in this field, we have often been lucky to get the immersive experience of visiting a Swiss watch manufacture. Today, Nacho, Lex, and Thomas come together to reminisce and share their experiences and impressions of visiting these places. They also talk about how brands facilities differ, touch upon non-Swiss manufactures, and give s...
When you think of horology houses involved in tennis, the immediate name that comes to mind is . However, the Genevan watch brand is not the only one active in the sport. Over the past four decades, Rado has actively supported tennis and served as the official timekeeper of numerous tennis tournaments on both the men s and women s tours. To celebrate four decades of Rado and tennis, the brand unveiled its new Captain Cook Tennis LE during the EFG Swiss Open in Gstaad. The luxurious mountain destination is a stunning setting for this ATP 250 tournament, which takes place annually in the center of town. I had a chance to watch some great tennis and try out the brand s new Captain Cook Tenn...
Orient marks its 75th anniversary with a new line in the Contemporary Collection - the Orient Stretto. The series launches with six models, split between three limited editions and three regular-production watches. The commemorative trio highlights the milestone with anniversary logos and engravings, while the standard trio secures the Strettos place in the permanent collection.Together, the six watches show a clear design language that the brand claims is rooted in architecture. According to Orient, wedge-shaped indexes echo skyscrapers, while dial arcs mirror urban skylines. Orient borrowed the Stretto name from the world of music, where it means a quickening of the tempo, building up to a...
Before I start this article, there s something I must confess: I do not currently have a favorite Datejust. It s not because I don t like the watch or because I ve tried and failed to find one - quite the opposite. If I can t quickly name my favorite reference of this octogenarian model, it s simply because I ve never taken the time to find out what it might be. What better time to do so than as I write this? Procrastinatory implications aside, join me as I figure out what, in my (soon-to-be-established) opinion, is the best Datejust of all time.Why don t I know already? Well, I ve never been in much of a rush to find out. The Datejust is not my favorite model. I still respect its 80-yea...
The chronograph and dive bezel are, I would argue, two of the most useful horological bonuses available to us watch consumers. Essentially, both do the same thing - measure elapsed time. Technically, there s much more that each can do, but that is the function they share. The way they measure elapsed time, however, is different, and the design purposes for them are too. Sometimes, there s even a watch design that incorporates both a dive bezel and a chronograph. Let s dive in and consider which feature is better.The first chronograph, Louis Moinet s Compteur de Tierces - Image: World TempusThe chronograph and the dive bezel - some contextFirst, it will be useful to consider a little context ...
In a fast-paced world, slow and steady progress is not often the chosen growth path for small watch brands. However, Traska has chosen this path and, as a result, has cultivated a passionate and dedicated following that loves the brand and its strategy. I have been keeping an eye on Traska over the past couple of years and have become increasingly curious about its offerings. So when I heard about the latest iteration of its popular Commuter series, I jumped at the opportunity to review the Commuter 38 Adriatic Blue. After wearing the watch for several weeks, I can already reveal that it has become one of my favorite experiences with any watch this year. Let me elaborate on that.When I first...
We know Oris as a watchmaking company dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and supporting good causes around the globe. Today, I got a chance to go hands-on with the brands latest effort in that spirit. This is the Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II.This 2,000-piece limited edition supports the Billion Oyster Project in the Big Apple. Join me for a closer look!The Billion Oyster ProjectThe Billion Oyster Project is one of New York Citys most ambitious environmental initiatives. Founded in 2014 by educators Pete Malinowski and Murray Fisher, the non-profit aims to restore one billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035. Over 150 million oysters have already been reintroduc...
Thirty years ago, Chronoswiss founder Gerd Rdiger Lang created a watch that earned itself a place in the history books. The 1995 38mm Opus CH 7523 was the first serially produced self-winding skeletonized chronograph. The watch was powered by a heavily modified Valjoux 7750 movement and was voted Watch of the Year by the readers of the German magazine Armbanduhren the following year. After a lengthy absence, it returned to the Chronoswiss catalog in 2020 in a 41mm case. The Chronoswiss Opus Chronograph Purple Rain is a limited edition tribute watch of 30 pieces commemorating the 30th anniversary of the open-worked chronograph that wrote history.I dont think Im exaggerating when I say the 19...
