Hands-On: Cyrus Klepcys GMT Palm Green And Ocean Blue
I know that spec sheets are important to many of us watch fans, but it’s first impressions that are lasting. While most brands copy designs that have their roots in the past, only a handful of brands take a different route. Cyrus Genve is one of those brands. I had a chance to go hands-on with the two new Cyrus Klepcys GMT models that the brand presented at Watches and Wonders this year. To my surprise, the modern timepieces unveil many more conventional traits than you would initially expect. It made the wearing experience one of the most surprising of this year.Straight out of the box, the Cyrus Klepcys GMT models look modern, almost futuristic. I realized that I have recently focus...
Interview: Watch Typography Designer Samuel Baker
If you follow my writing, you know I am an advocate for typography in watch design. It is an often-overlooked element that can make or break a watch. While I was developing my watch, typography designer Samuel Baker appeared on my radar. We ended up collaborating, resulting in a fully tailor-made typeface for my fledgling watch company. Samuel is deeply passionate about the subject, which you immediately feel when you speak to him, so I figured who better to share some insider insights on typography with us?I covered the basics of the topic in this earlier article. If you are new to the fascinating world of watch typography, you may want to start there before proceeding with this interview.H...
Photo Essay: The Roger Dubuis MuchMore
This version is the M28 ‘large’ size version – powered by a cal. R18 movement. It might not have any unusual or special features, but it is a classical, very well executed manual wind movement that is sufficiently refined to qualify for the Geneva Seal. The dial is a unique shade of copper that is a very close, but not exact, match for the case. A nice touch are the polished, reflective arabics; but by far the highlight of the dial are the beautifully blued and gently curved hands. Enjoy the photographs! MTAll images can be clicked on for larger versions....
Longines Heritage 1951 Chronograph Review Hands-On
Longines is one of those brands that perform very well when it comes to new watches, but also has its share of collectors of their vintage collection. With over 180 years of history, there are definitely some very interesting Longines timepieces to consider. Both from their actual catalog as well as from their past. Nowadays, Longines is part of the Swatch Group and is positioned somewhere between Omega and Tissot. Also based on some watch market data we have, we identified that watch consumers also positions this brand between Omega and Tissot and noticed an increased interest in Longines over the past few quarters.An interesting trend, as I also see a decline in interest in a number of wat...
Speedy Tuesday Omega Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz
It was in 1975 when the two super powers forgot about the Cold War for just a moment by docking the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts at an altitude of 138 miles. Launched at the 15th of July in 1975, the docking took place on the 17th of July and lasted for 44 hours. After the docking, the American crew transferred from the Apollo to the Soyuz spacecraft.Earlier this year I’ve met with the commander Apollo CSM-111 spacecraft, Thomas P. Stafford. Together with astronauts Vance D. Brand and Donald K. Slayton (one of the original 7 astronauts NASA selected for their space program) he flew from the 15th of July till the 24th of July 1975. At the same time this year, I met with Alexey Leonov, c...
Watch Strap Review Part 13. Colareb
The first edition of our Strap Review for November is here. Last month we reviewed Difues Leather from Belarus and I have to say that was a pretty popular article. As I have told you before I try to expand the Watch Strap Review family in terms of countries we feature. That will come from the next article on. Nevertheless this time we return to our favorite holiday destination; Italy. We have talked about our friends at GLC Strap before (you can find those articles here and here) and today we have yet another company. Colareb has a pretty wide selection of straps to offer from vintage leather to suede, ostrich and many other types. The most pleasant feature is their price/quality ration. The...
OUR CATAWIKI FAVORITES EDITOR'S CHOICE: Bell & Ross, Zenith and Cartier
As we introduced you to our Catawiki Favorites (Editor’s Choice) a? few weeks ago already, this time we show you three different watches of our choice: Zenith El Primero Chronomaster, a Bell & Ross (by Sinn) chronograph and a Cartier Tortue in gold.This article is a partnership with Catawiki, but our selection consists of watches that we picked and there’s no interference from Catawiki regarding the editorial work. If you are not registered on Catawiki yet, we urge you to do so. It is free or charge and will make bidding and marking watches as ‘interesting’ a lot easier, click here to do so.As always, let me start by saying that before you bid on a watch, you shou...
Creux Automatiq Ghost Forged Carbon: The Ultimate Sports Timepiece
The latest offering from Creux Automatiq is their most lightweight, robust and highly anticipated timepiece to date.Coming off the back of a successful 2018, solidifying their mark in the boutique luxury watch industry, Australian designed Creux Automatiq have been making some serious noise. With the majority their current Ghost Series models selling out, the team announced the release of its 5th limited edition model – the Ghost Forged Carbon.The Ghost Forged Carbon is set to be the most lightweight, robust and highly anticipated piece in the Creux Automatiq range. Its solid-cast forged carbon case, weighing less than 100 grams, boasts to be scratch resistant and is ready to handle th...
G-Shock GMW-B5000D-1ER 52Mondayz, Week #48-2019
I am a kid of the 1980s, and although I had some watches before, the first watches I bought myself (being a kid) was a digital Casio W-14 in 1986 or so.I was aware of the larger G-Shock models, but I was a small kid, and it looked ridiculous on my wrist. But, I was thrilled with this W-14, and I still have it today in running condition. I had to perform surgery on the watch not too long ago and used a donor W-14 to swap the movement and put some fresh batteries inside. And a new strap, as the original strap was already replaced once, and the second strap was deteriorated entirely in 2018.Anyway, after the first Casio, many followed, including a G-Shock DW-5000SP, which was a limited run in 2...
Hands-On: anOrdain Model 2 Fume Dial
We check in with the visually arresting anOrdain Model 2 Fume dial.With its Model 2, anOrdain has enjoyed quite the run of good press.? For certain, the brand is outgoing and has done a nice job of contacting various online watch publications along with making hands-on testing a breeze.? One such example is our very own Tomas Rosputinsky, who reviewed a white and blue enamel-dialed Model 2 last month.? Aside from a dislike of the clinical naming structure that the Scottish company employs, an elementary school level reader could feel the glowing warmth that Tomas had for this watch all the way from Bratislava.? But the company had contacted me at the same time as Tomas and while I was highly...
Watches & Pencils #55 The Cartier Crash
The discussion watch designs can go on forever. Why do we love it? Why do we hate it? Is it functional? In this episode, we feature the Cartier Crash.There are a number of stories out there on the origin of the Cartier Crash. Legend has it, that it is based on a heavily damaged watch that sort of survived a car accident. Jean-Jacques Cartier (designer for Cartier London) saw the watch and was inspired by the damaged watch. He went to the drawing board and did something truly magical: he turned a “broken” object into a design icon. What we normally would throw into the bin would become an expensive and beloved object.In this episode, I want to point out the strange taste we as wat...
The Perfect Gift for a Watch Lover
As the holidays approach, this year do yourself a favor and get ahead of the rush. Whether looking for something for yourself or the perfect gift for someone else, we believe we found the ultimate source to satisfy your needs!One thing watch lovers like to do when traveling is to take some of their collection with them besides the one on the wrist, so this is when a Watch Box or Roll comes into play.We have featured the folks from Atelier Del Sur before with great success and just now that they have introduced their new line of travel and storage watch accessories we want to share it with you.There are dozens of watch boxes out there, most of them made in high bulk production and using suppl...
Wrist Game or Crying Shame: Omega Seamaster 120M 18K
Welcome back to another round of Wrist Game or Crying Shame and this week we take a look at a gold Omega Seamaster 120M. But first…Last week, I discussed what I found to be a lovely Patek Philippe Gondolo 5014G. Despite some cranky comments, 73% of our respondents like putting the “art” in deco. Today, we stay with the metal of kings with an Omega Seamaster 120M in 18K.It’s amazing to think that companies once gave their longtime employees gold watches upon retirement. These days, a lot of companies look to rid themselves of their most dedicated - translation: costly - staffers before they’re really ready to retire. In lieu of a gold watch, these folks often hea...
Watch On Your Wrist: Prize Bundles Announced!
It’s been a long road to get to this point, but we are fast on the way to knowing the identity of our final finalist. With the last of five semi-finals in play, it’s time to announce the prizes in play before the final round goes live on December 7th.Hi and hello watch fans! Last night, Balazs and I took to Instagram live to announce the prizes for our long-running Watch on your Wrist contest that has been a weekly fixture during the second half of 2020. We have four finalists confirmed. The fifth will soon be known. Head over to the live Semi-Final to cast your vote and propel one lucky reader into the Grand Finale.What awaits them there are guaranteed prizes! Even fifth place w...
Hands-On With The Seiko Prospex PADI Monster SRPE27K1 Dive Watch
The new Seiko Prospex PADI Monster SRPE27K1 is already quite a few months old. I know, I know It took us a while to feature the watch, but as the bard says, “all's well that ends well. I finally managed to put my hands on this new, blue PADI Monster and I must say, I don’t really want to part with it.The Seiko PADI collaboration goes back to 2016. This was the year the Japanese brand announced its collaboration with the world's largest diving network. Four years and many models later (like this and this) we have yet another Seiko PADI. This time, it’s coming from the 4th generation of Seiko Monsters.A bit of historySeiko introduced the very first Monsters back in 2001. Thos...
Introducing The Oris Big Crown Pointer Date Calibre 403
The watch industry is full of trends. Brands and companies typically move in a similar direction, guided by the flow of the current preferences of the watch-buying public. If you've been paying attention, you've more than likely identified some of the preferences to which this newly re-designed Oris Big Crown Pointerdate Calibre 403 caters. With this latest release from the Holstein brand, it seems that “less is more” in terms of size, and “more is more” in terms of in-house engineered movements. I won't overstep and be so bold as to claim that these preferences apply to everyone. But to the large majority of you who are in tune with these latest trends, you can start...
#TBT A True Unicorn In The Vintage Watch Collecting World
The term rare has been a bit devaluated over the years with tons of “rare” watches jumping up here and there. I will tell you now what's truly rare in the vintage watch world - finding a devoted female watch collector. Please allow me to introduce you to Sandy from Switzerland and her incredible vintage watch collection. I have been buying vintage watches for a few years now, but before Sandy, I had never traded any watch with a woman. I wish I had, but there is no directory that would allow you to list watch offers by a seller's gender. Watch collecting has always been the realm of men. Yet I always thought women could bring a new dynamic to the business. I guess my urge to see ...
The Fast And The Fratelli: Bamford B347 Vs. Fortis B-42 Cosmonauts
It's an odd thing to be writing about racing chronographs when I cannot yet legally drive. That said, it's been an odd few years, so pretty much anything goes these days. And I am more than capable of discussing these two fine watches today. I think that my two competitors are both excellent choices, fitting the competition rules and vying to take their place in the next round of The Fast And The Fratelli!So, what are these rules? Well, suppose you've been following along with the competition so far. In that case, you’re likely already aware, but it's always nice to get a wee refresh. The watch must have been produced in the last ten years (after 2011), it must be mechanical, and it mu...
Introducing The New URWERK UR-100V Full Titanium Jacket (2021)
Today marks the continuance of what is possibly one of my favorite watches from one of my favorite brands. The UR-100V welcomes a new addition to the fold in the form of the UR-100V Full Titanium Jacket. The new model is a single-color version of the highly wearable UR-100V family, featuring several different shades of grey.No, we're not talking Christian Grey from 50 Shades Of Grey (although I'd let the UR-100V Full Titanium Jacket handcuff me and leave me in a dark room). Instead, we see a celebration of the color grey, with hues transitioning from Payne’s grey to lead grey. And what’s the most striking feature of the new limited-edition UR-100V? It’s the fantastic, integ...
Hands-On: Ateliers deMonaco Ronde De Monte-Carlo Classique
Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. We are surrounded by wonderful things on a daily basis. Rarely, however, do these feats of nature or human endeavor come under the same kind of scrutiny that we watch lovers impose upon our wrist-bound companions. Recently, I was fortunate enough to go hands-on with a couple of pieces from the Ateliers deMonaco Ronde De Monte-Carlo collection. Considering the cheaper of these two pieces comes in at a cool $18,200 (with the more expensive ladies’ model commanding a $28,000 price tag), I was expecting to come away impressed. However, it was perhaps the humblest of elements that caught my eye and stayed with me long after.I’m not addicted to gol...