Full-Gold Czapek Antarctique Vs. Girard-Perregaux Laureato
Welcome to another installment of Sunday Morning Showdown. Last week, we threw two fairly affordable dress watches into the ring. This week, we’re going to do something completely different. Recently, both the Czapek Antarctique and Girard-Perregaux Laureato came out in new full-gold versions. Most of us will probably never seriously consider buying either of today’s contenders, but let’s just pretend you’re in the market for a full-gold sports watch with an integrated bracelet. Which one would you pick?Read on to see how Thomas defends the Czapek Antarctique Mount Erebus and Daan fights for the Girard-Perregaux Laureato’s honor. But before we let these two heav...
End links
Urban’s weblog links to a tutorial which shows you how to adjust your non-SEL (Solid End Links) bracelet so it will stop rattling. Personally, I think the -rattle is part of the charmes of having a , but some people probably think otherwise.Click here for a nice do-it-yourself tutorial!!...
Watch collector #1
This Joel really has a red line in his collection of wristwatches. In this case, it is Panerai. He owns loads of them, Pam Logo, Pam 004, Pam 48, Pam 61, Pam 82, Pam 88, Pam 98, Pam 111, Pam 127, Pam 183, Pam 195 and a bunch of others. His page of watches if definately worth checking out, and make sure to get the last 3 months of his homemade Panerai calendar.Click here for his watchgallery. If you click the Italian submariner at the top of the page, you will see something amazing as well....
Omega Speedmaster Professional 145.012 Pre-Moon
Ever since I was a kid, I have been interested in watches. First in Casio and Swatch watches, but basically in all sorts of watches. Since I was born in 1977, I grew up in the quartz and – for a large part – in the digital era. Digital watches were basically the ones to have. In the meanwhile, the rest of my family was wearing Omega watches, gold Constellations and a sporty 1960s Omega Geneva. My father always told me that this was the brand that went to the Moon, without being exactly precise which model that was.Omega Speedmaster Professional 145.012Fast forward 1999. In the meanwhile I received an Omega watch for my graduation, which really triggered me into watches. In 1999, ...
Scatola del Tempo 2+2 Over Size Review
Scatola del Tempo 2+2 Over Size ReviewYour prized possessions deserve a prized place for storage. There are a number of options available. On the most basic level, you can go with the original box supplied with the watch. Of course if you have more than one watch it might get a bit uncomfortable displaying all of them on the bedside table, right? If you put it on a shelf you need a whole lot of space, not to mention a safe. Those are usually not the size of a cupboard. Then there is the watch box. This comes in various sizes. You can have one from 2 all the way up to 20-30 etc. watch slots. Prices are just as versatile as the number of the aforementioned slots. Cheap Chinese ones go for as l...
Gavox Avidiver A Watch For Pilots and Divers
GavoxLast year Summer, Gerard reviewed a Gavox Aurora. A quartz watch, but one that was?the world's first watch that handles all geographical and political time zones'. Today, we are looking at the Gavox Avidiver. The Avidiver is a watch aimed at pilots and divers. Or at least to someone who is either able to fly or dive.Efficient CombinationAt first sight, the Gavox Avidiver comes across like a diver more than an aviation watch. The aviation part mainly lies in the fact that it has great legibility as well as the ability to read an extra timezone. This can be done by using the internal bezel. However, the internal bezel is also for diving purposes. There is no 24 hour indication or whatsoev...
Sellita Movement Manufacture Visit An Exclusive Peek Inside!
Earlier this year, we visited the Sellita manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Many watches out there today are powered by Sellita movements. Brands that are not part of the Swatch Group that can’t or don’t want to use ETA movements, might use Sellita movements instead. During our visit to Sellita, we asked them their production capacity, their history and future plans. We found that the Sellita management was surprisingly open about these items, as you can read below. Enjoy!Sellita Manufacture VisitWhen one digs deeper into the world of horology, it becomes obvious that a watch is so much more than just aesthetics. It's about heritage, technology, and craftsmanship. Simple things l...
Oak and Oscar Ashland We're Talkin' Baseball!
Roasted peanuts, boiled hot dogs, and buckets of cold, watery American beer can only mean one thing: baseball.? It’s October and just in time for the postseason of America’s pastime, we’re excited to talk about the new Oak and Oscar Ashland.Most countries have a sport that’s relatively unique and, thus, hard to translate to foreigners.? Living in Germany, I’d say that handball qualifies as such a sport.? For the Commonwealth and its former colonies, let’s all agree that cricket is the sport no one else on earth understands (I finally do and happen to love it).? But for America, there’s one sport that the majority of our planet finds confounding, and ...
Hands-On : New Limited Edition Seiko Chronographs
We go hands-on with a pair of new limited edition Seiko chronographs.Seiko is clearly no stranger to celebrating its heritage and with a company that has been in existence as long as the powerful Japanese brand, there’s a topic every year to commemorate.? ?2019 is an important year for chronographs as it marks the 50th anniversary of the automatic chronograph, a well-worn tale of competition between brands such as Zenith, Breitling/Hamilton/Heuer/Buren, and Seiko.? We definitely felt that Seiko would do something related to this milestone, but they happened to mark the birthdate of another achievement, the 55th anniversary of the brand’s first wristwatch chronograph.? Let’s...
Minase 5 Windows MASTERPIECES IN THE PUREST JAPANESE SPIRIT
The Watch: MINASE 5 WINDOWSMinase's most original model, the 5 Windows, is a masterpiece of design. One of its creators, Hirokuni Yamamoto, said its creation broke down every design concept he had learnt and practiced during his 30 year design career. The movement, three-dimensional round dial and hands are all visible through the 5 sapphire windows. The movement, seemingly floating in space, bathes in the light coming from its windows. This watch breaks with typical design by placing a circular dial into a rectangular case. The sapphire crystal has a non-reflective coating and is spherical on both axes, underscoring the contrast between the clear base and the polished satin surface of the w...
Wrist Game or Crying Shame: Omega Speedmaster Teutonic
Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame where, this week, we’ll take a look at the Omega Speedmaster Teutonic. Get ready for a serious discussion, but first…Last week, the bulls were on parade as the Longines Legend Diver No Date crushed it with a 78% Wrist Game win. It turns out that many of you are just like me in the sense that you really don’t care about such silly things as a calendar. This week, let’s reach a bit to keep on theme with another watch that foregoes the dreaded date window. Our questionable candidate of the week just so happens to be the Omega Speedmaster Teutonic. Huh?The Omega Speedmaster TeutonicI’ll forgive you if you’ve never rea...
Hands-On With Seiko Tuna SLA041 Saturation Diver's Watch
You will have noticed that this year, 2020, marks the 55th anniversary of Seiko entering the diver’s watch league. In 1965, Seiko introduced its first-ever diver’s watch, the 6217-8000 or 62MAS. Only a few years later, in 1968, it was followed by the first hi-beat model, 6159-7000. But things got really serious in 1975 when Seiko introduced its first watch suitable for saturation diving. The subject of this article, the SLA041, is to commemorate that very first saturation diver’s watch, the 6159-7010 a.k.a Grandfather Tuna.Did you lose track of this year’s 55th anniversary commemorative Seiko diver’s models a bit? Let’s get that out of the way first then. ...
Tulloch T-01 Watch Review
Sometimes, all it takes is a meeting of minds. Buoyed by an unshakable passion for creating things, Shane Tulloch has poured his heart, soul, and savings into starting his own brand. And while that is an ambitious move at the best of times, in 2020 it proved even harder. Luckily for Shane, his thoroughly planned approach reaped dividends. Having spent years accruing contacts in Switzerland, he knew who to call. With a movement brought to life by Kari Voutilainen’s team, the TULLOCH T-01 has all the credibility it needs to punch above its weight.I first discovered TULLOCH in the early part of 2020. I’m not going to pretend I was ahead of the curve or an early adopter or, even, par...
??#TBT An Accurist Marinograf With A Peculiar Parmentier Crown (2021)
A fascinating or silly invention? When a crown on the watch screws down, that's usually a signal of higher water resistance. The Parmentier crown on the Accurist Marinograf screws down too. The problem is, that it also screws off. Like completely off. If you are not careful when unscrewing it you might end up totally scr**ed…?You know me, I like everything that went against the mainstream. And there was (and still is) so much yet to be unearthed in the vintage watch realm. It was just a few weeks ago that I learned, from one of you lovely readers, about the crazy Pierce Correctomatic watch. This particular piece uses chronograph-like pushers to control the regulation of the balance whe...
??Spring-Bars and Natos: A What's What Of Straps And Co. (2021)
When you buy a watch, it always comes with some way of securing it to your wrist. Bracelet, band, or strap, most people are content to wear the watch how it was intended. But for some, the factory standard is just the beginning, and sometimes not necessarily the best fit. There’s a whole world of aftermarket accessories for a watch, providing the opportunity to dress it up, dress it down, play in the mud, or just make the watch uniquely yours. I'm talking about Horween leather bands, Zulu Natos, thicker spring bars, and Olongapo (trust me on this). So strap in and strap up, this long read is about to give you the low down on what’s going on around your wrist and how it can be so ...
TAGHeuer Goes Timeless With The New Carrera Three Hands (2021)
There’s something to be said for a classic, simple watch design. Sure, we enthusiasts could easily spend hours ogling complicated offerings from watch brands we’ll never be able to afford. But at the end of the day, some of us demand nothing more from our own watch than legibility, good build quality, and timeless good looks. And TAG Heuer’s latest new additions to the Carrera Three Hands line provide exactly that. The refreshing new offerings bring some refinements to the design while staying true to the classic Carrera design language.Back in 1958, Jack Heuer learned the importance of simplicity. When he was unable to read his dashboard timer correctly at a glance, Heuer ...
The Omega Genve ST 166.0190 Making A Case For TV Dials (2021)
Before you reach for the remote to change the channel, hear me out for a second. Watches featuring TV dials were big in the 70s. And though, admittedly, the square case design has held up better over time and even made a comeback, this dial shape has not received the love it deserves. That being said, who knows? Maybe it will be the next big thing! In any case, today I'll be showing you my Omega Genve ST 166.0190 and you can make up your own mind on the subject.Before I make my case for TV dials and square cases, let me tell you about the watch that introduced me to the brilliant format itself. One of my first purchases as a watch-obsessed student living in Munster (shout-out to MeisterSing...
Hands-On: The Glashutte Original SeaQ Chronograph
With the SeaQ line, Glashutte Original released a collection of watches that I have really grown to love. The standard 39.5mm SeaQ in particular is an incredibly charming watch. Ever since the first SeaQ models were announced back in 2019, Glashutte Original has slowly expanded the collection with new models and colorways. The latest addition is the brand-new SeaQ Chronograph. It’s not often that we see a chronograph diver, so I was happy to take this new model home for a couple of days and try it out.When the Glashutte SeaQ collection came out, I was immediately a fan of its looks. While the looks are certainly not unique, they are not very common anymore. There is a certain charm to ...
Why I Bought It: G-Shock GW-5000U-1JF
G-Shock has an exhaustive catalog with options for fit and functionality from the super budget-conscious up to full, five-figure luxury. I’ve always been partial to G-Shock, especially the quintessential square design derived from the original DW-5000C. I already own a basic black DW-5600 square which has earned its place in my minimal collection as a true tool watch. But I felt the need for something a little nicer. I ended up purchasing the GW-5000U-1JF, a JDM model that is black, square, boring, and brilliant. I’d say it’s the best resin G-Shock that money can buy.The G-Shock GW-5000U-1JF is a rarer watch as far as G-Shocks go, though it isn’t limited. Until recent...
Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Prototypes Are Here!
The present-day owner of Lebois & Co, Tom van Wijlick, decided to come up with a reinterpretation of the brand’s original chronograph watch from the 1940s. However, to make the development a little more democratic, he asked the watch community what they'd like to see.Lebois & Co. ref. 2723, circa 1945. Image source: Christie’sLebois & Co Heritage Chronograph prototypesDuring the design process, those interested could vote for their favorite case shape, dial color, print, and chronograph movement. Now, Lebois & Co shares the first images of the Heritage Chronograph prototypes based on all these votes. All of these watches have a case diameter of 39mm, which seems t...