Celebrating The 100th Anniversary Of The First Citizen Watch
The year 2024 marks a century since the introduction of the world’s first Citizen watch. To celebrate this significant milestone, Citizen has taken a curated selection of 100 watches, split into 12 design categories, from its over-6,000-watch archive on tour. Its first stop was in Tokyo before moving on to New York, and now the traveling exhibition has made its way to Paris. This is where I had a chance to experience this historical overview of Citizen’s watchmaking over the past century and speak to some of the folks responsible for its ongoing success. But that’s not the only way Citizen has decided to commemorate its first watch turning 100.Officially founded as Citizen ...
The Purists visit Audemars Piguet
SuitbertW posted a short pictorial on the Purists’ visit to Audemars Piguet. Click here to view all photos.Check all other posts about this visit in the Audemars Piguet??Discussion Board??as well!!...
Audemars Piguet's Tribute To Formula 1 Driver Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher, who won the F1 World Championship 7 times, was already an ambassador for Audemars Piguet since November 2010. Today, almost two years later and in the 40th anniversary year of the Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet announces that Michael Schumacher gets his own Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph collection, linked to his name.Together with Octavio Garcia (who we’ve interviewed in Paris, click here to read it), Michael Schumacher was closely involved in the design process of his Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph.There are quite some interesting details about this watch that makes it Michael Schumacher’s personal watch. Besides the obvious 7 stars (for each World Championship)...
Jaquet-Droz The Bird Repeater
Pierre Jaquet-Droz’ mechanical work focused on two main themes: automatons and birds. If the androids presented during the Automates & Merveilles exhibition are the most popular, the majority of those built by Jaquet-Droz during this period were automatons staging superb birds, sometimes adorned with real feathers and often whistling.So, birds were Pierre Jaquet-Droz’s automaton demonstration key thread in the courts of European kings. These watches or these automatons staging birds were also the main product Jaquet-Droz exported towards China, already. He was a precursor in many regards, technical, commercial and marketing. Today, the brand Jaquet-Droz presents a key watch i...
Hands-On Klokers KLOK-01 Review Inspired By Circular Slide Rules
klokers KLOK-01When I grew up, I didn’t have to use slide rules in school to do math. However, I also remember the white cupboard we had at home, with old calculators, a?caliper, a pair of compasses and a slide rule. All stuff that belonged to my father. Things he used in school and some times still used some of it to do calculations. Ask a kid now, and he probably will know the pair of compasses, but won’t have a clue about a slide rule.Slide RuleA slide rule is an analogue device that can be used to do?multiplication and division. You had more complex slide rules that help you with other calculations as well, such as square roots, exponentials, logarithms etc. You have them as ...
Speedy Tuesday Bid On A Flown Speedmaster Professional
Cosmonaut?Gennady Padalka has spent 879 days in space, during 5 different missions. It is about 50 days more than the second record holder (also a cosmonaut). During Padalka’s?International Space Station Expedition 31/32, he wore an Omega Speedmaster Professional. Now, this watch is being offered at an auction this month. Not a special engraved or radial dial version, but ‘just’ a flown Speedmaster.A Flown SpeedmasterYou can have a beautiful CK2998 or a stunning rare limited edition Speedmaster, but there’s not much out there that will beat a flown Speedmaster. Once in a while, there’s one that will pop up on an auction. RR Auction is offering 534 space (related...
Introducing The Gronefeld 1941 Principia With Live Photos
It’s always a pleasure to report about watches which come from our home country. And with the Gronefeld ‘horological brothers’ you know it’s gonna be special when they invite you for a sneak preview. So last week we took a road trip across the country to visit them in their hometown Oldenzaal (in the east of The Netherlands). For those who are not familiar with Gronefeld and their watchmaking, we have covered their One Hertz and the?Remontoire on multiple occasions in the past. Their watchmaking is on another level and when it comes to finishing you will have a challenge to find movements that outrank these.First Gronefeld Automatic WatchTen years after their first Gr...
Introducing: Meraud Bonaire Automatic (Starting At $635) Live Pictures
Watch collector Stijn Busschaert from Belgium has been a passionate collector of vintage watches for many years. According to Stijn, many of the big brands are releasing heritage models these days, but only a few are able to focus on the correct details and storyline(s) that actually matter. Next, and we’ve been writing about this “trend” for the past few years as well, is that many vintage watches are being seen and treated as investment objects. As you know, the prices on vintage watches have been booming and many of them have become unavailable for (especially) the young audience who appreciate vintage mechanical watches. Too cut a long story short, Stijn came up with hi...
Hands-On Alpina Seastrong Diver Heritage In PVD Bronze Review
What’s cooler than a super compressor case? A bronze super compressor case! Alpina released their Seastrong Diver Heritage with a PVD bronze case and brown dial. Let’s have a closer look.The Alpina Seastrong Diver Heritage PVD Bronze isn’t a new watch. Already in 2016, we reviewed the stainless steel version (here) and concluded it resembles the original 36mm Alpina Seastrong 10 from the 1960s pretty well. The size is bumped up to 42mm, and of course, there’s a modern movement inside. Perfect for today’s diver watch enthusiasts. This year, Alpina (belonging to the same company as Frederique Constant) comes with the same watch in a cool bronze color scheme. It is...
#TBT: Educational watch for children MINILIP
I was surprised by how educational my deep-dive into this educational watch was. This week’s #TBT is about a watch for kids, the MINILIP.After going down the rabbit hole of information about educational watches, I discovered a study that found that one in seven Britons can only tell time using a digital watch. This jarring discovery makes me think there may be another threat to mechanical watches out there that’s more pressing than a smartwatch.?MINILIP Educational WatchOne can only guess how often you’d stare down at it, waiting for the minute hand to roll over the ?, ? or -? mark. Kids can’t read the clockStill shocked to learn that one in seven Britons admit they c...
This Week in Watches: October 17, 2020 Crisp Edition
It’s time for This Week in Watches on October 17, 2020 the crisp edition. Depending on where you live, it’s getting chilly! Let’s see if we can warm the cockles of your hearts with some new watch news.The Panerai Luminor Logo and Base Logo ReturnI was excited to see that the newest Panerai Luminor Base Logo models debuted this week. These have always been some of my favorites with their manual movements and crisp clean dials. Best of all, the Base Logo models are the most affordable of the 44mm Luminor range. Many of us recall the early PAM000 and 005 models and the newest PAM01084 (Luminor Logo) and PAM01086 (Luminor Base Logo) look nearly identical. They feature matte dia...
Three German Watches To Start Your Collection
I am quite obsessed with German watchmaking at the moment. It may be the prideful insistence to refer to the movement plates as German silver at every given opportunity. Or the considered yet reserved dials hiding the wackiness beneath the surface. Whether that be crazy complications or impeccable movement finishing, German watchmaking sets itself lofty goals. But at any price point, watches from Germany have a lot to offer to budding collectors. This list selects three German “uhren” to start your collection.For many, Glashutte is the center of excellence in horology, even over Geneva. Indeed, them's fightin' words, but can you blame those who consider this? Just by looking at a...
A Californian Controversy: The Origins Of The "California Dial" (2021)
Recently, I wrote about a Panerai 3646 with an “anonymous” “California” dial due to go under the hammer at Webb’s Auction House in New Zealand. One of our readers, Jeff Hess, got in touch with me to point out that my use of the term “California” to describe the dial was “misleading, erroneous, and wrong.” Now, I thought that was pretty harsh, but I’m not one to take offense easily, especially when the person dishing it out has a good reason for doing so. Having looked into Jeff’s justification for his claim, I found myself disagreeing with him still, but we decided together that the mysterious history of the California nickna...
Studio Underd0g Pumpkin Chronograph Special Edition
Why can't horology be a little bit more playful from time to time? This is a question to which Studio Underd0g provides the answer with each new release. The ultimate proof that the watch industry can be playful comes courtesy of an 11-year-old girl that designed this very special Halloween-inspired pumpkin version of the Studio Underd0g chronograph. Her idea resulted in two stunning pieces, one of which will go up for auction to raise money for charity. Let the bidding commence!Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of teaming up with Studio Underd0g for the April Fools' Aubergine Chronograph. All profits from that special collaborative effort went to Cancer Research UK. Now Studio Underd0g...
Reflecting On 2022: Thomas's Year Of Watch Collecting
When Nacho asked me to write a retrospective on 2022, a year of watch collecting, my first response was, “Already? We are halfway through October!” But then I realized that, in my case, it might just be the perfect moment. I am going through a shift in priorities and perspective. Could I even be done? Seriously?Let me share what 2022 has been like for me - from a horological perspective, at least.A reality check in 2022Although I have been into watches my entire life, my acquisition of the ticking little buggers sped up over the past few years. These were the years I worked at Amsterdam Watch Company. They were also the years in which watches seemed to become the subject of more ...
A Seiko Chronometer And Lange Pocket Watch Come Home
Let's start the week with coffee and pizza! Oh yes, and the homecoming of a Seiko chronometer and a Lange tourbillon pocket watch. The Seiko Museum has recently added a rare and important watch to its historical collection. It is one of the 73 Seiko Observatory Certified Chronometers produced in 1969 with movements that passed the rigorous 45-day Neuchatel Observatory Chronometer test. This particular watch was in the possession of the Swiss Kocher family. Fifty-three years after the watch's creation and precise achievements, it's now back home and on display at the Seiko Museum in Tokyo. Also, a complicated pocket watch with a tourbillon makes its way back to its place of origin. The A. Lan...
Hands-On With The Doxa Army Bronze Bezel In Green
We all saw this one coming. The new Doxa Army regular-production models finally hit the market a few months ago. When I first saw Doxa’s limited edition with Watches of Switzerland in the US, I knew this could only mean one thing. The unmistakable Army dial in a black ceramic case was a hit and sold out instantly. It was only a matter of time before the brand brought some iteration of the original Army back to regular production. After all, the vintage Doxa Army is the icing on the cake for many vintage-diver collectors. My favorite is the Doxa Army bronze bezel version. Let’s have a closer look at the model.Although it might not be the most historically accurate one, the delicat...
Alpina Unveils The Made-Over Alpiner Extreme Automatic
Founded in 1883 of alpine origins, Alpina is a name synonymous with robust watches for the outdoors. The Swiss brand introduced the Extreme line to the Alpiner collection in 2005 at a time when monster watch sizes were all the rage. Reflecting the modern hybrid lifestyles, the Extreme line has undergone its most significant design refresh this year. The latest release is the Alpiner Extreme Automatic in a sensible 41mm case and three colorways to cater to both urban settings and rugged environments.A fresh lookAlpina first revealed this design renovation at Geneva Watch Days 2022 with the Alpiner Extreme Regulator, which Thomas covered here. The new look instantly won me over. It is super st...
Zenith Chronomaster Original Pink For Komen Foundation
You may have heard of Movember, a November-long event in which men grow a mustache to raise awareness about prostate and testicular cancer. Did you know October is also a big month? For nearly four decades, Breast Cancer Awareness Month goes into overdrive in October when there is a lot of pink around. Understandably, you may not notice it if pink doesn’t enter your periphery or if you’re not exposed to any media source for women (or, ahem, any women). In that case, it may take a watch brand and watch media to bring it to your attention… And here we are!Zenith Chronomaster Original PinkAs a time-limited offer during the month of October, Zenith has released a pink-dial Chro...
Introducing: The Studio Underd0g 02Series Field Watch
The sophomore effort from plucky British startup Studio Underd0g comes in the form of the field watch. Field watches are a tentpole category of timepieces emphasizing simplicity, robustness, usability, and a pining sense of adventure. Historically, there is a military connotation, but for the modern day, field watches meet the practical qualities of everyday, active lifestyles. With Studio Underd0g's track record of putting a typically fruity twist on its chronograph, will the brand’s second model stay fresh?I’ve gone on record stating that field watches are as exciting as watching grass grow. Admittedly, it was a flippant statement that applied to some egregiously dull execution...