This Week in Watches: August 8, 2020 Retro Edition
Welcome back to This Week In Watches for August 8, 2020 the Retro Edition. I’ve been on vacation for a couple weeks, but I’m back and ready to share the news.Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Sedna Gold BlueThe new Blancpain Fifty Fathomas Bathyscaphe Sedna Gold Blue is a watch that blends a retro case design with modern touches. It’s hard to dislike this clean looking model, but I just can’t pull of the 43mm case. If you can, though, this Sedna Gold piece adds a new blue dial and comes on either a nylon or sail-canvas 23mm strap. The brand’s caliber 1315 automatic works away inside the 300 meter diver. The price of entry for feeling blue is $22,660. More info...
You Asked Us: Can Watches Be Repaired?
While the answer to this question is (relatively) simple, exactly how you go about having a repairable watch brought back to life is very important. Chief among them is finding someone you trust to repair your watch…Theoretically, almost all mechanical watches can be repaired. As I used to say to concerned clients when I was working at the bench, “if it can be made, it can be remade.” As poetically satisfying as that statement was to deliver, it isn’t?technically true. While lost machines could be rebuilt (from scratch if necessary), there?are things that simply aren’t available anymore. The most obvious example for us, perhaps when it comes to radium lume. What...
A Brief History Of Time: Audemars Piguet Part Two (1968C2021)
Welcome back to another installment of A Brief History of Time: Audemars Piguet. When I left you, it was 1967. Haute horology honchos Jaeger-LeCoultre, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe, had just developed the thinnest centrally wound automatic movements. Known by Audemars Piguet as calibers 2120 and 2121, these movements were the next level of both elegance and reliability. It was this combination of refinement and robustness that would not only ensure the calibers' 54-year production run but also place them at the heart of some of the most game-changing, iconic watches of all time. Before that could happen, however, the watch world would need a good shakeup. And a go...
How Watches Work: Bi-Compax Vs. Tri-Compax
We all know what these terms mean, right? Of course, we do. They’re commonly used and well-known to all chronograph fans and collectors. Well, what if I told you that the majority of times we see the terms bi-compax and tri-compax used, they’re not technically correct? Granted, it’s not quite as bad as seeing “deployment” instead of “deployant”, but we watch fans pride ourselves on factual accuracy, so let’s clear things up.I’m not going to teach you how to suck eggs. We all know what a chronograph is, but for the sake of completeness, let’s just define it here. As you’re almost certainly aware, a chronograph is a stopwatch th...
Theft And The Fear Of Watch Ownership
The horror stories are everywhere. Someone’s watch is snatched in a city here, someone violently assaulted on video there. If you look for it, there’s enough terror regarding theft of luxury watches to keep you and your watches securely locked indoors. But is it as bad as it seems? And are there ways to prevent what seems to be an international trend in watch thievery from happening to you? It’s true, watch theft is bad, but the news around it certainly makes it worse.What started as anecdotal stories or CCTV footage shared among friends on forums and YouTube has spilled into the public’s consciousness. Theft of watches and other luxury goods has now been featured by ...
Why I Bought This 1952 Omega Constellation
With the purchase of this Omega Constellation from1952, a longtime dream of mine came true. It’s one of the watches that’s very special to me, and in this lengthy article, it will become clear why. Also, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Omega Constellation, the watch that was once the brand’s flagship.In 1948, Omega introduced the Centenary to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company’s establishment. Notably, the Centenary was Omega’s very first chronometer-certified automatic wristwatch. Only 6,000 of those watches were produced in total.Centenary (1948), reference OT2500. Image: Koller auctions1952 - The introduction of the ConstellationIt w...
Outer-Worldy Creations From Trilobe And HYT
Summer is the perfect time to forget about time. Easier said than done, I agree. What might help a little is wearing a watch that does away with traditional hands or a relentlessly exact digital display. That's why I present you a Coffee Corner Watch Talk with outer-worldly Trilobe and HYT creations. And if those are a bit too alien for your liking, why not check out the disco balls - sorry, squares - that Glashutte Original has constructed? Have a coffee, a look at the watches, and a watch talk to kick off the week.Watches with hands and digital displays seem to have this sense of urgency in telling you the exact time. Maybe that’s not something you're looking for during a lazy summer...
New: Grand Seiko SBGW291 And SBGW293 (2022)
Today, Grand Seiko adds a duo of new watches to its Heritage collection. The SBGW291 and SBGW293 take the 44GS shape down to a vintage-inspired 36.5mm size. If you are a regular reader of my articles, you know that this could get very expensive for me. I love Grand Seiko, and I love the 36-37mm size range for watches of this style. We have seen the pink-dial SBGW289 in this size before, but that was a limited edition. These two are additions to the regular collection. Let's see if they manage to lure me out of my hard-earned cash.The two new watches are identical, except for the dial and strap colors. The SBGW291 has a silver sunburst dial and is paired with a gray alligator strap. The SBGW2...
The Hot White Omega Speedmaster Watches
As a collector of Omega Speedmaster watches, I have always been attracted to the variations with a white dial. I only succeeded in adding one to my collection (finally) in the early 2000s by acquiring the Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonphase ref. 3575.20. It is the most gorgeous variation of the Moonphase models that I’ve ever seen, and I would like to highlight some other white-dial Speedy beauties today.An Alaska prototypeWhite-dial Speedmaster watchesThe Omega Speedmaster debuted with a black dial in 1957, and it would not be until 1969 that Omega would show the watch with a “light” dial color (gold). A few Speedmaster Professionals have left the Omega headquarters w...
Best Watches Under $3,000: Thomas's Picks
When I first heard the concept for this series - the best watches under $3,000 - I thought the assignment would be super easy. But upon closer inspection, you will find that most big brands have moved out of this price bracket over the past years. For example, the Tudor Black Bay 36 immediately sprung to my mind. But nope, it is no longer sub-$3K. Still, $3,000 is a large amount of money for most people, and it feels like it should buy you a very serious watch. So what would I buy if I were spending it myself?As you have seen from previous entries by my fellow writers, we get to pick three new watches and one vintage/pre-owned bonus. Now, without further ado, let's get into my picks under $3...
Gray Market Tomfoolery And Homages
We’re back with a new episode of Fratello On Air. This week, we touch on a couple of recent topics, including the gray market and some associated troubles. We also discuss a newly released homage watch and the light controversy that it brought. As always, we enjoyed ourselves and hope that you’ll do the same!...
Seiko Introduces The Limited-Edition King Seiko SJE095
In May of this year, Seiko introduced two new references within its King Seiko collection, the SJE089 and SJE091. The most important new features were the use of the slim-line 6L35 movement and the case dimensions. The cases measure 38.6mm in diameter, but most importantly, at 10.7mm, they’re thinner than any other modern King Seiko watch. And whenever Seiko introduces a new model, you can be sure that a limited edition will soon follow in its tracks. So let me introduce you to the King Seiko SJE095.If you’ve been keeping up with limited-edition watches from the Japanese watchmaker, you know that seasons and flowers are often sources of inspiration. Well, this King Seiko SJE095 l...
The Mystery Of The Alpina 10 Seastrong With Red Hands
The Alpina 10 Seastrong was on my shopping list for a long time. These watches are not easy to come by. They are not exactly rare, but they do not pop up for sale too often. What we can call rare is the specific model we’ll be checking out today, which features a set of red hands. It has been four years since I got my hands on it, and the reason for their red tone is still a mystery.I have a very fond relationship with the Alpina 10 Seastrong. My first Alpina 10 came from an original owner, and I didn’t even bother to change the crystal. It was listed for sale by Claes, a Swedish man, on behalf of his 72-year-old friend, Larson, who doesn’t own a computer. I had no clue abo...
Daniel Craig Wears A New Omega Seamaster Professional
All eyes are on Paris this summer as the city hosts the Summer Olympics. But today, it’s not the XXXIII Olympiad that has caught our attention. Instead, it was the watch on the wrist of someone in the crowd minding their own business and enjoying the games. That someone happens to be Daniel Craig, former James Bond actor, Omega ambassador, and infamous wearer of unreleased watches.It was the sharp eye of the folks at?Gear Patrol that first spotted what appeared to be a black-dialed Omega Seamaster Professional 300M on a mesh strap with no date window. At a glance, you might have mistaken it for a titanium NTTD Seamaster, or maybe even the James Bond 60th Anniversary model. However, the...
Fratello Talks: How Much Genta Is Too Much Genta?
Howdy, folks! On today’s episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Lex ask themselves: how much Genta is too much Genta? It’s hard to think of a name more revered in the field of watch design. The man’s designs have been around since the 1950s and include countless staples. Only recently have some of them reached their peak of popularity, culminating in a collective brouhaha for anything bearing his name. But is this perennial relevance justified? Are all of his designs created equal? Or are there some misses to the hits? Are we on the verge of reaching Genta fatigue? In today’s episode, we look at how Gerald Genta’s designs evolved over the years to become some...
Atelier Wen Releases Its Second "Inside The Atelier" Video
Atelier Wen has taken up the mantle of providing insightful looks at Chinese watchmaking. With the Inside The Atelier video series, we are treated to an inside view of different suppliers of the brand’s end product. Today’s video focuses on movement-making with a rare behind-the-scenes tour of the Liaoning Peacock Watch Company in Dandong.Back in February, we covered the initial Inside The Atelier video from Atelier Wen. For many viewers, I believe it provided a surprising view of the serene workshop where Master Cheng, the guilloche artist who provides all of the brand’s dials, creates magic. The newest installment examines a different type of operation. Importantly, the l...
Speedy Tuesday A Reader's Speedmaster Mark 4.5 in New Old Stock Condition
Reader’s StoryWe received a?letter?from Indonesian watch collector Ruby about his Omega Speedmaster Mark 4.5. There are more of those around of course, but Ruby found one in NOS (New Old Stock) condition. Complete with box and papers.Ruby started his watch collection in November 2013, when he purchased a Seiko World Time 50th Anniversary watch. Ever since, he collects mechanical Seiko chronographs but also has a weak spot for Omega. Besides the Speedmaster Mark 4.5 we will talk about today, he has a Speedmaster Professional Apollo XI with caliber 863 movement and a gold-capped Constellation caliber 751. Both in awesome condition.Speedmaster Mark 4.5But let’s have a look at his Om...
Eza Watches Announces A New Model The Eza AirFighter
I just ordered a watch. No really, just now. The Eza AirFighter. After seeing the press release, I made sure to secure one for myself. That doesn’t happen very often I might add. But first, let’s have a look at the new Eza AirFighter.Eza AirFighterWithout trying and meaning to be nasty, this watch somehow reminded me of the Glashutte Original Navigator. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, and the founders of Eza had to google it when I mentioned this (at least, I hear some typing on the background when I was on the phone with them). And to be honest, I liked that watch a lot. It is certainly not a copy or even homage, but the hands in combination with the fat case reminded me ...
#TBT Top Vintage Seiko Divers They're All Here!
List articles are a bit controversial so you can start your concerns now on this Top Vintage Seiko Divers posting. First off, they're 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 don't know about you, but I like to keep things nice and light while I'm poolside sipping a beverage....
Hands-On: Tissot Heritage 1973 Chronograph Review
Watches, such as the Tissot Heritage 1973 don't often happen these days.Let me explain why we have to talk about them. Reeditions, homage watches or vintage reinterpretations are pretty standard in the industry these days. We covered some of them in the past. However, it seems that the golden age of vintage watches ended with the 1960s. Watches, and especially chronographs of the '70s were much different than the timepieces that came out a decade earlier. They were huge compared to the small 36-38mm chronographs of the '50s and '60s. They were much more colourful, and most of them had automatic movements. As they are less classic than those mentioned above 60's chronographs, brands don't wan...