Hands-On – Chopard L.U.C XPS Twist Qualité Fleurier Fairmined – Original, Luxurious and… Ethical

The classic elegance of L.U.C Chopard, with a contemporary twist and a hint of fair trade… because yes, watchmaking can also take care of social development and environmental protection. Meet the Chopard L.U.C XPS Twist Qualité Fleurier Fairmined, a slender limited edition timepiece resonating a unique perception of elegance, powered by a superb micro-rotor movement and crafted in ethical pink gold.

8 years ago

Hands-On – Junghans Form A (Defining Bauhaus and Minimalism)

If looking for “the total package” in terms of heritage, well designed, mechanical watches at an affordable sticker price, you simply shouldn’t overlook Junghans. We’ve seen in the past that the brand is capable of offering watches with a very strong design following its own identity to the letter, with basic but reliable movements that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Always leaning on automotive inspiration or following the Bauhaus movement, Junghans brings the Form A (for Automatic) to Baselworld 2017.

8 years ago

Hands-On – James C. Pellaton Royal Marine Chronometer (With Proper Haute-Horlogerie Execution)

If you are experienced with the history of watchmaking or simply if you have ever paid attention to tourbillon pocket watches in auction catalogues, then you are probably familiar with the Pellaton name. It is connected to the makers of some of the most exceptional tourbillons in history. And now it’s brought back to life with a remarkable watch, to say the least! Here is the James C. Pellaton Royal Marine Chronometer, featuring an incredibly well finished movement (and it’s our technical editor who says that).

8 years ago

Hands-On – Schwarz Etienne La Chaux-de-fonds Tourbillon Petite Seconde Retrograde (Baselworld 2017)

Schwarz Etienne started with a vertical integration strategy a few years ago, going as far as producing hairsprings in-house, with their sister company E2O innovations (read our recent introduction article about the brand here). This involved deep products’ evolution and a strategy based on a modular approach to movement development; a family of mechanical movements was created and evolved into different versions. Today, we take a look at the interesting La Chaux-de-Fonds Tourbillon Petite Seconde Retrograde, which was presented during Baselworld 2017.

8 years ago

Hands-On – Seiko Prospex Diver SLA017 – Recreation of the 1965 Seiko 62Mas ref. 6217

This is it; the star of show – or at least the watch that received most comments and that reached the 1st place in our “most read article of Baselworld 2017“. And believe us, surpassing Rolex in numbers during the Basel Watch Fair is properly impressive… All of that, just to tell you how expected this watch was and how well received it has been. Its name: the Seiko Prospex Diver SLA017. Its function: being a faithful recreation of the 1965 Seiko 62Mas ref. 6217, meaning the first professional dive watch of the Japanese manufacture. Its achievement: already being a collector. Overview of an upcoming success story.

8 years ago

Hands-On – Seiko Prospex Diver SLA017 – Recreation of the 1965 Seiko 62Mas ref. 6217

This is it; the star of show – or at least the watch that received most comments and that reached the 1st place in our “most read article of Baselworld 2017“. And believe us, surpassing Rolex in numbers during the Basel Watch Fair is properly impressive… All of that, just to tell you how expected this watch was and how well received it has been. Its name: the Seiko Prospex Diver SLA017. Its function: being a faithful recreation of the 1965 Seiko 62Mas ref. 6217, meaning the first professional dive watch of the Japanese manufacture. Its achievement: already being a collector. Overview of an upcoming success story.

8 years ago

Hands-On – Zenith Defy El Primero 21 – From a 10th to a 100th of a Second (Video, Specs & Price)

Back in 1969, Zenith introduced a movement that will later become an icon, as being both one of the first automatic chronograph movements, and being the 20th century’s king of precision, as beating at 5Hz and being precise to the 10th of a second. Its name: the El Primero. At Baselworld, the Le Locle-based manufacture has given this fast-beating engine a 21st century appeal: 50Hz frequency, precision to the 100th of a second, modernized look, open-worked movement. Here is the Zenith Defy El Primero 21… and it’s fast, very fast.

8 years ago

Hands-On – Zenith Defy El Primero 21 – From a 10th to a 100th of a Second (Video, Specs & Price)

Back in 1969, Zenith introduced a movement that will later become an icon, as being both one of the first automatic chronograph movements, and being the 20th century’s king of precision, as beating at 5Hz and being precise to the 10th of a second. Its name: the El Primero. At Baselworld, the Le Locle-based manufacture has given this fast-beating engine a 21st century appeal: 50Hz frequency, precision to the 100th of a second, modernized look, open-worked movement. Here is the Zenith Defy El Primero 21… and it’s fast, very fast.

8 years ago

Introducing – Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon – Now With Slate Dial, Still With Exceptional Level of Finishing

The Malte always had a special position in the Vacheron Constantin collection, as using something that tends to disappear nowadays: a shaped case. Indeed, the Malte relies on a certain Art-Deco flair, on a voluntarily outdated style that gives the watch all its charm. But this timepiece is not just a pretty face, as inside the case is an exquisitely finished (to say the least) tourbillon movement. And as of now, its 18k pink gold case can be combined to a dark grey dial, for a warmer look. Here is the Vacheron Constantin Malte Tourbillon Pink Gold Slate Dial.

8 years ago

All you need to know about the Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm Ref. 126600 – Why it is like it is? (REVIEW)

Both extremely expected, very surprising and somehow controversial, as maybe not what long-time Rolex collectors were hopping for, the new Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm Ref. 126600 has been one of the main talking pieces of Baselworld 2017, just like the Ceramic / Steel Daytona made the headlines in 2016… But not for the same reasons. The main novelty of Rolex for 2017 is indeed less easy to understand than the star of the previous collection, and this is why we had to give you all the possible explanations about this Rolex Sea-Dweller 43mm Ref. 126600, a watch that needs more than just a quick glance to be perfectly apprehended.

8 years ago