Raketa, the Russian watch brand that can trace its origins to the days of Peter the Great, presents another watch inspired by Russian avant-garde artists. Last year we saw the brand’s interpretation of Kazimir Malevich’s Black Square in a wristwatch format. This year the brand releases another “Avant-Garde” limited edition inspired by a communist propaganda […]
The word innovation is so often used and abused in the watch industry that it loses its true meaning. But the development Frederique Constant is unveiling today is an authentic horological breakthrough. A prodigious feat of engineering that relies on the principle of compliant mechanisms, the Slimline Monolithic Manufacture is regulated by a revolutionary flexure […]
While Grand Seiko watches invariably have more of a claim to being works of art than practically all other brands at their price point (and beyond), the Grand Seiko SBGD207 is on a whole other level. Masterpiece is not a term the brand throws around lightly. The Masterpiece collection within Grand Seiko’s catalogue represents their peak craftsmanship: they are high-end watches with high-end price tags and high-end watchmaking. To better understand the amount of time it takes to produce these watches, last year’s Grand Seiko SBGD205, a limited run of ten pieces, has yet to be completed by the manufacturer. The Grand Seiko SBGD207 Spring Drive 8 Day Masterpiece 140th Anniversary Limited Edition of 15 pieces is the sequel to the SBGD205, which incorporated blue sapphires and diamonds into a gorgeous dial. The Grand Seiko SBGD207, however, incorporates rich green tones into its dial – quite timely considering green increasingly seems like the colour of 2021. The platinum case is 43mm in diameter and 13.5mm thick. While the diameter on paper may seem large, the compact lugs mitigate the wrist presence of the watch on what could easily be a unisex option. Platinum is a tough and heavy precious metal,…
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Bronze is nothing particularly new to dive watches. For a time now we have seen manufacturers leverage bronze for its history in diving and the precious metal like tone it carries on the wrist. But not all bronze is created equal. While collectors typically prefer natural patina, in favour of forced or faux-patina, Instagram is ripe with shots before and after bronze cases were left to “force age” – going so far as to leave a watch in egg wash to create a “found at the bottom of the sea” aesthetic. In my opinion, however, the grey-green tone that results (known as verdigris-oxidation) is not very desirable. It creates a corrosive look that can completely deaden the precious tone of bronze. While such a corrosive surface layer is known to protect the underlying metal from further corrosion, it can be quite harmful to your skin and even result in turning your wrist green. This is why Omega spent years developing a whole new alloy for the category, the fruits of their labour being the new Omega Seamaster 300 Bronze Gold, with a Bronze-Au375 Gold alloy that both your eyes and skin will appreciate. The beauty here is you get a…
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When it comes to Omega dive watches, the Seamaster 300 is an enthusiast favourite. Yes, the Diver 300M collection is hugely popular, but for those who aren’t after a contemporary design and prefer the softer and more balanced designs of the Omega archives, then the Seamaster 300 is where you may well eventually find yourself. For 2021, the Bienne-based watchmaker has reinvigorated the collection with all new Omega Seamaster 300 references that remain faithful to the original design, but have a few key updates. With that in mind, we wanted to take a closer look at the new Omega Seamaster 300 versus old variations and unpack the key differences. The dial construction This year the Seamaster 300 has received a totally new dial, both in its construction and in its details (which we’ll get to in a minute). It features what is known as a sandwich dial, which is a first for Omega and basically means that it has two dials sandwiched together to add more visual depth. The baseplate of the dial is German silver, which is coated in vintage-coloured Super-LumiNova, before being covered with the second dial of common bronze which has the hour markers and numerals cut…
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Only two weeks ago we introduced you to the firework display of bedazzling colours in the DEFY 21 Felipe Pantone, which hypnotised us with small, fresh flashes of the rainbow. This time, Zenith shows us how the angular tool presence of the DEFY series projects an image of quiet elegance, in the Zenith DEFY 21 Ultrablue. As the more formal and less outrè brother of the Ultraviolet of 2020, the new Ultrablue is no less of a wrist presence. This time, the dark, matte sandblasted titanium case is matched to the comfortable signature DEFY rubber strap with an indigo blue textured fabric pattern. The light high-tech dynamic language of titanium is a perfect way for Zenith to underline what is their technical tour de force chronograph. Just as the Felipe Pantone edition thoroughly distracted us from what is a seriously impressive version of the El Primero calibre, one press of the top right pusher and you’ll be sold. The mad whizz of the 1/100th second hand through its 360,000vph will boggle your synapses. Equally mind-bending is the fact that all the tech of the twin escapements will fit within a case of such lightness and softness of touch thanks to…
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The fan favourite Omega Seamaster Diver 300m is getting more than a facelift in 2021. That’s right, the watch best known for appearing on the wrist of 007 will now be available in full ceramic in the all-new Omega Seamaster Diver 300m Black Black. And that repetition in the name is for emphasis. This watch is very black indeed. The new design keeps the same 43.5mm case size as the other ceramic reference (ref. 210.92.44.20.01.001 on rubber) with 14.47mm thickness, but is slightly larger than the traditional Diver 300m that measures 42mm in diameter. In ceramic, it is a watch you can expect to wear considerably lighter than the typical stainless-steel case construction thanks to the ceramic material, weighing in at 115g or about 20% lighter than in steel. The Omega Master Chronometer Calibre 8806 powering the new ceramic dive watch is consistent with other references within the collection, offering 55 hours of power reserve and magnetic resistance to 15,000 gauss. You might be wondering how you tell the time on a watch that is completely black, but Omega has considered this practicality. The ceramic has been finished variously across the watch, from the case to the dial to the…
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Finally, after a five-year hiatus, my inner petrolhead is awakened from its slumber, and by a watch! I will not bore you with my younger days of owning British sports cars from the Triumph GT6 to a Lotus Elan to a lovely series 1 Jaguar XJ6 from 1970 with dark blue leather seats. But one glance at the Bremont Jaguar E-Type 60th Anniversary Chronograph and I’m getting a delicious sense of deja-vu. I can almost smell the petrol and Connolly leather. I’ve got both family and past in the UK, so I do feel a little bit less objective than I should. But come on, how can you not get slightly patriotic about the Brits with their new focus on watchmaking profiled in our stories here. Bremont are well known for their intrinsically British offerings, ultra strong steel cases, and handsome tool watches – an oft-abused term (not by me, surely?), but here it honestly rings true. The Bremont team will this week inaugurate their new factory and showroom and are a big part of bringing watchmaking pride and scale back to the green isles of Great Britain. Here we have two unashamedly proud British chronographs with a large dollop…
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I’ve had quite a few microbrands in my personal watchbox. In fact, my first new mechanical watch after a waning vintage obsession was a microbrand. Due to the smaller nature of these businesses, one of the main attractions of buying these watches is the possibility of interacting with the brand owner during the retail process and even developing a relationship of sorts. In addition, there is something cool about the ability of these plucky small manufacturers, many of which are run by one person, to go out alone and stand up to the greats. Alan Tsao of Tsao Baltimore is one of these guys and the 32-year-old founder has now released a brand new model: the Tsao Baltimore Legacy. A small producer like Alan has the agility to feel the pulse of the watch-collecting community and respond fast, releasing models that hit the sweet spot at the right time. Liberated from the bureaucratic rigmarole that working with a large design team involves, he’s able to make quicker decisions and jump on trends while they’re still beginning to crest. If the owner has the right eye for design and colours, there can be a hyper quick turnaround compared to, say, a…
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What’s better than one complicated Cartier? Three complicated Cartiers, especially when they arrive in a specially designed marquetery finished and lacquered wooden box. These three pieces that make up the new Cartier Fine Watchmaking Rotonde de Cartier Precious “Icons Set”, which share the two uniting themes of mystery and skeletonisation. But in a world where the brand is best known for their classic designs from the beginning of the 20th century, what does this trio of large platinum watches really offer? Is it a case of complication for its own sake, or do these pieces actually add something to the current catalogue of the French-founded firm? For more than a hundred years, Cartier have played with illusion in their product design, but more specifically in their watch and clockmaking. Cartier Mystery Clocks are some of the most coveted examples of horological handicraft in existence, with 101 different examples offered by Christies in an important sale last year that showed the mind-bending diversity of design. It is this legacy that has inspired these three watches, each of which features a tourbillon at its heart and an element of historical mystery in their design. Astromysterious This is my personal favourite of the…
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