Best Super NEWS Watches
Vulcain Introduces The 50s Presidents Chronograph Heritage: A Classical Mono-Pusher (Live Pics)
Entirely new this year from Vulcain is the 50s Presidents Chronograph Heritage.? Inspiration for the new watch comes from Vulcain's early involvement with Spanish football team, Real Madrid, whose coach Francisco Bru used a Vulcain chronograph in training exercises for his players, and even credited the watch with helping them win the 1934 Spanish Championship. With a chronometer-certified movement, the new Presidents Chronograph Heritage continues the theme of precision timing, set to throwback good looks. Did we mention it's a monopusher as well?The Heritage chronograph comes in a few flavors, we saw the stainless steel and the pink gold, each with black dials and off-white printing. The d...
VIDEO: An Exclusive Early Look At The 40th Anniversary Royal Oak Exhibition In NYC, Opening Today
The 40th anniversay of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak exhibition officially opens to the public today and runs through this saturday.? The exhibition will include 100 timepieces, many of which coming into public viewing for the very first time.? Included in these lots will be the very first Royal Oak "A-Series" from 1972, Gerald Genta's personal Royal Oak, and even Guy Laliberte's one-off grand complication that made it into space!On top of all the watch goodness, there is a large modern art component to the exhibit - Dan Holdsworth's photopraphy of the Valle de Joux, where Audemars Piguet is based will be on display, alongside artist Davide Quayola's installations experimenting with photo...
Found: Gerald Genta's Personal Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
We popped over to the Park Avenue Armory today to see how the 40th Anniversary of the Royal Oak Exhibition is coming along (we'll be posting a video of a behind the scenes look at that tomorrow).? And, while we were there, we caught an exclusive look at what must be one of the most important Royal Oak watches in the world.? You see, AP has brought over 100 museum pieces to show to the public (and us, exclusively, this Friday night), and in some cases, they reached out to a few friends for special pieces.?One such friend is the widow of the late Gerald Genta, the designer of the Royal Oak, and one such special piece is the Royal Oak Jumbo Mr. Genta designed, constructed himself, and wore thro...
Ma?tres du Temps is one of those mega brands that does what we all wish we could do - bring together the best watchmaking talents in the world in a collaborative tone.? With Chapter one, we saw Roger DuBuis, Peter Speake-Marin, and Christophe Claret join forces.? With Chapter two, we saw Peter back again, this time with Daniel Roth.? Now, just last week at Basel World, we were presented with Chapter Three, a collaboration between none other than Andreas Strehler (of Harry Winston Opus XII, among other things) and Kari Voutilainen (of Kari Voutilainen).?This watch is different from the first two chapters in a few ways - the first of which being tha is small (42mm but wears smaller), and round...
Hands-On: With The Linde Werdelin Oktopus II Double Date (Live Pics + Official Pricing)
Last month, we brought you a first look at the entirely new Oktopus II, the dedicated dive watch from Linde Werdelin. Earlier this month at Basel, the London based company officially took the lid off their new Oktopus and we went hands on with their colorful new creation. What did we find? The watch is still a perfect companion to the Reef (which has seen its own updates over time), and still carries a healthy dose of Linde Werdelin design DNA to enjoy. So what's new for Oktopus the sequel? The redesigned, 5-part case is constructed mostly of brushed titanium, with insets of either black DLC, rose gold, or ceramic (a first for LW). These materials, along with the unique construction of the c...
The Seiko Astron: GPS, Solar Power, Is There Anything This Watch Can't Do? (Live Photo)
One of the more impressive watches to come out of Basel this year came not from the quiet cantons of Switzerland, but rather from none other than the quintessential Japanese brand, Seiko.The Seiko Astron is a Solar GPS watch and takes its name from the Seiko Astron of 1969, the worlds first quartz watch (which got a very cool reissue recently) . Invoking the Astron name isnt (just) convenient marketing on Seikos behalf; the Astron of 2012 is a worthy successor to its groundbreaking namesake.What makes this watch special is a low energy GPS receiver that means that this watch can talk to GPS satellites to determine the time and date on its own. The receiver in the watch gets a signal from a...
Found: A "Time Capsule" Paul Newman Daytona, Complete With Full Receipts Of Purchase From 1974
The Paul Newman Daytona is undoubtedly a watch most vintage Rolex guys strive to own, but it's also quite possibly the most dangerous watch to buy.? You see, a Paul Newman is an expensive watch, and Newman waters are murky, and full of sharks - sharks that know a thing or two about manufacturing dials.? So, when buying a Paul Newman, you'll want as much faith in your seller as possible, and preferably, some original documents too.Which brings us to this Paul Newman above.? According to the seller, watch was purchased from the original owner who wore it only to weddings and funerals, and it retains the entire, complete original package as it was when purchased on January 1 28, 1974 at Buchere...
VIDEO: The Schofield Signalman Explained By Schofield Founder Giles Ellis
By now you've probably heard about the UK based upstart Schofield and their first watch, the Signalman GMT. The young brand, launched at the 2011 Salon QP, shows considerable promise and boasts a story with a lot to love. While in Basel last week, we ran into company founder Giles Ellis and got the chance to go hands-on with his creations, and get an explanation in his own words. First impressions of the Signalman are strong, lots of character in the well designed dial, useful complications, and a case that evokes maritime engineering. The watch has a powerful presence that might even overwhelm some wrists, it's difficult to imagine the watch living incognito under the cuff of a fine dress s...
One of our favorite things to do with new watches that are, in theory, connected with the watches of previous generations is put the old and new side-by-side.? You saw it here with the Rolex Explorer II Orange-Hand and here with the Royal Oak Jumbo, and at Basel World, we decided to do it with the excellent new Jack Heuer 80th Birthday Carrera, a watch we showed you in detail here.You see, Jack Heuer designed his 80th birthday watch himself, and he is also responsible for the conception of the classic Heuer chronos for 40+ years ago, so, we brought along an early 1960s Heuer Carrera (reference 2447N) to see how they look side by side.? Obviously, the biggest difference between the two Carrer...
Chopard Updates L.U.C Lunar One Perpetual Calendar, Shows New Design Direction (Live Pics)
Chopard first introduced the L.U.C Lunar One in 2005, bringing a perpetual calendar moon phase into the brand's range-toping collection bearing the initials of the company's founder, Louis-Ulysse Chopard. For Baselworld 2012, the watch receives a decidedly contemporary update, and leads the way for a new aesthetic to the rest of the L.U.C collection. A welcome change, if only skin-deep. The new dial features a cleaner arrangement of the complications while retaining healthy portion of the watches original charm, including the big date display at 12 o'clock. The most prominent element is the new orbital moon phase display, which rotates around the small seconds axis. The module powering the c...
VIDEO: Introducing The Devon Works Tread 2, As Explained By Chief Engineer Jeff Stephenson
California company Devon Works is following up on their popular Tread 1 watch with a second generation, the Tread 2, this year at Baselworld. Last year we brought you an in-depth look at the Tread 1, and you may remember a couple of points against it were its size and its audible annoyance. Both issues have been addressed with the Tread 2 without compromising any of the original charm. While in Basel last week, we sat down with Devon engineer Jeff Stephenson for an explanation of some of the new features.?The first thing you'll notice about the Tread 2 are its far more manageable dimensions. While it's still a far cry from svelte, wearability is vastly improved. Further helping in the practi...
Click to expand.One watch we were really excited to see was the Jack Heuer 80th Birthday Carrera from TAG Heuer, that was announced publicly the week before Basel World began.? Often times, a watch that looks good in pictures doesn't always translate into a handsome piece in the metal - luckily that is not the case with the Jack Heuer Carrera. This thing rocks.Sized at a nice 41mm, this special Carrera was designed by Jack Heuer himself, which is why it looks as if it could've been made 40+ years ago, and perhaps the reason why it stands out from the rest of the Carrera bunch.?What makes this one special is the dual register layout (all Cal 1887's are tri-register), the bright red accents fo...
Introducing The Corum Admiral's Cup Legend 42 Annual Calendar (Live Pics)
Corum's familiar 12 sided Admiral's Cup gets a formal addition this year with the Legend 42 Annual Calendar. As with all Admiral's Cup watches from Corum, the bezel is adorned with the 12 nautical pennants from the International Maritime Signals Code, paying tribute to the ocean race for which it is named. These details, along with the 12 sided bezel (dodecagon?) are toned down for this watch however, resulting in a softer approach to this usually aggressive watch. The star of the show here is the symmetrical integration of the annual calendar complication via caliber CO503. The month is read from a sundial at 6 o'clock, and the date ring runs around the chapter ring at the perimeter, tracke...
Hands-On: With Kari Voutilainen's First Tourbillon Wristwatch (Live Pics + Video)
Kari Voutilainen is one of the most respected watchmakers on planet earth.? He is truly one of the leading independent craftsman that makes high-end watchmaking what it is today, and his timepieces are as rare and valuable as any in the world.?Kari has made some truly exceptional pieces in his career, including devising the new Ma?tres du Temps Chapter Three (which we'll show you soon) and finishing the movement on the MB&F Legacy Machine One, but one thing he has never made is a tourbillon wristwatch.? Until now.Just this past Sunday at Basel, Kari sat down and showed us the watch you see above.? And, if one just takes a look at the dial of this Voutuilainen, one might assume it is just...
With the 40th anniversary celebration of the Royal Oak coming to New York next week, Audemars Piguet just sent us the specs on a brand new, 300 page book documenting the history of the most famous of Mr. Genta's designs - a book written by Martin Wehrli, Audemars Piguet Museum Director for the last 20 years, and one that takes a look at the watch through the eyes of several men and women who have worn them over the past four decades.The Royal Oak Book will be available on March 21st, 2012 at both the AP boutique in NYC and Bal Harbour, as well as the Royal Oak exhibition.? The book will also be available at select bookstores in the near future.? The price will be approximately $100. ...
Introducing The Grand Seiko GMT Anniversary Edition (Live Photos + Pricing)
Ten years ago, Seiko introduced a GMT model into their high-end Grand Seiko range. The watch has gone on to become one the most successful and recognizable models for the sometimes misunderstood side of the brand. This year at Basel, Seiko introduced two limited edition Grand Seiko GMTs to celebrate the anniversary, each with heavy doses of the brands' traditional blue, both front and back.Both watches share the same 9S66 caliber as found in the old model, but beyond that's where the similiarities end. Ref. SBGM029 is offered with a stainless steel case and measures in at 39.2mm in diameter. It also sports an exterior 24hr bezel quite reminiscent of a certain other famous GMT. Ref. SBGM031 i...
In-Depth: The Tudor Heritage Black Bay Reference 7922R (Full Specs + Official Pricing + Live Photos)
In 2010, Tudor introduced a watch called The Heritage Chronograph (inspired by this chronograph from the early 1970s) that, in the eyes of many (including us), unofficially, but dramatically relaunched the brand that few here in the US of A ever saw and those in the remainder of the world thought of as anything more than the poor mans Rolex.?You see, Tudor was designed to be just that C it was created in the 1946 to be a less expensive Rolex, and through most of its history, employed half of its parent company's genius (the Rolex Oyster case, but not the Rolex in-house calibers) and sold for about 2/3 the price. It made perfect sense from a commercial stand point, but it was always an a...
An Early Look At The Ressence Concept Watch: Dial And Crystal Become One
Last year, we brought you a look at the first watch from Belgium industrial designer, Benoit Mintiens called the Ressence Type 1001. Since then, Benoit has figured out a way to seamlessly integrate the innovative dial platform to the domed crystal. At Basel this year, he was kind enough to show us a peak at what we can expect from the new model.The dial of the new watch carries a few visual updates, including a slight redesign of the minute index and AM/PM indicator. Also, the crown has gone missing, instead moving to a system that requires twisting the bottom portion of the case for both winding and setting. These aren't the first details you'll notice however. The new watch has a crystal t...
On The Block: An Original Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic, A True Cult Watch (And A Break From Basel)
We've been doing our best to keep you up to date on the very best of Basel World 2012 (see posts here).? There will be literally dozes of more posts to come on the topic, but for now, we thought we'd show you something old in the middle of all the releases.? You are looking at an original Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic, from 1958.? This is a true cult watch among vintage collectors, and here's why:"1957 C 1958 was designated International Geophysical Year. This was an international scientific effort in which 67 countries took part in making observations and carrying out experiments in various aspects of the earth sciences such as seismology, electromagnetism, glaciology, radioactivity and solar ...
Introducing The Armin Strom Racing Carbon Watch: Carbon On More Than Just The Dial (Live Photos)
Back in 2009 we introduced you to Biel based manufacture Armin Strom, a 16 person operation making and finishing some properly interesting calibers. Today the company boasts 18 people and their involvement with racing sports such as F1 and Extreme Sailing has yielded some timepieces bespoke with components straight out of the competitive machines themselves. This year at Basel, Armin Strom is introducing the Racing Carbon to celebrate this involvement. The Racing Carbon's carbon inlays along the levels of brass bridges and plates. The composite's strategic use within the dial creates a depth of contrast against the revealed twin mainspring barrels and gear train. The carbon is uncoated and r...