Best Super NEWS Watches
Watch Spotting: French President Emmanuel Macron Wearing A Merci Watch
French President Emmanuel Macron has been spotted on several occasions wearing the LMM-01 from Merci, the Paris concept store that's become a springboard for young designers. Macron's choice of wristwear seems to be in keeping with his progressive and modern image. The watch is a design object. And indeed, Merci was originally founded for the purpose of raising funds for schools in Madagascar.? The LMM-01 from Merci with a white dial. You may remember this watch from when Jack introduced it back in September. The Merci LMM-01, which is available in quartz and mechanical variations, isn't anything revolutionary in horological t...
Hands-On: The Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin In Titanium And Platinum
Arriving at SIHH 2018, we already had reason to expect the show was going to be a big one for Audemars Piguet. We're at the five-year point in the tenure of Audemars Piguet CEO Francois-Henry Bennahmias, five years being a typical length of the development cycle for major projects at the watchmaker. A company representative tipped me off that this would be a year where we'd see a comprehensive picture of Bennahmias' work. With high-profile releases like the 25th Anniversary Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph, the highly touted RD#2, the first ever concept piece for women, and a Royal Oak Chronograph in full platinum, his effect on product was ?seen across a number of the more than 80 pieces that...
Hands-On: The A. Lange & Sohne Triple Split
One of the most amazing sights at this year's SIHH was at the A. Lange & Sohne booth ("booth" has always struck me as a laughably inadequate word for the elaborate micro-environments the bigger companies construct at Basel and SIHH). Some brands keep more or less the same design from one year to the next and the basic architecture of Lange's booth is relatively conserved, but the centerpiece of their display this year was a giant model of the newly announced Triple Split C with a movement inside made of individual aluminum components, weighing several tons, and plated with German silver (which I'm told was actually assembled twice, just like an actual Lange movement, and for the same rea...
Editors' Picks: The Five Biggest Surprises Of SIHH 2018
We spent the better part of last week at SIHH in Geneva, Switzerland. The Richemont-focused trade show featured new releases from the likes of Cartier to Montblanc, from Panerai to Hermes, and from Lange to Piaget. We covered the show extensively and after a few days of recovery we are giving you our end-of-show round-ups. Here are the watches that most surprised at SIHH 2018. Cara Barrett C Ressence Type 2 e-Crown Not to sound jaded, but once you've seen and handled over say, thousands of watches in your life you tend to get a bit jaded. Another flying tourbillon? Yawn. A perpetual calendar? Yawn again. ...
Introducing: The IWC Tribute To Pallweber Edition '150 Years'
Watchmaking in Switzerland takes place largely in the Francophone regions of the Jura and Geneva, but IWC's presence in German-speaking Schaffhausen seems to have infused it with Germanic horological values C especially solidity and reliability. The pocket watch tradition at IWC was a strong one, and with this new pocket watch C a very faithful, though not exact, version of the traditional Pallweber pocket watches from the late 1800s C IWC returns to pocket watch production once again. Why This Watch Matters The Pallweber is one of the most distinctive pocket watches that IWC made C in fact it's one of th...
Inside The Manufacture: A Visit To The Tudor Strap-Making Factory (VIDEO)
The first time I heard of Julien Faure was at Baselworld in 2014. Tudor had just released the Ranger, and it came with a selection of strap options ranging from the expected stainless steel bracelet and calfskin strap to the more exotic, vintage-inspired bund strap. But those werent what people were talking about most. Along with every Ranger came a second strap, made of finely woven fabric with a camouflage pattern. The camo wasnt simply printed on nylon, the Tudor representatives at the show hastened to add C it was woven into the fabric. I later learned that the fabric straps were made in France on antique shuttle looms by the same folks who made liturgical vestments for the Vatican.? ...
Inside The New Polaris Collection From Jaeger-LeCoultre (VIDEO)
Last week at SIHH 2018, Jaeger-LeCoultre unveiled the new Polaris collection. There are five new watches in total, and each is inspired by the original 1968 diver's alarm Polaris, a classic if there ever was one, though there are lots of new little features and design traits too. It's never easy to take something beloved and do something different with it, but here JLC has created a set of thoroughly modern sports watches while also paying tribute to its history. Ahead of the watches' release, we visited the manufacture in Le Sentier to spea...
Introducing: The Hamilton Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono Limited Edition
This is a large watch, and it features a complex mechanism called a "drift-angle calculator," which Hamilton says pilots can use to calculate crosswinds. But for most of this watch's potential owners, the real appeal will come from the tool-watch aesthetic and the robust Valjoux 7750 chronograph that's been modified specifically for Hamilton in meaningful ways. Why This Watch Matters The H-21 Si movement at the heart of this watch is a modified version of the ETA Valjoux 7750. Hamilton partnered with its fellow Swatch Group subsidiary to make this movement. This souped-up chronograph has been enhanced with a silicon hairspring, making it ...
Editors' Picks: The Best Everyday Watches From SIHH 2018
Yesterday we talked about the watches that most surprised us at SIHH and today we have rounded up our favorite everyday watches. These range from the inexpensive to the more expensive, from steel to platinum. Without further ado, here are our picks for the best everyday watches. Cara Barrett C Cartier Tank Cintre In Platinum One of my favorite watches from the show this year was the Cartier Tank Cintre trio in pink or yellow gold and platinum. I've always had a soft spot for the Cintre and now it is back with a modern case and manual-winding movement in three different metals. The price on this watch r...
Introducing: The Omega Seamaster Olympic Games Collection
With the 2018 Olympic Winter Games kicking off in Pyeongchang, South Korea on February 9th, we all expected Omega to produce a run of limited edition watches to commemorate the big event. What was less expected is the new Seamaster Olympic Games Collection, which spans five colorways of a new model meant to commemorate not the 2018 games specifically, but rather Omegas now 86-year history as the Official Timekeeper for the games.? Why This Watch Matters With a stopwatch-inspired design and a minimal amount of Olympic-specific branding, these new Seamasters offer an appeal that isnt limited to those interested in (or participating in) th...
Editors' Picks: Our Grail Watches Of SIHH 2018
The Grail Watch C we all have one. In year's past, we saw a lot of mid- to top-level watches at SIHH, however this year we saw the focus shift to more commercial pieces at lower price points, a refreshing and practical turn. There were still a lot of highly complicated (and highly expensive) timepieces though that left plenty to our watch collecting imaginations. Here are our grail watches from SIHH 2018. Cara Barrett C Van Cleef & Arpels Lady Arpels Plantarium This year I found myself drawn to a lot of dedicated ladies' pieces. This both surprised and delighted me because either my tastes have chang...
Talking Watches: With Roger Smith
Today we're delighted to have with us one of the most respected figures in all of watchmaking: Mr. Roger Smith. Among his myriad accomplishments, he worked for many years with Dr. George Daniels, the inventor of the co-axial escapement. Roger continues Dr. Daniels' work today from his own atelier on the Isle of Man, where he makes about 10 watches per year to his own exacting standards. His goal, as he tells it, is to create a modern watch, but hand-made, and using traditional watchmaking methods, which advances the art and science of mechanical horology rather than relying on solutions discovered in the past. In his view, watchmaking is at its most interesting when, rather than depending on...
Introducing: The Hublot Big Bang Unico Golf
This is an usual watch with a very specific purpose. Created in partnership with Dustin Johnson, the number one ranked golfer in the world, the Big Bang Unico Golf has a newly-developed complication that allows the wearer to keep score of his or her golf game on the fly. On the right side of the 45mm case are two buttons C one adds a stroke to the player's score, while the second advances the game one hole. Down at six o'clock, a running total of the player's 18-hole score is kept with a pair of discs. At eight o'clock is a tee-shaped pusher that resets the whole thing back to zero.? Why This Watch Matters Sure, this isn't the most practi...
Business News: When Will The U.S. Bounce Back?
At the SIHH salon held last week in Geneva, where 35 luxury watch brands exhibited, Swiss watch executives celebrated last years rebound in Swiss global watch sales and the prospect of a continued recovery this year. Swiss watch exports jumped 3% in 2017, ending a two-year slump, and are expected to grow at least another 3% this year. But there is a stain in the Swiss watch industrys rosier scenario. A big one: Switzerlands second largest watch market, the United States. Swiss watch exports to the U.S. fell for the third consecutive year in 2017, down around 4%. (Official data will be released Jan. 30.) Its a worry, says Jean-Daniel Pasche, president of the F...
Editors' Picks: Favorite Ladies' Watches From SIHH 2018
This year we saw a lot of ladies' watches at SIHH. There was a major focus on finishes as well as complications, which was a welcome change after years of small diamond quartz cocktail watches. To close out on our top picks for SIHH this year, here are our favorite ladies' pieces.? Cara Barrett C Cartier Triple Wrap Panthre The most exciting thing for me this year was the number of ladies' watches to choose from! But if I had to choose one watch as my favorite, it would be the triple wrap Panthre. Last year Cartier re-introduced the Panthre collection with great success. This year it's back with a trip...
Introducing: The Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi
Here we have the Bulgari Serpenti Misteriosi C a unique piece featuring a double-headed snake. You may be familiar with the Tubogas Serpenti watches that are made of white, yellow, or rose gold (and sometimes all three), but here we have a white gold Serpenti encrusted with diamonds and emeralds for the eyes. The Serpenti Misteriosi is a beautiful piece that has a concealed watch under one of the snake heads. It is a one-of-a-kind pieces that measures 40mm across (no small watch).? Why This Watch Matters To most watch nerds, this watch will not matter one bit. But, to the jewelry buffs out there, this is sure to impress. Bulgari is one of...
Introducing: The Breitling Navitimer 8 B01
We have a new watch to announce from Breitling on this Sunday afternoon. It's a 43mm chronograph designed with pilots in mind, ?it's part of the Navitimer family, and it comes with a chronometer-certified, in-house Breitling 01 movement. The watch's design channels the aesthetic of vintage Breitling pilot's pieces with its coin-edge bezel and a reverse panda dial. The name, Breitling 8, comes from the Huit Aviation Department (huit meaning "eight" in French) that Breitling set up in the 1930s to make onboard chronographs for aviators. At the time, the name referred to the lengthy eight days of power reserve with which the instruments came. This watch is automatic, however, so its 70 hours of...
Happenings: Jack Forster To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York
Everyone wants their watch to be accurate, and moreover, nowadays everyone expects it. But just how hard is it to make an accurate watch, and what makes a watch accurate in the first place? In this lecture, well look at how and why precision timekeeping evolved, from the earliest water clocks, through the evolution of pendulum clocks, the first watches, marine chronometers, and on down to todays precision wristwatch. On the way, well keep in mind C as we explore how the modern watch has been shaped by nearly a thousand years of technological and scientific exploration C certain fundamentals in mechanics and physics, and how the ancient enemies of accuracy are still fought on a daily basis...
Introducing: The Breitling Navitimer 8 Automatic
Yesterday we gave you an early look at the first new Breitling watch created under the leadership of IWC vet Georges Kern, the Navitimer 8 B01 chronograph. Today we're back at it, with a simpler watch in the same new collection, the Navitimer Automatic. This simple three-hand-and-date watch comes in at a relatively modest 41mm across (positively tiny by recent Breitling standards) and 10.74mm thick. The styling is very much old-school Breitling, with a mid-century pilot's watch feel, though there is an all-black DLC-coated model that has a slightly more contemporary look than the plain steel versions. Why This Watch Matters As we said yes...
Introducing: The Breitling Navitimer 8 Unitime
As part of the newly-unveiled Breitling Navitimer 8 collection, Breitling is introducing the Navitimer 8 Unitime, a straightforward worldtimer. The stainless steel case measures a robust 43mm across and you have your choice of either a silver or black dial, with the former looking a little more classic and the latter a little more modern. In both cases, there are 24-hour and cities rings around the edge, allowing you to tell time in 24 different timezones all at once. While you might expect a watch like this to have a fixed bezel, this one rotates with 60 positions so you can use the engraved arrow to time discrete events. Powering all of this is the caliber B35, which was Breitling's very f...