What do you imagine when you think of a trip to Florence, Italy? I imagine a scene of the city during the golden hour, with a rose-gold hue bathing its gorgeous architecture. Im sipping away on my bright orange Aperol-Spritz while enjoying a fat brown cigar on one of the citys beautiful piazzas. And now, you may wonder, what watch Im wearing? Well, the Panerai Luminor Goldtech Calendario Perpetuo, of course!I wouldnt actually consider a Panerai for my personal collection any time soon. The times Ive tried them on, Ive found them too big and flashy for my 17cm wrist. And if I? had to choose one, it would be one of the Radiomir models with nearly non-existent wire lugs.So, when I first saw the...
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Our visit to Chopard during the Geneva Watch Days event took us out of Geneva central to Meyrin.There, we visited the Chopard manufacture, which is home to:A) A really sexy Japanese garden.B) The kind of bar I think every boozehound would kill to have in his man cave/her she lair.C) A well-appointed and curated museum detailing the history of the brand.The star of the show here was the Alpine Eagle collection. It was the first time I'd had the opportunity to handle these pieces myself. And, I must say, there were some very nice touches I'd not noticed before.Aesthetically, the stand-out features of the collection are the dial and the steel itself. Firstly, the dial pattern is and I hadn't re...
The much-appreciated Cartier collection the Ballon Bleu family welcomes three new models. This line, introduced in 2007, brings Cartier's calling cards to the party. Refined craftsmanship and a nod to the brands fine jewelry legacy make the Ballon Bleu the kind of crossover piece that keeps on giving. While the diameters of mens watches trend downward, the availability of larger ladies watches continues with this release, with the Ballon Bleu now available in 40mm.At 40mm wide and 12.45mm thick, this watch could easily be worn by men or women. There are a ton of options, ranging from the distinctly feminine, to the undeniably neutral. The steel version with the leather strap, boasting a dial...
You might think that finding the perfect dress watch is one of the easier tasks that might present itself to a watch collector during their journey through our shared hobby. After all, a dress watch is about as stylistically simple as they come, right?Generally held to have just two or three hands with an uncluttered, timeless dial, the dress watch genre sounds one of the simplest to master on paper. However, as time has passed, so too have the boundaries of what is considered dressy expanded. Nowadays, while dress watches still tend to be made from precious metals, their dials can have a little bit more going on and still pass the eye test. To illustrate this point (which will no doubt be h...
Omega Speedmaster Co-Axial Caliber 9300 ReviewIts Speedy Tuesday Sometimes, its refreshing to see other peoples opinions on a watch. On a Speedmaster for example. Today, we give the stage to ?ukasz Doskocz, Editor in chief chronos24.pl. We did a Speedy Co-Axial 9300 Review here before (click here), which was actually the best read article on FW in 2012.The legendary Moonwatch in a brand new stylistically and mechanically version. Now with manufactured automatic movement, date and large(r) steel case.Each year, the watch industry produces tens if not hundreds of millions of timepieces. At the same time as many as couple of hundreds (if not thousands) new models join myriads of already exist...
Are you fired up and ready to roll some coal? Were back with another Fratello contest, and this time, chronographs are ready to light it up Our team members have chosen racing-inspired watches to help get you into a track-worthy state of mind. Qualifying begins with a winner-take-all contest between a 70s-inspired classic, the Sinn 144 St S Anniversary II, and a watch from the grandpappy of racing chronographs. The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph is gassed up and ready to go. The fast and the Fratelli, 3,2,1 ignition!The goal is simple, and so is the race. Race fans, you will vote during The Fast And The Fratelli Grand Prix to decide the best racing chronograph of the past ten years. To make ...
I seem to be on a roll with my newfound love for chronographs. This 90s El Primero chronograph might be over 20 years old, but it sure doesn't look it. Considering the brand's strong history and the El Primero in particular, whats the catch? I cant see any, so its no wonder that I've marked three of these as Chrono24 favorites. Is the mid-90s Zenith Prime the best entry-ticket El Primero chronograph out there?There is a caveat to this story, and that is one simple fact: chronographs and the complex El Primero movement are not cheap to service. So unless you have a very friendly watchmaker, make sure you get one thats recently had the spa treatment. Follow that simple rule, and this particula...
Nothing really new under the Sun with this Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A, but you bet that they need to create (another) waiting list for it. Were talking about the Nautilus with annual calendar and moon phases display.It is no secret that I love and respect the Patek Philippe Nautilus. The original reference 3700/1A being my favourite by far, with the original monobloc case construction (porthole) and caliber 28-255C movement. A close second is a watch that was introduced 30 years later and stayed very close to the original design, the reference 5711/1A. I did a comparison article between the original Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A and the (current) reference 5711/1A here.Patek Philippe ...
I really thought that I had seen all kind of possible threads and topics on watchforums, until I crossed this post at TimeZone by beauSF.The whole thread is about watch store girls and which store has the prettiest.. Must have been a slow day at TimeZone yesterday.. ??...
A while ago, I posted about this watch strap made out of the leather interior of this Mercedes-Benz 300SLR (owned by Jean Todt). If you own a Panerai watch, you probably know all about this strap thing. I have seen them in all kinds of colors, materials (even elephant) and with all types of buckles and inscriptions.A very popular leather strap seems to be the ammo pouch strap. Yes, an ammo pouch. Below youll see one of a Russian soldier outfit from the early 20th century.I have seen some really nice models over at Catcherstraps, and for a decent price as well. The straps made by Ted Su are also very popular amongst Paneristi world wide. I really like the vintage Swiss ammo pouch strap by Ted...
I guess by now youve heard of the Patek Philippe 5711. If not, let me brief you: basically, it is the modern stainless steel iteration of Gerald Gentas (other) classic. It is one of the most desirable sports watches on the planet. In all seriousness, any list without the Nautilus in the top ten is lying to you. It is so desirable, in fact, that Patek Philippe can command 30,400 for a new one. Better still, pre-loved dealers are seeing prices for the recently discontinued blue dial model approach quarter of a million smackers. Thats a lot of cheddar for any mouse. However, if you cant be mithered mixing it with the plebs as they chase after the boring 5711, how about you park your Ferrari on ...
Despite its slightly divisive birth last year, the wider community now seems to have firmly accepted Zeniths Chronomaster Sport with open arms. A few of my friends and acquaintances have picked up the stainless steel version, and the feedback has been very positive. Zenith itself seems to believe in the collection, too, as evidenced by the new releases we see before us. First, we had a steel watch with a ceramic bezel. Then, we had a gold version with a ceramic bezel. Now Zenith has decided to introduce three new models in two-tone and gold with no ceramic bezels in sight.Personally, I felt that the ceramic bezels were the one thing that made the Chronomaster Sport feel so modern compared to...
For many out there, Patek Philippe is the pinnacle of watchmaking. And rightfully so, with beautiful Complication and Grand Complication watches in the Patek collection. And then, of course, there are the Nautilus and Aquanaut collections, which have reached incredible heights of popularity in recent years. The Nautilus, especially, has been at the forefront of desirability for a while now.But Nautilus fever has not always been a thing. I remember my colleague buying a Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A right at list price when it came out in 2006. At the time of introduction, the retail price was 14,700. It increased to around 16K shortly after, though. Not too long ago, the local authorized P...
Some watches are impossible to overlook due to their cult status. Others due to massive value appreciation achieved thanks to massive exposure and popularity among collectors. Let's not forget the watches you might have only seen once before and are forever etched on your memory. Let's take a look at some of the most striking vintage dial designs. As the design is a matter of personal taste at the end of the day, we might be treading through dangerous territory today. Well, Ive decided to go for it anyway It might sound unusual to try to separate the dial design from the case shape, the bezel, or the hand style, but I believe it is a worthwhile exercise. To narrow down the shortlist, I liste...
The Group Stage is in the books. Its time for the head-to-head contests to begin. Over the next two weeks, we will run two quarter-final match-ups each weekendaone on Saturday; one on Sunday. Our intrepid warriors made it through blood baths of their own making, but now they need your help to fight another day. Only one man can progress from each quarter-final to the next stage. The choice of who receives that honor rests with you. Let battle commenceNow its serious. The men have now been sorted from the boys. For this third quarter-final, the champion of Group E takes on the winner of Group F. But first, lets have a look at statistics. Almost 2,400 votes were cast in Group E. 45% of those w...
The days of Maurice Lacroix being an entry level brand is long gone (click here), especially since the introduction of the Masterpiece collection. During BaselWorld 2010, that is going to be held from March 18 till March 25, Maurice Lacroix will be introducing a number of interesting models.Most interesting are the two different Phases de Lune timepieces, since a moon phase is a complication that speaks to everyones imagination. The Phases de Lune are from different Maurice Lacroix collections, namely that of the Pontos and the Les Classiques.First, the Les Classiques Phases de Lune Automatique. A classic shaped moonphase timepiece, with a day and month indicator near 12 oclock, and a very s...
omega Daytona History. The Daytona is without a doubt one of the most sought-after timepieces in the world. Being it new or vintage, this sports chronograph from omega can always count on a lot of interest from watch enthusiasts. Over at Watchonista, they decided to build an ultimate guide on this iconic omega chronograph. With the help of collectors, enthusiasts, editors and auction houses, Watchonista created an interesting time-line overview on the Daytona as well as a complete reference guide.omega Daytona HistoryThe omega Daytona history is being discussed by?Vincent Daveau, journalist and watch writer, in a 7 part article on Watchonista. Also, it contains interviews with Christies Inte...
Oris pays tribute to a living legend, James Morrison with a new time-only wristwatch. No, not that James Morrison, who serenades BBC Radio 2 listeners. Instead, the Australian jazz trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist who at only 57, has amassed respect and adulation from contemporary and big band jazz fans alike.Starting with the Andy Sheppard watch in 1996, Oris have a track record of jazz inspired watches in their classic Artelier range. Oris Chairman, Ulrich Herzog, has a deep love of jazz and Oris have previously sponsored the London Jazz Festival. Jazz standard composer, Thelonious Monks syncopated rhythm style influenced his namesake watch that had offset indices on the dial. This watc...
The Omega Constellation Double Eagle model has been the biggest change of the Constellation line since 1982. Before that, only the 1952-1969 era counts. In the 70s there was no real clear and defined Constellation design. The Manhattan series, which seems to be some kind of??code name for the post-1982 Constellation models, didnt change much until 1995. Most post-Constellation series were referred to as Constellation95 models. Not too long ago, Omega did some restyling and admitted to the big bold hype of most other brands out there. Although it is hard to think of it as a hype anymore. Big watches are here to stay, maybe next to smaller watches again.. but definately no hype (or fad)..A Ti...
..is that you can settle for a new strap while saving up for another model While browsing straps at TimeConnection, Elliots shop, I found multiple interesting straps. One of them though, is a strap I would never buy because of the material it is made of. I dont mind wearing croco, calf, shark, snake and stingray straps, but a strap made out of elephant goes a bit too far for me..Would you wear one?...