Introducing – The new URWERK UR-111C – No More Wandering Hours but Still Spectacular

It is not every day that URWERK presents a brand new piece – not an adaptation of an existing piece, but something truly different and unique. So when URWERK announces something new, we’re always excited to see the result of many years of development… And its latest baby does not disappoint. Bold and ultra-modern, as a URWERK should be, the new creation gets rid of the signature wandering hours indication to restore another iconic display: linear retrograde minutes. Meet the URWERK UR-111C, the direct descendant of the UR-CC1 King Cobra and a watch that brings many, many cool details and mechanical innovations.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Chronoswiss Gives its Flying Grand Regulator a Splash of Colour

Regulators have been a Chronoswiss trademark since the brand presented its first regulator wristwatch in 1987. With its 44mm case, the Grand Regulator has been one of the flagship models of the Chronoswiss collections for years. In 2017, the model got a facelift with the Flying Grand Regulator and a skeleton version – which we reviewed here. The addition of a 3D dial adds a sense of depth to the model and the impression that the regulator complication is floating above the dial. This year, the Lucerne-based brand adds a splash of colour to the model with two limited editions packaged in DLC-coated steel cases.

7 years ago

Introducing – The new Vacheron Constantin FIFTYSIX Tourbillon Automatic

At the SIHH 2018, Vacheron Constantin came with one brand new and important collection for the brand, the FIFTYSIX. With a clear intention to renew the clientele and to bring younger and less hardcore-oriented potential customers, this watch mixed vintage elements with a modern, masculine and slightly casual design. Presented in 3 different version (automatic, day-date, complete calendar), each of them available in steel or gold, it’s time now for the FIFTYSIX to up the game and to receive true Vacheron Constantin savoir-faire. This has just been done with the addition of a high-end, automatic peripheral tourbillon movement.

7 years ago

Introducing – Farer Launches Three Automatic Chronographs – Cobb, Eldridge and Segrave

You’d be hard pressed to find a more mature and unique watch company in the world of microbrands than London-based Farer Universal. Their production is predictably limited in number for a small brand, offering a maximum of 300 individual watches within most series (many are limited to 100) and they often sell out in a matter of months. They’re known for using a lot of colours and whimsical designs, yet maintain a sophistication and maturity that keep them from resembling expensive Swatch watches. With the exception of their initial quartz line, Farer always releases new watches in a series of three, all having very different dial designs that share a common case. Following up on the 37mm Hand-Wound series released a few months ago, the company just launched three automatic chronographs that continue their distinctive design language – The Cobb, Eldridge and Segrave.

7 years ago

First Look – The Revamped Bvlgari Bvlgari – Slimmer, Bolder and with New Materials

The Bvlgari Bvlgari has been one of the brand’s most emblematic watches for over 40 years. The model was born in 1975 as the Bulgari brothers decided to create a watch as an exclusive gift for their best 100 clients. What started as a gift became an enduring Bvlgari design, reinventing itself over the years. Inspired by ancient Roman coins, the watch features pure, simple but powerful lines. In an original way, there is no logo on the dial. Instead, the Bvlgari logo engraved twice on the bezel, earning the timepiece the nickname “BB”. And this icon has just received a discreet facelift, to make it more modern.

7 years ago

Introducing – Hamilton Intra-Matic with Smoked Dials

Although Hamilton is associated with rugged pilot’s watches, there is life beyond the cockpit. First introduced in 2012, Hamilton’s Intra-Matic rides on the current mania for all things vintage, and proposes a classic two-hand and date dress watch that would not look amiss on Don Draper’s wrist in Mad Men. Inspired by the pared-down elegance and functionality of watches produced in the 1960’s, the original monochromatic offer is now enhanced with trendy ‘smoked’ dials in a wider and warmer choice of colours at competitive prices.

7 years ago

Introducing – Oris Big Crown ProPilot 55th Reno Air Races Limited Edition

As a watch manufacturer, Oris has been associated with the world of aviation pretty much since the inception of the brand. The company made its first pilot’s pocket watch in the early 1910s, followed by its first pilot’s wristwatch in 1917 and hasn’t looked back since. It seems fitting then, that Oris has been named as the Official Timepiece Sponsor of the 55th edition of the world-famous Reno Air Races. A new partnership, of course, calls for a new watch, and so the brand is introducing the Oris Big Crown ProPilot 55th Reno Air Races Limited Edition. Read on for all the details.

7 years ago

Hands-on – Chopard at The Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix with a New Limited Edition Mille Miglia

For a few years now, Zandvoort has been hosting one of the best Historic Grand Prices. A fantastic event with an international field of historic race cars from a wide range of categories. Think Historic Formula 1, vintage touring cars, Le Mans legends, one-of-a-kind demos and lots of racing legends behind the wheel. All staged at the Zandvoort International Circuit, the venue of 34 Grand Prix races between 1952 and 1985. This year, one of the main sponsors of the event was Chopard and they came there with one special watch.

7 years ago

Value Proposition – Meet Semper & Adhuc, A Series of New Watches with Yesterday’s Craftsmanship Inside

We’ve written quite a lot about microbrands lately, with brands like Gaia & Co. and Marnaut launching interesting new watches on Kickstarter. Most are unique and have a character of their own, but all share one thing in common – simple, generic automatic movements. SEMPER & ADHUC is taking a different approach by building new cases for vintage, restored movements from the 1930s to the 1960s. Similar to what Vortic Watch Co. started a couple of years ago (3D printing new cases for vintage pocket watch movements), SEMPER & ADHUC is combining modern techniques with the handcrafted tech of the past. It’s a novel idea and brings a history and soul to the watches that a new Miyota or ETA movement simply can’t match. Is this enough to raise their head above a very crowded market? Let’s take a closer look.

7 years ago

Introducing – Bell & Ross BR-X2 Skeleton Tourbillon Micro-Rotor – Extreme Transparency

Bell & Ross is making another bold addition to its futuristic “Experimental” collection this year. Just announced, the new BR-X2 Skeleton Tourbillon Micro-Rotor is the evolution of the BR-X2 Tourbillon introduced last year. Stripped back to the absolute essentials, this ultra-modern watch takes the challenge of transparency to the extreme, offering crystal clear insight into the company’s interpretation of contemporary Haute Horlogerie.

7 years ago