Casual FP Journe is an oxymoron. Nonetheless, this rattrapante was an attempt at just that. If there is an unloved Journe category, the Line Sport is probably it. The centigraphe is remarkable for its complication and abilities, it occasionally sees mention. Yet, despite some others looking like lemondrops, they all...

Not many designs from 1940 feel at home today. Certainly, few have aged as gracefully as the humble multi-scale chronograph. This is particularly true of this Italian Valjoux-based clamshell. Vetta was the Italian-branded partner of Wyler’s European arm. Small alterations were made to the Wyler designs, such as the flair...

Superdive is a good name. 812 Superfast is also a good name. I often think to myself the adjectives which are most child-like and simplistic are best. Why do we say nephrologist and not kidney doctor? Latin-obsessed exclusionary fuckery. I digress. This oversized 1960s Enicar is, in fact, a super...

Impossibly conspicuous wristwatches and impossibly tasteful wristwatches are often mutually exclusive categories. An RM-030 with its declutchable rotor mechanism is very conspicuous and very innovative. But it most certainly is not tasteful. In fact, I’ve heard various RMs described as ‘Invacta for the 1%’. I may or may not agree....

Having recently featured the incredibly debonaire pink-on-pink 96R Calatrava recently, I thought I’d offer a more attainable alternative. More attainable, but no less unique. In fact, due to the incredible ageing this example wears, it may be more unique. Longines may be most associated with horse racing and the Kentucky...

This is perhaps reductive, but I tend to view any Lemania 2310-based watch as a movement wearing a watch. Let me elaborate. Usually, I evaluate a watch at its ability to accomplish its given purpose. I then assess how well a manufacture’s design of movement suits that task. But where...

The word quartz might be enough to make one skip to the next article. I understand that. If that’s you, move along. However, if you’re seeking a complete understanding of watchmaking, you cannot ignore the bear caged in the corner. Quartz was and is significant to the history of wristwatches....

I am a massive fan of Rob Reiner’s Spinal Tap mockumentary. I bring this up for one reason: if you were to turn up a Seiko Presage Cocktail Timer to 11, this would be the result. The 2019 SBGY003 features one of the brand’s greatest dial textures, a fresh take...

Vacheron Constantin is not only the oldest member of the holy trinity, they also have the most bizarre lugs. Without question, I have not seen any serious mainstream watchmaker experiment with lug designs to the extent that Vacheron have previously. Cornes de Vache teardrop lugs? Check. 222 hexagonally integrated lugs?...

If you can picture a Lapis Lazuli Memovox on acid, you’re already late. Lip Genève created it in 1972. Alarm watches are a deep rabbit hole and one that I’ve been descending further and further this year. There’s the abundance of Memovoxes, a few Deep Seas, and even that recent...

What we have here is a fresh twist on a classic drink. Patek’s Calatrava began with the 1932 reference 96 and has been dress watch royalty ever since. The Calatrava appeals for many reasons. The design is arguably their most timeless, with no distracting bells or whistles. The 96 was...

I present to you today a watch which is rare for very different reasons. It is a desirable modern release being retailed by Analog Shift at a reasonably competitive asking price. I jest. But, nonetheless, I speak truth. The Sub 200 T-Graph was released in 2019 by Doxa as a...

The classic four digit Tudor Submariner has never looked better than it does today. No date, gilt, and a rose dial to die for. Although the apple didn’t fall far from the Rolex 5513 tree, there’s some intangible appeal to Tudor’s alternative offering which is even stronger. This is particularly...

The 1163 GMT is one of the Heuer’s diamonds in the rough. Though the myriad vaguely-racing-oriented chronographs they’ve produced can easily be confused, this GMT stand out. It may not have been a commercial success for Heuer, but, like the early Daytonas, that has only made it more desirable to...

This two register chronograph with a world time dial and rotating bezel has almost certainly become Gallet’s most famed model. The watch was produced for the US Army Air Corps, even being worn by Harry Truman at its height. Some have argued this is the world’s first time-zone wristwatch, others...

Very little stirs the ‘purchase now’ instinct in me like the A386 El Primero these days. The monumentally innovative reference appeals to all my senses. Its design is attractive, the contrasted big-eye subs uniquely lovely. The automatic cal 3019 is as gorgeous as it was groundbreaking. It’s also a complete...

Girard Perregaux may not have the street cred of the holy trinity, but they should. GP were around and making beautiful metal in period with the big three. In my experience, amongst those who really know watches, there is universal respect for GP. Though today probably best known for the...

Racine was the historic US label for Gallet watches. Although probably best known for the ‘Flying Officer’ chronograph, Gallet’s illustrious history runs all the way back to 1826. In 1877 a relative of the Gallet family relocated from Switzerland to the US and the Racine line was born. This is...