Watch Features

Welcome to WatchTime’s watch features section. Here you will find watch feature stories, watch reports, interesting watch technology coverage, interviews with watch brands, background articles about watches, watch brands and technical stories.

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar

We train our vintage eye once again on Audemars Piguet's iconic Royal Oak — this time focusing on one of the most popular complications within the series, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar.

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Aug 14, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Promotion

Baume & Mercier’s new Clifton Baumatic: Lengthened Service Intervals

A mechanical watch movement is a complex mechanism comprising numerous mobile miniature components. Their perpetual interaction results in friction and wear ultimately influencing the smooth running of the movement. This is one of the reasons why watches have to be returned for regular service. The new Clifton Baumatic from Baume & Mercier with the maison’s...

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Oct 15, 2018 by WatchTime

Borrowed Time: MLS All-Star Weekend with the TAG Heuer Connected Watch

When TAG Heuer invited me to attend this year's MLS All-Star Game in San Jose, I took the opportunity to spend a few days with the TAG Heuer Connected Watch myself and put it through its paces on a busy, activity-filled three-day trip. What follows is essentially my MLS All-Star Diary.

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Aug 12, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

The Art of The Dial: Exploring Cartier’s Maison des Métiers d’Art

In its Maison des Métiers d'Art in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Cartier creates artisanal dials for manufacture watches. WatchTime was among a group who were the first visitors to the facility. In this feature from the WatchTime archives, we offer an inside look.

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Aug 12, 2016 by Joe Thompson

POLL:

Vote on the Winner of WatchTime Wrist Shot Contest #2

Capping off another successful WatchTime Wrist Shot Contest submission period, here are our top 10 images of the 300-plus wrist shots submitted to us through e-mail and Instagram over the past two weeks. Please vote on what you think is the best image based on composition, creativity, and image quality. The top five finishers will receive...

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Oct 9, 2018 by WatchTime

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time

The Patek Philippe Ref 5524 Calatrava Travel Time is a watch that takes on many design characteristics of pilot watches from the past 100 years or so and packages them nicely in a contemporarily finished modern timepiece.

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Aug 7, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

WATCH REVIEW

Borrowed Time: The Eterna Super KonTiki Chronograph Manufacture

For those watch enthusiasts who know Eterna primarily as the brand that gave us ETA — that movement-making colossus that has supplied engines to thousands of watch models over the decades — this year brings a reminder that the Eterna watch brand (not at all associated with ETA parent Swatch Group) remains a going concern....

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Aug 5, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

PROMOTION:

Gucci Presents #TimeToParr: An Uncommon Photographic Journey

Embracing Instagram’s creative landscape over the past three years with dedicated projects in which artists play with House motifs, Gucci has published and promoted these special works with a series of hashtags. Now, for the first time, the House is collaborating with a single artist on an Instagram project. Exploring the nature of time and...

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Oct 9, 2018 by WatchTime

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Rolex Explorer I

Today’s Rolex Explorer, Ref. 214270 (above), is one of the more subtle pieces in today's Rolex line. With a 39-mm steel Oyster case with a smooth bezel, a screw-down crown, and a water resistance to 100 meters, it is a solid sports watch in a luxurious, distinctly Rolex fashion.

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Jul 31, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: IWC Aquatimer Automatic

The IWC Aquatimer, founded originally as a line of Super Compressor-style watches in 1967, was a series of dive watches developed by IWC to cater to the growing hobby of recreational diving. The modern version continues to pay subtle homage towards its almost half-century history, along with its more contemporary features.

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Jul 24, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Omega Speedmaster Mark II

Omega revived the original Speedmaster Mark II — designed to be a successor to the Moonwatch in 1969 — as a largely faithful re-interpretation for modern consumers. It produced two interesting models that pay homage to the '70s classic, which we will be looking at today.

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Jul 17, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Longines Legend Diver Watch

This week, we look at vintage and modern versions of another piece in Longines’s vast Heritage collection, The Longines Legend Diver.

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Jul 10, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Seiko Marinemaster Professional 1000M

This week we take a look at vintage and modern versions of the Seiko "Tuna," dive watch or (as it more commonly listed today) the Seiko Marinemaster Professional 1000m Automatic Diver.

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Jul 3, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

WATCH REVIEW

Borrowed Time: Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Dual Time Ivory Enamel

There are always watches that receive a great deal of coverage and a great deal of admiration from the media hordes that swarm the Baselworld watch fair every year. And there are always watches that don’t receive nearly as many accolades despite the fact that nearly everyone who sees them agrees they are very cool....

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Jul 1, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue

We look at the Tudor Heritage Heritage Chrono Blue, a watch based heavily on the vintage Tudor Oysterdate Chronograph (Ref. 7169/0), produced from 1971 to 1977 — a very funky 1970s chronograph that is today one of the most sought after vintage Tudors available.

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Jun 26, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Rocket Watch: How the Omega Speedmaster Became the Omega Moonwatch

Story of how the Omega Speedmaster watch, introduced in 1957, several years before human spaceflight, would later accompany a parade of space pioneers to the moon.

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Jun 24, 2016 by Jens Koch

Live Photos & Video

Up Close with the Seiko Credor Tourbillon

In its 135-year history, which includes a long tradition of creating mechanical movements, Seiko has never made a tourbillon watch, until this year. Seiko announced at Baselworld 2016 that it aims to build worldwide recognition for its mechanical movements, hoping to create the same profile it enjoys for its electronic watchmaking capabilities. The new Credor...

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Jun 23, 2016 by Carol Besler

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Alpina Seastrong Diver Heritage

The Alpina Seastrong Diver Heritage is based heavily on a vintage dive watch released by Alpina 50 years earlier, the Alpina “10,” one of the first to feature a "Super Compressor" case design.

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Jun 20, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Celebrating the Summer Solstice

7 New Calendar Watches from SIHH 2016

It's February 29, and in honor of this extra day on the 2016 calendar, we've gathered seven calendar watches that were introduced at this year's SIHH watch fair in Geneva. Scroll down to see the watches, and don't forget to reset your own watch (if necessary) at midnight tonight!

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Jun 20, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Customize it for Father’s Day: Three Brands Offering DIY (Design It Yourself) Watch Models

Many watch brands offer some type of personalization, most often the option of an engraving on the caseback. But what if you want to choose your own combination of case materials, dial layout, or even the color of the hands? Here are three watch brands, in three styles and price ranges — that go the extra bespoke mile.

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Jun 17, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

WATCH REVIEW

Borrowed Time: Bulgari Octo Ultranero Velocissimo Chronograph

Bulgari’s “buzz” watch from this year’s Baselworld was undoubtedly — and deservedly — the groundbreaking Octo Minute Repeater, which set a new record for thinness in its category. However, not to be overlooked was the brand’s new Octo Ultranero collection (we covered it here), with its handsome combinations of black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) and rose-gold...

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Jun 16, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Cartier Tortue

The Cartier Tortue watch, designed personally by Louis Cartier, was characterized by its tortoise-inspired shape, which stood in stark contrast to the predominantly round watches of the time. We compare modern and vintage examples of this iconic Cartier watch.

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Jun 12, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

2016: THE WATCH YEAR IN REVIEW

Lots of Smarts: New Smartwatches Abound in 2016

There were smartwatches aplenty at Baselworld 2016. But were there enough? Here's a look at new smartwatches from Tissot, Casio, Nixon, and more.

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Jun 11, 2016 by Norma Buchanan