Hands-on - The brutally honest Laco Kiel.2 Chronograph
Despite the fact that mechanical watches today are very much a luxury item and far from a necessity, there was a time when proper timing instrument watches were the difference between life and death. Watches served a true purpose and were used to time extremely important events. This need for precision also arose with the threat of war building in Europe in the 1930s, which lead to the creation of the Beobachtungsuhr, or B-Uhr. These watches became legendary for various reasons, and today, most Flieger watches take after these original timepieces. Some of the brands which produced B-Uhr watches back then still do that today, to an extent. One such brand is Laco, which has been around since 1925. And Laco recently presented the brutally honest, no-nonsense Kiel.2 Chronograph that takes after the historic design of the Flieger Uhr.A brief history of lacoThe German watchmaking brand of Laco was originally founded in 1925 as Lacher & Co. by Frieda Lacher and Ludwig Hummel. After initia

Introducing The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph Baguette Sapphires
A year after its grand 50th-anniversary celebrations, Audemars Piguet releases a 41mm white gold edition of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph embellished with blue baguette-cut sapphires and light blue panda sub-dials. Corresponding to the latest design evolutions applied to the Royal Oak family last year, the spirit of Gerald Genta's 1972 Royal Oak lives on in tones of blue ticking to the sophisticated in-house integrated flyback chronograph movement. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph 26240BC with Sapphire?will be available exclusively in Japan from May 2023 before being released globally in July 2023.FaceliftThe facelift practised on the Royal Oak in 2022?– for the 37mm Selfwinding and 38mm and 41mm Selfwinding Chronographs?– was subtle and did not alter the iconic features of the watch. The tonneau-shaped case, octagonal bezel with eight screws, integrated bracelet and Tapisserie pattern on the dial were all respected. What it did involve, however, was a more

First Look: The Updated IWC Portugieser Perpetual Calendar 44
IWC Schaffhausen has undertaken a comprehensive reworking and refinement of one of its most iconic models, the Portugieser collection. At Watches and Wonders this week in Geneva, four new versions are unveiled: two in white gold with blue and sand-coloured dials and two in Armor Gold with black and silver dials. And there's more to them than just new colours.The perpetual calendar stands as a hallmark complication across all the IWC’s collections, owing much to the pioneering module developed by Kurt Klaus in the 1980s, which encapsulates the essence of IWC’s engineering ethos. The module offers exceptional autonomy and reliability yet comprises a modest number of parts for a perpetual calendar. Still, IWC’s dedication to advancing and refining the calendar complication has been unwavering. The debut of the first Portugieser with a perpetual calendar in 2003 was marked by enhancements to the moon phase display, including integrating a larger reduction gear within the

Chopard Mille Miglia GTS Power Control 2019 Edition // Hands-On
As the official partner of the famous Italian Mille Miglia Endurance race for over three decades now, Chopard celebrates its long-standing alliance with two limited-edition Mille Miglia models. Earlier this year, we reviewed the Mille Miglia Race Edition Chronograph dedicated to the historic rally from Brescia to Rome and back. Now it's time to take a closer look at the limited-edition Mille Miglia GTS Power Control model in a two-tone combination of stainless steel and rose gold. A more simple three-hander with date and power reserve gauge, the in-house, chronometer-certified automatic movement offers drivers 60 hours of autonomy.?Alexandra Pauli for ChopardGTS Power ControlMany of you will recognise this watch as the continuation of the first GTS Power Control model introduced at Baselworld 2015, and the more recent GTS Power Control Grigio Speciale of 2018. The distinguishing features of the first models were their black dials with rosso corsa?or racing red accents, oversized numera

Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Self-Winding 36mm white gold Unisex Watch (Specs & Price)
Vacheron Constantin introduces its third iteration of the Patrimony Self-Winding 36mm, this time in white gold with an automatic movement. Designed to swing it both ways, the new model will certainly be well received by women who appreciate a mechanical movement and who prefer the timeless elegance of a classic, round case, and a simple, refined dial. Unlike so many women's watches that lure us with their sparkling gem-set surfaces and sugary motifs, Vacheron's Patrimony 36mm proposes a timepiece that might seem Calvinist in appearance, but which is full of appealing details that will win converts from all denominations. But first a quick word on unisex watches.The steady rise of unisex watchesTrends in the mechanical watch world tend to move at a rather more sedate pace than hi-tech products, but for horological trend spotters, there is no denying that, of late, there has been a noticeable reduction in case diameters. Not earth-shattering news for most mortals, but for watch aficionad