Face-to-Face - The Battle of High-End Annual Calendars Part 3 - Lange vs. Ferrier... The Verdict
Having reviewed both Lange’s and Ferrier’s annual calendars in the previous days, today it's time for a face-off, a chance for these two mid-weight complication champs to engage in a mock battle. The two contestants are clearly very beautiful watches, perfectly matched in functionality and mechanical integrity, so please take a ringside seat and see if you agree with our verdict in the battle of annual calendars pitting the A. Lange & Sohne 1815 Annual Calendar versus the Laurent Ferrier Annual Calendar School Piece.Case size and presence on the wristWithout going into extensive detail (please see the reviews of the ALS 1815 Annual Calendar and the Laurent Ferrier Annual Calendar), let's take a look at the common traits of these annual calendars. Both contenders share 40mm gold cases and both watches enjoy a commanding presence. The Lange 1815 has a height of 10.1mm while the Laurent Ferrier is thicker at 12.8mm (including the sapphire crystal). I

Introducing: The Wildly Reflective Zenith Defy Extreme Mirror
Camouflage dials have been a big hit in the past couple of years, and we've covered several combat-ready models. Zenith pushes the camouflage concept to the extreme, giving its Defy Extreme a radical makeover with a reflective mirrored surface. Undoubtedly the boldest take on its high-performance 1/100th-of-a-second chronograph, the latest manifestation blends into its surroundings thanks to its distortion-free mirror-polished case, dial and bracelet.Zenith's Defy Extreme collection, released in 2021, is a high-testosterone brother of the Defy family, a lab rat of sorts to test out new materials on its powerful, angular case. Extreme in all senses, right down to the dual regulating organ, the regulator for the timekeeping beats at 5Hz while the second one for the chronograph whizzes at 50Hz to capture 1/100th-of-a-second chronograph readings. Ad - Scroll to continue with article

VIDEO - The Timelessness of the A. Lange & Sohne Saxonia collection by Anthony de Haas and Bruno Moinard - Monochrome Watches
A great looking simple dress watch has a certain “je ne sais quoi”. Of course there’s is only so much you can do as a designer, at least that what most laymen think. And also to us there are some very simple 2, or 3-hand watches that are just… perfect. The size, the shape of the case, that small bevel on the lugs, and that lovely straight-brushed case-band, or any other detail that can just hit the right note. But how difficult is it to find that perfect balance when designing a watch, or anything actually. We set out and asked the experts, Anthony de Haas, A. Lange & Sohne’s director product development, and Bruno Moinard, acclaimed architect and designer. What is timelessness, and how to translate this, in all subtleness, into a design that will remain appealing for decades, or even centuries. Here’s what they told us about this ‘elusive’ property called timelessness.Let me first briefly introduce both gentlemen. Anthony de Haas, pr

Habring2 Chrono-Felix (with In-House Monopusher-Chronograph) Specs & Price
Not long ago, we reviewed a watch that many collectors and watch aficionados love (and for good reasons), the?Habring2 Doppel-Felix. Also, we took a closer look at the “simple” 3-hand version?named Felix. The?common thread running through them? The same?pared-down design and the same base movement manufactured in-house (quite an achievement for such a small company). But what if you take these two watches and try to find one that will stand right in the middle? Well, the answer is the?Habring2 Chrono-Felix.It always surprises us to see a company such as?Habring2 display such a high level of creativity – not only design-wise but also in terms of technical innovations. Surprising because Habring2 is actually a true family?business, founded by a couple – Maria & Richard Habring. With two employees they manage to?produce around 200 watches per year… But no generic cases with outsourced movements. What they do are truly in-house-developed watches (design an

Hands-On With The New Vulcain Skindiver Nautique 38mm
When the name Vulcain comes into the conversation, your brain should (rightfully) have something very special in mind… A watch that has forged the brand’s success since 1947, a watch with a complication that is still a rare gem of the industry. I am, of course, talking about the Cricket alarm watch, the same complication that was relaunched as a flagship model to mark the brand’s recent revival. But there’s always more to a brand’s story than a single watch. Vulcain is a treasure trove of sleeping beauties. Continuing with the nostalgic vibe of the Cricket, the brand revives another vintage watch with the new Vulcain Skindiver Nautique 38mm.This new dive watch relies on a classic yet effective recipe involving the re-edition of a vintage model with minor updates to enhance use and performance. In short, a design of the past and mechanics and materials of the present. I’m not even going to start naming other brands that have used this recipe in the pa