Watch reviews

Review: Grandeur Strange 39mm (Silver/Black) – A Masterclass in Missed Potential This one hurts. Not because I got a dud, but because I wanted this watch to be great. The Grandeur Strange 39mm, limited to just 100 pieces, had all the makings of a cult hit: weirdly beautiful case, offbeat dial layout, and a fresh brand taking risks. But what I ended up with was a harsh reminder that good design can’t save bad execution. Let’s talk movement -...

Review: NOMOS Club Date 38 Limited Edition for Hodinkee – Pacific Blue One of 75 – and yes, I’m still grinning. We watch collectors love to roll our eyes at limited editions - until we get one! The moment my order confirmation for the Pacific Blue Club Campus hit my inbox, I was practically giddy. Nomos only made 75 of these in this colorway, and with Hodinkee’s track record, I knew it wouldn’t hang around long. Let’s start with the d...

I have the 38mm quartz version. I bought this watch more for the Bauhaus design, so felt saving couple hundred for a quartz made sense. Fits well on my 6.5 inch wrist, although I feel the short lug to lug makes the watch feel very small. The dial is simple, minimalistic, and extremely legible. My only concern with the quartz version is that (at least with my watch), the second hand does not line up perfectly with the second indices after the 6 o ...

This is a Seiko diver that goes beyond your expectations. Although limited to 6,000 pieces, you can easily find them for sale online. Don't let the pictures mislead you; the white dial is actually more silver with a sunburst. The bezel looks black but turns blue in bright light. The bezel action is great with good tactile feedback. Fits well on my 6.5 inch wrist. I've got mine on a bracelet from Uncle Seiko. ...

The Seiko Mini Turtle is the greatest watch I ever had the pleasure of owning. In fact, it is my favourite watch of all time, and one that will remain in my collection eternally. The reasons I love it so much are, of course, all very subjective, but they could serve as a guide for your decision-making, were you to entertain the thought of buying this watch. Let’s just start at how it looks. When it comes to monochrome watches, collectors like t...

I really wanted to like this watch. At first glance this is a killer watch. From the colorful textured dial to the sporty integrated bracelet design, the watch is eye catching and best part they're priced as entry level watches. All that is great... but for me I feel the overall quality/feel of the watch could be improved. Even a bit more weight might make it feel less cheap?...

I have the all black version. This is my go to watch for all things outdoors. Hiking, shooting, snowboarding, etc. Super durable and accurate. This is a watch I can throw around and have no worries about. The on demand illumination out does any lume you'll find on a mechanical watch. Everyone needs one!...

Absolutely gorgeous dial, bracelet is so gorgeous and comfortable. Overall fit and finish of the watch is superb. I love everything about it. ...

I'm writing about the SBGA413 the Shunbun variation of Grand Seiko 4 seasons collection. The pink dial portrayed in advertisement does not do the dial its justice. When you see this dial in person you'll come to the realization that the pink is VERY subtle. The dial plays with the light extremely well. Fits perfectly on my 6.5 inch wrist. Buy it in the grey market! Retails for $6900, I got mine (dated for Jan 2025) for $4995 through a Reddit sell...

Bought this for my wife on her 35th birthday. Classic Cartier design language. You can't go wrong with this style. From the Roman numerals to the blued hands/crown, and the rectangular case shape, everything flows together cohesively into a timeless design. I love that there is no seconds hand (no one will know it's a quartz!) and the minute hand jumps to the next minute rather than slowly moving towards it. On my 6.5 inch wrist it is a bit small...

My GADA watch. Size wise it is perfect. Diameter, lug to lug, etc perfect for a 6.5 inch wrist. I have it on the H-link bracelet and it is comfortable and fits well. The Mother of Pearl dial is out of this world. Many MOP dial watches you see it's very in your face with the color changes. Not the Sinn. The color change is very subtle meaning for the most part the dial is black/dark grey. When you view it at the right angle in the light and bam......

My first luxury watch purchase... although I'm writing about the 41mm with the 8900 movement. I bought my Aquaterra before the 38mm variations were released. On my 6.5 inch wrist the 41mm Aquaterra fits well (41mm is the biggest I will go). Now, I do prefer the size of the 38mm for my wrist size, but, the jump hour feature in the 8900 movement (8800 in 38mm variations) is very handy when adjusting date/time. The green teakwood dial inspired by ya...

I own the BB58 in Blue. I prefer this deep blue to the brighter blue found on Pelagos models. First off the case diameter and lug to lug make it a perfect fit for 6.25-6.5+ inch wrist (any smaller might want to look into the BB54). With the 20mm lug width you have strap options out there as this watch is a strap monster. I personally use the RubberB matching color strap and the OEM bracelet. The bezel action is smooth and significant; as a matter...

Got my Majetek a week before Christmas, it's now mid-May and I've found it hard to wear anything else (and I've quite an extensive collection, including Omega, Sinn, Seiko etc) .  Legibility at a glance is superb with the small seconds out of the way.  The old radium style lume can be divisive, but I'm definitely a fauxtina fan - I'd seriously considered a Vertex , but I'm more of an aviation buff and love the case shape of the Longines.  The ...

I previously owned the PRX Quartz 40mm black dial.  For me overall, I enjoyed the design of the watch, but unfortunately, the case/bracelet integration was not wearable for me and I was never able to get a good fit, which is why I ended up letting it go. Case The case on the 40mm wears pretty large due to the integrated bracelet.  With that and the case shape, it always felt bulky to me and never quite felt right on my wrist, so I wouldn't reco...

I previously owned the Seiko SNE573 (Black dial, black rubber strap). Case The biggest upside to this watch is the case size.  At 38.5mm, it's extremely wearable and fit my wrist perfectly. It is classically proportioned to a vintage dive watch size and the screw-down crown and 200m of water resistance made me feel comfortable swimming in the ocean with it, as well as robust outdoor activities.  The unidirectional 120 click bezel also aligned p...

I have owned the Overseas black dial 4500v for about a year. Case The 41mm case is comfortable, but does wear a bit larger due to the integrated strap.  On my 6.75 in (17.2cm) wrist, it still looks like a fit, but I would say it's around the upper limit of size for a fit and I wouldn't recommend this watch for a wrist much smaller.  The newer 4520v case has a slightly thinner profile and wears a little smaller, which could be a consideration. T...

My experience is not with the Tissot T-Sport PRS 200, but with the Tissot Seastar 660 chronograph, which is basically the same watch with a slightly different dial and bezel. The Seastar 660 is powered by the same Swiss quartz chrono movement housed in a very similarly designed and sized case, with an identical bracelet and a common purpose behind the creation, which is to offer a very blingy and very capable sports watch for those with an acquir...

I really, really like the vintage GMT Master from Rolex. I’m not sure what it is that completely captures me about that watch, but it is right up my alley, that is for sure. I’m especially in love with the proper vintage Bakelite bezel version with the smaller case. I saw one recently on Chrono24 for 150 grand EUR. I laughed hysterically. For those of us who can’t cough up that kind of money for a dainty watch with a jingly-jangly bracelet,...

My review of the Zelos Spearfish GMT is, in fact, not at all a review of the Zelos Spearfish GMT.It is, however, a review of the Zelos Blacktip GMT which I have owned in the foggy dew-hidden past, and of which I have very strong opinions. Falling in love and eventually parting with this watch was one of my very first heartbreaks, and we all know that the first one usually stings the most and remains vibrating at an unbearable frequency in our sou...