Grail Watch

Always watching for holy grail timepieces

  • Grails
  • Commentary
  • Collection
    • Watch A Day
    • Breitling Datora 592
    • Buren Calibre 82
    • Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX1
    • Junghans Mega 1
    • King Seiko 56KS
    • Nivada Antarctic
    • Paul Picot Firshire Chrono
    • Seiko SCED “Aliens” Chronograph
  • Reference Materials
    • Reference Database
    • Buren Calibre 82
    • Junghans Mega 1
    • Nomos Models and Movements
    • Sinn Models
  • About Grail Watch
  • @GrailWatch
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2019 · Log in

Audemars Piguet Dominates the “Watch Oscars”, with Strong Showings Across the Board

November 8, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève features a grail for every price tag, from the affordable Ming 17.06, Tudor Black Bay P01, Seiko Prospex LX and Kudoke 2 to the insane Urwerk AMC with its atomic clock “docking station”. It also heaps praise on the long-running Audemars Piguet Royal Oak line and Chanel’s fantastic J12. Truly something for everyone!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Audemars Piguet, Audemars Piguet Code 11.59, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Chanel, Chanel J12, Genus, GPHG, Kudoke, Ming, Seiko, Seiko Prospex, Urwerk, Voutilainen

Seiko Galante History Part 2: Open Your Heart to Tokyo

August 13, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Seiko launched a mechanical Galante line in 2010 as a cheaper alternative to the Spring Drive watches the brand was known for. This SBLL line featured an “open heart” highlighting the ticking balance and the design focused on the city of Tokyo.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 8L38, Galante, SBLL, Seiko

Seiko Galante History Part 1: Selling Sex in Japan

August 10, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Among Japanese watchmaking giant Seiko Group’s vast array of watch lines, perhaps none is as odd as Galante. A high-end brand with a modern, avant garde look that expresses a different face of Japan, Galante features novel construction and high-end finishing. The initial Galante models, from 2005 through 2009, all used Seiko’s Spring Drive movement and were sold with a combination of sex and celebrity.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 5R65, 5R66, 5R86, Galante, Seiko, Spring Drive

The History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

April 12, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

The Royal Oak Chronograph was a latecomer to this celebrated line and has remained remarkably consistent throughout its two-decade life. All share the same movement and a single lineage passes from the original Ref. 25860 to the subtly-redesigned Ref. 26300, the up-sized Ref. 26320, and the new Ref. 26331. It was only this year that a second model, the 38 mm Ref. 26315, was added. Yet on closer examination, a world of differences emerges, from the City of Sails to the Leo Messi, to the new 41 mm dial. Through it all, the Royal Oak Chronograph remains one of the classiest and most comfortable watches available.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Audemars Piguet, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph, Chronograph, FP 1185

Parmigiani Bugatti: A Retrospective Look

April 1, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Over 18 years, Parmigiani Fleurier produced just five Bugatti watch models, and I have come to respect their engineering, design, and finishing. With the two companies going their separate ways, it is hard to imagine any other watch company doing justice to the Bugatti name.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Michel Parmigiani, Parmigiani, Parmigiani Fleurier

Discovering Vintage Enicar Watches: Time For a Change

March 25, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Martijn “Vandervenus” van der Ven is producing an amazing book about the vintage watch brand, Enicar. If you’re into classic Enicar watches, you need to get in on this Kickstarter. A pledge of just €65 gets you a copy.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: @Vandervenus, book, eBay, Enicar, Kickstarter

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gran’Sport: The First “Beefcake” Reverso

January 23, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Given the clever retrograde chronograph movement, the Gran’Sport Chronograph is the pick of the Gran’Sport lineup today. It’s really too bad that gorgeous Reverso Chronographe Rétrograde is out of the price range for most people.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: 829, 859, Chronograph, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Chronograph Retrograde, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gran'Sport, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gran'Sport Chronograph, retrograde

Surveying the 2018 Seiko x Giugiaro “Speed Master” LCD Reissue Series (SBJG)

January 18, 2019 By Stephen 3 Comments

Seiko has been collaborating with Giugiaro Design since the 1980s. The most famous fruit of this collaboration was the “Aliens” watch line, which have been reissued in recent years. In late 2018, Seiko introduced another reissue: The SBJG multi-function digital models we will discuss today.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: A825, A828, Giugiaro, LCD, quartz, SBJG, Seiko, Seiko Giugiaro, Speed Master, SSBA

Seiko Returns With Another Giugiaro SCED Series

January 17, 2019 By Stephen 3 Comments

When Seiko reissued the 1980s-style “Aliens” Giugiaro watches between 2013 and 2015, collectors were thrilled. But after thoroughly exhausting color combinations on the “Ripley” and “Bishop” watches, where would Seiko go next? They turned to the less well-known 7A28-7A00 SBBJ “Speed Master” series, with angled faces inside a round case.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: 7A28, 7T12, Giugiaro, SBBJ, SCED, Seiko, Seiko Giugiaro

Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 1: Grails Go Grey-Market

January 15, 2019 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today we’re looking at something truly special: A groundbreaking movement in a limited-edition watch that retailed for well over a quarter-million dollars. But there’s another story here, too: The grey market for expensive watches that are a bit past their prime, and the steep discounts that follow. The result is a $150k discount on a basically-new piece of haute horology.

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Geotourbillon, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Jaeger-LeCoultre Geotourbillon, Jaeger-LeCoultre Geotourbillon 1, Jaeger-LeCoultre Hybris Mechanica, perpetual calendar, Tourbillon

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 12
  • Next Page »

Latest Posts

Audemars Piguet Dominates the “Watch Oscars”, with Strong Showings Across the Board

Seiko Galante History Part 2: Open Your Heart to Tokyo

Seiko Galante History Part 1: Selling Sex in Japan

The History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

Parmigiani Bugatti: A Retrospective Look

Discovering Vintage Enicar Watches: Time For a Change

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gran’Sport: The First “Beefcake” Reverso

Surveying the 2018 Seiko x Giugiaro “Speed Master” LCD Reissue Series (SBJG)

Seiko Returns With Another Giugiaro SCED Series

Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 1: Grails Go Grey-Market

About

About Grail Watch

Instagram

Favorite Sites

  • Blancpain Blog
  • Le Monde Edmond
  • Perezcope
  • Plus9Time
  • Reddit /r/Watches
  • Seiko & Citizen Watch Forum
  • Snowflakes & Shields
  • Swisswatches Blog
  • The Watch Lounge
  • Watch Wiki
  • WatchBase
  • Watches by SJX
  • Watchuseek