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Stephen Foskett, Publisher

Stephen Foskett is a wristwatch enthusiast, historian, and writer. He founded and publishes Grail Watch and the sister site, Grail Watch Reference. He is also a contributing editor for Watch Wiki and a contributing writer for Europa Star.

Announcing Grail Watch Reference: A Compendium of Technical Information

February 20, 2020 By Stephen 1 Comment

Grail Watch isn’t just a blog anymore! Today I’m officially launching Grail Watch Reference, a site full of technical information about watches for horology nerds like me. It’s a database of watch movements, with official information organized into a standard format for research. I will continue to write here on the blog, and on Instagram and Facebook, and will continue to contribute to Watch Wiki. Each site has its own purpose and audience.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Caliber Corner, Ranfft, Reference, Watch Wiki, Watchbase

Where’s My Watch? The Ongoing Chronotechna Saga

February 16, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Chronotechna promised “the blackest watch ever made” but hasn’t delivered on their promises. Or, in my case, hasn’t delivered at all!

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Chronotechna, Kickstarter, NanoBlack, Vantablack

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 1 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 5 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

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Latest Posts

Inventing the Solar-Powered Watch: Patek Philippe, Synchronar, and Uranus

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How I Find Great Deals in Watch Auction Catalogs

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Why Have No Smartwatches Won at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève?

My Take on the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020 Headlines

Two Movements, One Case: Alexander Shorokhoff Levels and Los Craneos

What Was the World’s First Quartz Watch?

CEH and the Beta 21: The History of the First Swiss Quartz Watch

The History of the IWC Da Vinci via Europa Star

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