Grail Watch

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No Joke: H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp is the Smartest Watch

February 12, 2021 By Stephen 1 Comment

H. Moser & Cie. is a confident brand that has come into its own: The Swiss Alp Watch is a serious matter, and it exemplifies all that is right with Swiss watches in recent years. Here’s a survey of the complete line now that the “Final Upgrade” has been released.

Filed Under: Commentary, Reviews Tagged With: Apple Watch, Baselworld, Edouard Meylan, H. Moser & Cie., H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Watch, Hautlence, Moser, SIHH

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

November 23, 2020 By Stephen Leave a Comment

It sounds like a rhetorical question, but the answer isn’t as simple as “because the industry hates them!” Why has the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève never awarded a prize to a smartwatch? After all, smartwatches have officially been eligible for prizes since 2017, over a dozen models have been entered, and the group added a Smartwatch category in 2020. So why was that prize unclaimed? Is it that smartwatches are undeserving of recognition or is there a more prosaic explanation?

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Alpina, Apple, Apple Watch, Awards, Frederique Constant, GPHG, Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, Helvetica Smart, Hublot, MMT, Mondaine, Montblanc, Seiko, Seiko Electronic Ink Watch, smart watch, Smartwatches

Apple Watch: It’s Not a Watch

April 20, 2018 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Today’s “Watch A Day” isn’t a watch at all, though I wear it on my wrist. The Apple Watch is a useful extension of my phone, a wrist-mounted notification platform that also tells the time, and a bit of a status symbol to some people. But it’s not a watch.

Filed Under: Collection, Watch A Day Tagged With: Apple, Apple Watch, Ipad, Smartwatches, Technology, Traditional Watch, Wearable Devices

How Good Is the Mondaine Helvetica Smart Watch?

December 30, 2015 By Stephen 1 Comment

Overall, the Mondaine Helvetica Smart watch falls short of the high bar set by Swiss competitors and Apple alike. In my review, I was surprised by the high-quality materials and finish evident in my steel Apple Watch. The reverse is true with the Mondaine; it’s just “good enough”. Combined with lackluster “smart watch” functionality, I’d call this a “do not buy”.

Filed Under: Commentary, Reviews Tagged With: Apple Watch, Frederique Constant, Helvetica, Helvetica Smart, MMT, Mondaine, smart watch, TAG Heuer Carrera Connected

A Watch Guy’s Review of the Apple Watch

April 27, 2015 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Is the Apple Watch a personal communication revolution like the iPhone, a well-executed gadget like the Apple TV, or a total miss? Does it mark the end of the the world as we know it for watches? And what’s it like to use one? I’m a watch guy and a gadget guy, so perhaps my perspective will be of some value.

Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: Apple, Apple Watch, fashion watch, smart watch

The Case Against the $10,000 Gold Apple Watch Edition

February 27, 2015 By Stephen Leave a Comment

My post laying out why the gold Apple Watch Edition must cost $10,000 caused quite a stir, but I’ll be the first to admit that I could have it all wrong. It’s entirely possible for them to put together a gold-cased Apple Watch for a much-lower price point, but I’m much more interested in the reasons why: Apple’s manufacturing and retail empire would be seriously disrupted by a $10,000 lump of gold!

Filed Under: Commentary, Reviews Tagged With: Apple, Apple Watch, boutique, gold, retail, security

Why the Gold Apple Watch Edition Must Cost $10,000

February 16, 2015 By Stephen 28 Comments

Get ready for the tech press to flip out when Apple announces the retail price for the gold Apple Watch Edition model. Apple critics have always roasted the company for selling products that are more expensive than they should be, and they frequently use this as a wedge topic to criticize buyers. But the “18-karat gold” Apple Watch Edition will set a whole new bar with a sales price of $10,000. The funny thing in this case is that Apple is perfectly right to be charging that much!

Filed Under: Commentary, Reviews Tagged With: Apple, Apple Watch, Cartier Tank MC, gold, Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Squadra Hometime

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