The Naked Watchmaker just announced its collaboration with Frederique Constant, the Slimline Perpetual Calendar Manufacture. Although I’ve enjoyed recent collaboration models, this one misses the mark in some important ways, emphasizing the mechanics at the expense of utility and beauty.
The Neo-Classical Watches of Naoya Hida
Naoya Hida & Co. is a Tokyo-based independent watch atelier producing a small number of classically-inspired watches. The company recently released their 2022 line for application. This article gives an overview of Hida, the watches, and their movements.
My Picks For the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2021
This year, I’m going to take a look at the nominations for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) awards and pick my favorites. Although my selections don’t usually make the cut, I’m going to enjoy making selections rather than try to pick the winners. I’ll also offer some historical perspective on the best entries.
Hajime Asaoka: Chrono and Kurono, Bunkyō Tokyo
Hajime Asaoka’s more-affordable watches define the current trend of “must-have” limited-edition watches. Launched in 2018 for the domestic market as Chrono Tokyo and 2019 as Kurono Tokyo, these watches are an international sensation. In this article, I walk through every Chrono and Kurono watch through 2021.
No Joke: H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp is the Smartest Watch
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.
My Take on the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2020 Headlines
The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève ceremony took place yesterday, November 12, 2020. Although attendance was limited to winners and helium-filled balloons, the ceremony once again proved both the importance and self-importance of Geneva as a center for the luxury watch industry. Although most of the prizes went against my choices, some were well-deserved and no one asked for my vote in any case!
Two Movements, One Case: Alexander Shorokhoff Levels and Los Craneos
Regular readers of Grail Watch know that I have a particular fascination with watches that contain multiple separate movements in a single case. Ever since the Nappey Jumelles Times and Ardath Long Distance of the 1960s, watch makers have used compact “ladies” movements in oversized travel watches for men. Now a modern maker, Alexander Shorokhoff, has done the same, first with the Los Craneos an now with the new Levels model.