05Oct 2016 by Martin Green 2 Comments
MEW Hydroforce X1: A Nautical Beast

MEW Hydroforce X1: A Nautical Beast

News
There is not a shortage for divers watches in today's market. They are the favorite watches of many collectors, even those that hate to get wet. In fact, the market for divers watches is so large, that it even allows for very specific niches within the theme. The MEW Hydroforce X1 is not only a beast of a watch but also filling in one of those niches. What niche that is? The one for people who enjoy a unique divers watch, that might not be recognized by random people on the street, but that is crafted with care in very limited quantities. Those people will be very pleased with what the Hydroforce X1 has to offer. Apart from its cool name of course, which for some reason made me think…
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04Oct 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
TACS Automatic Vintage Lens: Quality Fun

TACS Automatic Vintage Lens: Quality Fun

News
Have you ever had that feeling that you are having too much fun? Because that is how I felt since yesterday afternoon when Fedex delivered the TACS Automatic Vintage Lens automatic for a review. Normally we take our time reviewing watches, but in this case, I could simply not control myself and needed to write about it! The TACS Vintage Lens is inspired by classic photo cameras, but it is the execution of this inspiration that really sets it apart from any other watch. There are details everywhere you look, and they are all of a very high quality. The dial of the watch is as you are looking into the lens of an old-fashioned photo camera, complete with the fish-eye effect. The bezel is turnable, although it has no…
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02Oct 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Introducing The Hourglass By Pheidippides

Introducing The Hourglass By Pheidippides

News
After The Porthole, which we discuss in depth in the latest issue of Watchisthis?! Magazine, Dutch-based watch brand Pheidippides now launches The Hourglass. A totally different concept, yet designed and crafted with the same painstaking attention to detail.   When first seeing The Hourglass it reminded me of "Montre a Tact", a watch created by the godfather of independent watchmaking, and mentor of many great watchmakers, Svend Andersen. Although the concept is the same, the execution is different, and fortunately also the price tag. While Svend Andersen makes his watches completely by hand, Pheidippides uses a clever combination of Swiss parts and German jewelry makers to create his watch.   [caption id="attachment_1835" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Svend Andersen Montre a Tact[/caption] This works surprisingly well, with as a result a watch who's…
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28Sep 2016 by Jonathan Kopp 1 Comment
Smart Move For Michael Kors

Smart Move For Michael Kors

News
Michael Kors enters the smartwatches market with a line of luxury products called Access smartwatches. Right now, The Bradshaw and Dylan are the first two models presented by the fashion brand, but do expect more to come! Don’t forget, Michael Kors watches are part of the Fossil Group and the watch group announced that it will launch wearables devices for eight brands in 2016, including Chaps, Diesel, Emporio Armani, Fossil, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Misfit and Skagen. So it looks that finally a big watch group understood the power of this new market. The pieces are run by Android Wear and come in two styles. First, the "Dylan" which is a sporty style watch and that target the men’s market, and the second the "Bradshaw" which is all-metal…
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27Sep 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
The Power Of Femininity With New Meistersinger Phanero

The Power Of Femininity With New Meistersinger Phanero

News
Meistersinger hit a homerun at this years edition of Baselworld with the Phanero. With a diameter of 35mm this watch is not only their smallest, but also their thinnest with a height of 7.5mm. Perfect for a lady? Indeed, and especially the two new models that Meistersinger just introduced within the Phanero line! The most distinguished difference between these two models and the existing ones, is the mother-of-pearl dial. It adds a generous dash femininity to the watch without making it too fragile. This is mainly because the case still has the same straight forward, no-nonsense design of the other Phanero's. Combined it makes the watch look contemporary, powerful, and yes, feminine. Staying true to the Meistersinger code is also the Phanero a mechanical watch, and you can admire the…
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26Sep 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Would You Rent Your Watch?

Would You Rent Your Watch?

News
The Swiss watch brand DuBois is nothing but original. They pioneered with direct sales to the public, opened up their brand for individual investors like you and me, and now they offer their watches for rent. They combine this entrepreneurial spirit with good old-fashioned watchmaking. Their watches are of a very good quality, quite original in design, and of course fully Swiss made. [caption id="attachment_1798" align="aligncenter" width="732"] Limited Edition Big Date, Small Seconds for 80 CHF per month[/caption] Renting a watch is an interesting concept, and DuBois is not the first to experiment with it, although they might be the first brand that does it on their own. You have to be a shareholder to participate, but when that hurdle is taken you can pretty much rent your choice of…
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25Sep 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
The Revival Of Swiss Mechanical Watch Brand Votum

The Revival Of Swiss Mechanical Watch Brand Votum

News
When you want to start a watch brand there are two roads that you can take: you can start from scratch, or find a historic brand that is available. That is the route Votum took, and although they start from scratch as well, they have the brands history as inspiration. [caption id="attachment_1791" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Vintage Votum Divimat[/caption] The original Votum did not make it past adolescence. It was founded in 1962, but did not survive the quartz crisis of the 1970's. However, in that short period of time, it did create watches impressive enough to make an impression on Rolf Bodmer, a designer and graphic artist from Zurich, and François Zahnd, a watch manufacturer and industry expert from Biel. The combined forces and revived Votum. I would have said to its…
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22Sep 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Rhino Band: Turning Apple Watch Tough

Rhino Band: Turning Apple Watch Tough

News
One of the clever things that Apple did with the Apple Watch, is that it is quite easy to change the strap. What contributed to the success of Panerai in the late 1990's, now also works for Apple. Not only Apple itself, but also a lot of after market straps have hit the market. A lot of colors, textures and materials, but none like the Rhino Band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_cKy9oLw9U The Rhino band, basically turns your Apple Watch into a G-shock. All you have to do is remove the current strap from your Apple Watch and click it into the Rhino band. Of course it doesn't make the Apple Watch indestructible, but what it does add an extra layer of protection, much in the same way are the rubber bumper protects the…
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21Sep 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
Hamilton’s New Broadway Collection Hits The Stores

Hamilton’s New Broadway Collection Hits The Stores

News
Already announced at Baselworld, but now the new Hamilton Broadway collection is in the stores. One of the things that I personally like much about the brand is that fun and affordable go hand in hand, while you still get a build quality you expect from a Swiss made watch. A Hamilton rarely disappoint at its price level. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHeRNIJETwU The Broadway is no difference. The collection starts with a 40mm quartz powered day-date, priced at CHF 550,-. A nice watch that based on its size I would deem uni-sex, yet the day-date takes the design of the watch a bit off-balance. It is placed very clearly legible at three o'clock, but by doing so it also cuts into the stunning dial that all the Broadway models share. [caption id="attachment_1757" align="aligncenter"…
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20Sep 2016 by Martin Green No Comments
New Series: Affordable At Auction

New Series: Affordable At Auction

Affordable at Auction, News
When most people think about affordable watches, they think of new watches with an affordable price tag. But ever since we started Watchisthis?! Magazine, we have also focused on watches that where initially out of the price range of the magazine when new, but used it is a whole different story and a good way to find them is at an auction. In the latest issue of Watchisthis?! Magazine you could read for example about two prime examples. First Hublot, a brand that does not come cheap. But when you go for a used model, from when Hublot just started, you can get the famed look for pennies on the dollar. The same can be said of vintage watches. In the last issue of Watchisthis?! Magazine, we highlighted Gerald Genta's…
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