Watches Blog Wrist Watch Reviews

Last week, I shared my journey to owning the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520. This time Im looking at the references of the illustrious Daytonas history that came to shape the modern 116500. The newly re-named Oystersteel Rolex Daytona features five distinct design cues: A black Cerachrom bezel, screw-down chronograph pushers, crown guards, black sub-dial rings, and an Oyster case. But how did these elements gradually integrate into the steel Daytona? And which references form the basis of inspiration in its 60-year history?Crucially for this article, I am predominantly discussing the design elements that mold the Daytona. I refer to the movements that power each reference, but only reg [...]

Two weeks ago, the 24-year-old Bas was with some of his friends on a little beach in Amsterdam. Enjoying the sun and the water. At some point, he noticed that someone tried to steal the Rolex of one of his friends. He said something to the robber and this was returned with three shots.Bas was dead. His murderer threatened to shoot his friends as well if they did anything but walk away. I fully understand that in some parts of the world this is the reality of every day, but here in The Netherlands, it is not. Or, perhaps better said, it was not. Now, the case is still ongoing and under investigation, but weve seen a huge amount of Rolex robberies in the past months here in The Netherlands. Of [...]

Since many years, I am craving for a gold Rolex Day-Date. Not always with the same intensity, but ever since I tried a Day-Date in my early 20s, I decided I need one at some point.That point is closing in on me now, 20 years after I tried my first Rolex Day-Date or Rolex President, as they like to call them in the US. The President part mainly refers to the bracelet, of course. But it was a 1966 Rolex advertisement that made a reference to the president, holding a red phone and on his wrist, a Rolex Day-Date with President bracelet. You can see it yourself in this reference article I did on the Day-Date.Anyway, the gold Rolex Day-Date is a watch that has been on my list for a very long time. [...]

Last time in Watch Spotting, we looked at the Seiko SKX009 in All is Lost, or SKX175 for our US readers. This time I am exploring the wrist game in Gone Girl with the Rolex Pepsi GMT-Master II sported by Ben Affleck. Most movies set in the modern-day real-world feature watches in some form. But in this column, I select films where the choice of wristwatch plays into the narrative. I also immerse myself in how the chosen character may have attained their timepiece.Gone Girl was the last theatrical release, at the time of writing, by David Fincher. If you are not sure who David Fincher is, you may be more familiar with the titles he has directed: Fight Club, Se7en, The Social Network, and The [...]

As far as contentious Top 5 lists go, this is about as divisive a topic as I can think of. My Top 5 Rolex watches EVER. And yeah, you really do need to SHOUT the ever. Why? Because if you go into a list like this half-cocked, youre going to misfire. You have to be 100% convinced (and bloody-minded at that) to even pretend that you know what the Top 5 Rolexes in history are. Luckily for you (and for the activity in the comments section, no doubt), I am both those things.The funny thing about anointing myself the international arbiter of Rolex watches is that I dont actually own one. I never have. Ive always wanted one, but these five watches are actually to blame for me never pulling the trig [...]

In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don't forget to let us know which watches you'd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We'll try and feature as many of our readers' choices as we can. This week, THE classic among classics gets treated to the original mano-a-mano format. Ladies and gents, it is time for the Rolex Datejust 36 to be rated or hated.Last weeks contest between the Rolex Milgauss and Omega Railmaster always had the whiff of a foregone conclusion about it. RJ and I discusse [...]

I often call the Rolex Datejust the mother of all modern wristwatches. The very first Rolex Datejust was introduced in 1945, and todays Datejust still shows a very close resemblance.A Datejust was actually my first Rolex. A 1969 Datejust reference 1600, that I got back in 2003, right after my graduation. A 36mm watch that goes with everything, and to be frank, it is a watch that deserves at least a try by every watch collector. For this reason, I selected five pre-owned Rolex Datejust references I would rock myself.Rolex DatejustAll pre-owned Rolex Datejust models in this overview are selected from Chrono24. Always make sure to do your homework when buying pre-owned watches. Theres enough in [...]

To us the passionate watch community the idea of watches going out of style seems unlikely. Then again, we are not the majority. Although our internet echo chambers may often convince us that 99% of the general populace lives, eats, and breathes luxury watches, we have to accept that isnt the reality. Society could shift against us and our treasured ticking totems.Im guessing that a lot of us dont give two hoots about whether watches are in or out of style. I would happily wager that some of us are positively allergic to the concept. It seems likelier still, that some of us would almost relish the idea of being outsiders, or being known as those who actively shun the norm in favor of our enl [...]

Today we have a common example confirming how difficult the purchase of Rolex Submariner 5513 might be. Or how quickly it can become a nightmare for a neophyte collector.Don't read this article?on?Rolex Submariner 5512 vs. 5513 that?Robert-Jan wrote some time ago. It still brings me to tears. Especially the intro. RJ recounts how he paid 1,800 for the first GMT-Master 1675 he bought in 2003. Or the other one he bought 10 years later for 4,500. We are in 2020 today and Corona seems to be fading slowly. What next months will bring is still uncertain, but prices of Rolex GMT 1675 seem hopping comfortably above 10k mark. The vintage watch market clearly cares very little about the troubles faced [...]

Welcome back to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly serial where you get to play monarch. Lets see if youll award the royal crown to the Rolex Air-King. But firstLast week, I tried to present value to you in the form of a rare Breitling Superocean Chronoworks. It turns out that this rarity was caused by its initial price of nearly 40K Even a reduction down to roughly 15,000 wasnt enough to save this science experiment as it fell to a thundering 73% Crying Shame loss. That Breitling was once the brands veritable head of state, but was quickly deposed. Now lets focus on a monarch with a far longer reign, the Rolex Air-King.The Rolex Air-King debuted in 1945Internet lore tells us that the Ro [...]

The Oyster Perpetual is the distillation of the three core criteria for every Rolex: The Oyster case for water resistance, the Perpetually winding rotor and the Chronometer rating for timekeeping. With a solid platform, Rolex can go wild with crazy dials for a more personal touch. For this week's Pre-Owned Picks, I select some standout OP configurations from Chrono24.A few weeks back, Rob and I went toe-to-toe over the best beater watch from Rolex and Grand Seiko. The term beater, otherwise known as the go anywhere, do anything watch, may seem a misnomer for a circa 4,000 luxury object, but in this wild and wacky watch world it isnt so insane.The sporty Oyster Perpetual is designed to be tou [...]

Welcome to our newest series, Two For Tuesday. Today, well pit two of the watch worlds most popular watches against each other in a tussle to be Tuesdays-top-dog. Its the Rolex GMT 16710 vs the Submariner 14060M.Yes, Two For Tuesday is a new concept for us, but it came to mind when we were spitballing about new directions for the site. As the resident watch geek amongst my friends and colleagues, Im usually their first stop for advice. Oftentimes, people dont ask about a specific watch. They actually ask about a brand. Someone will say something like, I want an Omega. Or, I want a Rolex. Amazingly, theyll often boil it down to two models that are somewhat similar (i.e. both are sporty, both [...]

In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don't forget to let us know which watches you'd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We'll try and feature as many of our readers' choices as we can. This week, were sticking with Rolex but going back to our original format. So what do you think, dear readers? How much do you rate or hate the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea?Last week was a joy. A neck-and-neck contest that rolled all week. Over 1,500 of you voted (thank you, thank you, thank you), and you [...]

Yachting enthusiasts enjoy the kinetic momentum of a boundless fuel. Wind never depletes or pollutes and only the waves crashing against the hull act as the background noise. Mechanical watches have the same ideology.For this weeks Pre-Owned Picks, I have selected three watches for life on the waves.All watches are pre-owned and picked from Chrono24. Every week we pick a few pre-owned watches from Chrono24, the largest market place for wristwatches in the world watches that we love ourselves, or think they will be interesting to you. So to be clear, we picked the watches, Chrono24 only send us the images without their watermark and in a proper resolution.Tissot Sailing T-TouchThe T-Touch ran [...]

Rolex has a rich history of advertising built for decades. The brand has produced some of the most remarkable ads ever created by a watch brand. In this recurring series, we take a look at the most iconic ads Rolex has created over the years.One of the most exciting and fun things to do when diving into the history of a watch brand is to look at its advertising.?Rolex has always been a brand that has created some of the most remarkable ads in the industry, not least because they are connected to outstanding achievements and famous people. Some of the advertisements are stylish, some of them are thought-provoking, and some are blessed with an excellent sense of humor.All of them represent a c [...]

Welcome to Wrist Game or Crying Shame, the weekly serial that allows you to govern your own state of wrist wear affairs. Todays subject is the Rolex Submariner 14060, a popular aspirational steel dive watch. Well see what you think in a bit. But firstLast week, I brought something bright and bulbous with the Chronoswiss Timemaster. It turns out that a wrist lantern and massive onion-shaped protuberance for a crown do not a winner make. The Chronoswiss got pummeled on the way to a 59% Crying Shame loss. Thats a real shame because I find it rather unique. Todays pick is far more common and I know some?miesepieters will whine about yet another Rolex.The Rolex Submariner 14060 is Still a DealI c [...]

Last week, we discussed whether or not watches would ever become obsolete. Hopefully, we went some way towards allaying any fears you may have had on that front. This week we dig into whether the frequently heralded return to smaller, more classical diameters is finally about to crest the horizonFor several years now, the watch industry seems to have been waiting for a sudden and stark reversion to smaller watches. Its a funny thing for the industry, which is, one would assume, in control of itself to a degree, to be waiting for. But, of course, no commercial enterprise can operate in ignorance of its customers desires. And so, while the watchmaking industry does tend to dictate what is cool [...]

Wrist Game or Crying Shame remains locked inside, but were thankful that modern technology still allows us all to vote. Today, well consider the Rolex Daytona 116523 and shed some light on a watch thats rarely discussed. But firstLast week, I tried to impress you with my knowledge of both art and hipster clich|s when I presented a vintage Movado Museum Watch for consideration. George R.R. Martin once said that, Art is not a democracy. People dont get to vote on how it ends. Well, you collectively thumbed your nose at George while voting this art to a lumbering 54% Crying Shame loss But we move forward with a very different kettle of fish in the Rolex Daytona 116523.The Rolex Daytona 16523 = [...]

In this Sunday morning column, two of our writers go head-to-head in an epic showdown for the ages. Strong opinions and hysterical hyperbole are welcome (so feel free to join in with the fun in the comments section below). And don't forget to let us know which watches you'd like to see torn to shreds/effusively exalted next week. We'll try and feature as many of our readers' choices as we can. This week, the youthful Rolex Air-King is the subject of this macho tug-of-war twixt RJ and Jorg. Enjoy!When Rolex introduced this Air-King reference 116900 in 2016, it simply confused me. I even wrote that in this article on Fratello later that year. It appeared to me that Rolex used their 40mm Milgau [...]

You dont have to spend too long in or around the luxury watchmaking industry to be aware of the modern Rolex classics such as the Submariner, GMT Master II, or the Datejust. Within the modern collection, a few more complicated watches exist, like the Sky-Dweller, Yacht-Master II, and Cellini Moon Phase. Although less common these days, complicated watches have played a huge part in the brands history.For example, one?of the rarest Rolex models, very much sought after by worldwide collectors is reference?8171. This 38mm model features a complete calendar with moon phase complication also. It is nicknamed Padellone by Italian collectors. It gets this moniker from its dimensions in relation to [...]