As you might have guessed from the featured image of this post as well as the image above, I’m a huge fan of A. Lange & Söhne’s Datograph. In-house chronograph movements are nothing to shout about these days, but rewind the clock to 16 years ago, and they were rare. In fact, the caliber L951.1 in the first generation Datograph was the first all-new chronograph movement in years.
The second generation model presented in 2012 is, to me, much more practical to wear. The power reserve has been significantly increased from a paltry 36 or so hours to a much more reasonable 60 hours. The case is bigger too, at 41mm, but the dial has been nicely filled up with new baton markers and the power reserve indicator at 6 o’clock. And if you think the dial is pretty, brace yourself when you flip it over: the caliber L951.6 is a masterpiece. And new this year is the long awaited rose gold model with a black dial, and I think it looks absolutely super.
The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph aside, we are also taking a look at some other really cool new watches in form of Cartier’s new skeletonized Crash watch, MCT’s Frequential One F110 watch, and AkriviA’s Tourbillon Heure Minute watch. Finally, we take a look at straps from famous Parisian strapmaker ABP and also learn more about vintage Heuer Autavias.
1. A. Lange & Sohne Datograph Up/Down Pink Gold Watch Hands-On
The Datograph from A. Lange & Söhne is easily one of the greatest chronograph watches ever made. The distinctive dial, with its large date display and unusual positioning of running seconds and minute sub dials, is a modern icon in design. However, it is its movement that is arguably the star of the show. Flip the Datograph over, and you are greeted by a city of bridges, cams, and gears, few watches can match the Datograph’s calibre L951.6 for visual appeal. This year, A. Lange & Söhne has updated its Datograph collection with a new model in pink gold, which I think is more warm and appealing to the eyes.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
2. MCT Frequential One F110 Watch Hands-On
MCT, or Manufacture Contemporaine du Temps, is most famous for its Sequential watches – watches with rotating louvers that indicate the hours. And this makes it special in the world of haute horology. So, for those who want to truly stand out from the crowd and mark themselves as individuals with style and daring, may I propose the MCT Frequential One F110 watch? This watch is MCT’s new entry-level piece, but it loses none of its more illustrious siblings’ visual appeal. It might not have rotating louvers that indicate the hours, but in the middle is a large slow beating balance that is just as captivating. More of this watch in the link below.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
3. What Do The Patek Philippe 3582 & The Apple Watch Have In Common?
The Apple Watch has been criticized for its boring rectangular case. Some have even said that it looks like a miniaturized iPhone. What if we told you that the Apple Watch actually shares a lot of design cues with a vintage Patek Philippe, specifically the reference 3582 from the Seventies? Isn’t it curious how a watch from the Seventies could look so similar to one of the newest and most cutting-edge watches right now?
Source: aBlogtoWatch
4. Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX 7 Aston Martin Watch Review
Jaeger-LeCoultre is arguably most famous for its classically styled watches – their Reverso and Master collections immediately spring to mind – but it does dabble in some outrageous and radical watches too. And we can see examples of such watches in its Master Extreme collection, such as this AMVOX 7 Aston Martin watch. Its modern and sporty design aside, the watch also has a very unusual way of operating the chronograph that showcases Jaeger-LeCoultre’s expertise in devising unique movements. Find out how the chronograph is operated in the review by hitting the link below.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
5. AkriviA Tourbillon Heure Minute Watch Hands-On
AkriviA is a young brand that is only about three years old, and its founder, Rexhep Rexhepi, at just 28 years old, is likewise young. Despite Rexhepi’s tender age, the man has been working on watches for the past 14 years, beginning with an apprenticeship at Patek Philippe, no less. Rexhepi started AkriviA to focus in his own approach to watchmaking and the Tourbillion Heuere Minute watch that you see here is only the company’s second watch. Even so, the young watchmaker has been tipped for great things and has even been singled out by Kari Voutilainen as one to watch in the coming years.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
6. Cartier Crash Skeleton Watch For Men Hands-On
The Crash is possibly one of Cartier’s most interesting watches. Its history is certainly intriguing. The story goes that the inspiration for the Crash actually came from a Cartier watch that was found to have melted in a car accident – hence the name Crash. Regardless of its remarkable history, the Crash is noteworthy because of its unusual case shape. And now, Cartier has come up with a skeletonized version that shows off the very special movement inside.
Source: aBlogtoWatch