The Czapek Place Vendôme Complicité has a stunning movement while maintaining the design language of the Place Vendôme. This may seem trivial to some but for a brand that has always had a strong design culture, designing a movement around the desired appearance is still quite impressive.
Rolex had never called out to Joshua Munchow as a watch that he must have or that would be the pinnacle of his collection. He thinks that this is because of the downsides to it being the most widely known watch brand in the world: forgeries and overexposure abound. So what is it about 2015’s Rolex Day-Date 40 that turned him into a convert? Read on to find out.
Patek Philippe surprised Joshua Munchow with the 2019 launch of the Weekly Calendar, a new dress watch in stainless steel and the brand’s first steel-encased production model since the 1970s. The 5212A Calatrava Weekly Calendar is a mix of modern technology, classic style, and a couple of unique touches that help it stand out from Patek Philippe’s typical offerings, making it one of his favorite watches from the Genevan giant in quite a while.
At its core, the O.G. Deep Space is a very simple watch without any gimmicks masquerading as features, allowing it to be observed and appreciated for what it is, a solid time-only watch. It displays the hours and minutes on a supremely clean dial that lacks pomp or flourish, with just enough going on to create a strong first impression.
With the MB&F HM8 Mark 2, Max Büsser returns to his roots to deliver a watch that deftly captures the automotive spirit. It’s a hypercar for the wrist.
Since the Vacheron Constantin Historiques 222 is descended from a steel sports watch, and was an early inspiration for the Overseas collection, it might seem that launching the first new model in 37 years would lean heavily on the “sports” aspect of the watch. But design and aesthetic are clearly the motivating factor for Vacheron Constantin deciding to lead with a yellow gold edition, explains Joshua Munchow, one of many fans.
To celebrate its enduring legacy, Grand Seiko has re-created the original Grand Seiko model from December of 1960, and it is all the right kinds of vintage Japanese minimalist design that any self-respecting WIS would appreciate. The Grand Seiko 1960 Re-Creations are the essence of Grand Seiko.
What would happen if a watch brand makes a chronograph that looks almost exactly like a simple, time only watch? You end up with the most low-key, under-the-radar, stealth chronograph on the market: the De Bethune DB Eight!
Independent brand Petermann Bédat launched its second timepiece, the Reference 2941 Split-Seconds Chronograph in 2023 and it took that years GPHG prize for best chronograph. Joshua Munchow takes a deep dive into what makes it so special.
What would happen if a watch brand makes a chronograph that looks almost exactly like a simple, time only watch? You end up with the most low-key, under-the-radar, stealth chronograph on the market: the De Bethune DB Eight!