Posts Published byraftmenpiece

The Petrolhead Corner – Toyota Makes It Six At Le Mans, Beating BMW and Cadillac To The Line

The Petrolhead Corner – Toyota Makes It Six At Le Mans, Beating BMW and Cadillac To The Line

Racing for 24 hours straight, only to cross the finish line a handful of seconds ahead of second place, with third place closing in fast as well. That’s pretty much what happened at the final stages of the 2026 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. After three straight wins for Ferrari with the 499P, […]

Racing for 24 hours straight, only to cross the finish line a handful of seconds ahead of second place, with third place closing in fast as well. That’s pretty much what happened at the final stages of the 2026 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. After three straight wins for Ferrari with the 499P,

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First Look – Bovet Releases the Récital 32, its First True GMT

First Look – Bovet Releases the Récital 32, its First True GMT

Towering above conventional watchmakers with its complex in-house movements, dramatically staged complications, and lavish artistic flourishes, Bovet’s watches are as unique as they are expressive. Described as the brand’s “first true GMT,” the new Récital 32 features a novel, user-friendly pusher to set the second time zone. However, in true Bovet style, this GMT does not […]

Towering above conventional watchmakers with its complex in-house movements, dramatically staged complications, and lavish artistic flourishes, Bovet’s watches are as unique as they are expressive. Described as the brand’s “first true GMT,” the new Récital 32 features a novel, user-friendly pusher to set the second time zone. However, in true Bovet style, this GMT does not

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Introducing – Timex Goes Upscale with the Atelier Chronograph Automatic M1a Ti

Introducing – Timex Goes Upscale with the Atelier Chronograph Automatic M1a Ti

Timex is one of those names in watchmaking that dominated with radically affordable, mass-produced watches. Like many others, the brand felt the crunch of the quartz crisis, largely shelving mechanical production. It did not have much choice but to embrace quartz. It was a smart move then, but they never truly lost their mechanical watchmaking […]

Timex is one of those names in watchmaking that dominated with radically affordable, mass-produced watches. Like many others, the brand felt the crunch of the quartz crisis, largely shelving mechanical production. It did not have much choice but to embrace quartz. It was a smart move then, but they never truly lost their mechanical watchmaking

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Hands-on – Blending Crafts With The Awake Son Mai Guilloché Main (incl. Video)

Hands-on – Blending Crafts With The Awake Son Mai Guilloché Main (incl. Video)

Awake Watches made its debut in 2019 by lifelong watch enthusiast and collector Lilian Thibault. The brand quickly found an audience through original, graphic and fun elements such as meteorite dials, collaborations with artists, and contemporary styling and materials, at a very fair price. In 2024, in celebration of the brand’s 5th anniversary, Awake made […]

Awake Watches made its debut in 2019 by lifelong watch enthusiast and collector Lilian Thibault. The brand quickly found an audience through original, graphic and fun elements such as meteorite dials, collaborations with artists, and contemporary styling and materials, at a very fair price. In 2024, in celebration of the brand’s 5th anniversary, Awake made

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Introducing – Ochs und Junior Anno Sandblasted, Annual Calendar Minimalism at its Best

Introducing – Ochs und Junior Anno Sandblasted, Annual Calendar Minimalism at its Best

Traditionally, watchmakers solve horological problems by adding components. Dr Ludwig Oechslin famously does the opposite, stripping mechanisms down to their absolute essentials. It is a philosophy that has defined Ochs und Junior since its inception and one that reaches one of its purest expressions in the Anno annual calendar. The foundational model, the brand’s annual calendar, […]

Traditionally, watchmakers solve horological problems by adding components. Dr Ludwig Oechslin famously does the opposite, stripping mechanisms down to their absolute essentials. It is a philosophy that has defined Ochs und Junior since its inception and one that reaches one of its purest expressions in the Anno annual calendar. The foundational model, the brand’s annual calendar,

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First Look – The New Bovet Récital 31, a Very Intuitive Perpetual Calendar

First Look – The New Bovet Récital 31, a Very Intuitive Perpetual Calendar

The perpetual calendar is one of the most fascinating watchmaking complications. It can also be one of the most frustrating. Capable of automatically accounting for irregular month lengths and leap years, it is a mechanical marvel, yet one that often requires patience and caution when adjustments are necessary. With the new Récital 31, Bovet joins […]

The perpetual calendar is one of the most fascinating watchmaking complications. It can also be one of the most frustrating. Capable of automatically accounting for irregular month lengths and leap years, it is a mechanical marvel, yet one that often requires patience and caution when adjustments are necessary. With the new Récital 31, Bovet joins

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Introducing – The Boutique-Exclusive Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin Blue Fumé Edition

Introducing – The Boutique-Exclusive Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin Blue Fumé Edition

The Manhattan series is an important collection for Maen, being an integrated-bracelet sports-watch design series with an increasingly refined execution at an accessible price. Last year, the Swedish brand with Dutch roots introduced the Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin, a slimmer and more elegant interpretation of its popular collection, powered by a hand-wound movement. Now, Maen […]

The Manhattan series is an important collection for Maen, being an integrated-bracelet sports-watch design series with an increasingly refined execution at an accessible price. Last year, the Swedish brand with Dutch roots introduced the Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin, a slimmer and more elegant interpretation of its popular collection, powered by a hand-wound movement. Now, Maen

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Industry News – Announcing Basilia Jewellery & Watch Fair, The Return of a Fair in Basel in April 2027

Industry News – Announcing Basilia Jewellery & Watch Fair, The Return of a Fair in Basel in April 2027

Seven years after the demise of Baselworld – the once-iconic trade fair whose decline ultimately led to its disappearance – a new jewellery and watch exhibition project is set to bring international business back to Basel. Set to occur in April 2027 and jointly organised by MCH Group (the former organiser of Baselworld and operator […]

Seven years after the demise of Baselworld – the once-iconic trade fair whose decline ultimately led to its disappearance – a new jewellery and watch exhibition project is set to bring international business back to Basel. Set to occur in April 2027 and jointly organised by MCH Group (the former organiser of Baselworld and operator

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Introducing – The Nomos Ahoi Neomatik Sand and Sky, now in 36mm and No-Date

Introducing – The Nomos Ahoi Neomatik Sand and Sky, now in 36mm and No-Date

Nomos released the Ahoi Neomatik Sand and Sky in 2023, adding a fresh, playful touch to the brand’s sporty collection. Combining the good specs of the Ahoi line with colours inspired by nature, they stood apart from the more restrained palette usually associated with the Glashütte manufacture. This year, Nomos offers a pair of smaller […]

Nomos released the Ahoi Neomatik Sand and Sky in 2023, adding a fresh, playful touch to the brand’s sporty collection. Combining the good specs of the Ahoi line with colours inspired by nature, they stood apart from the more restrained palette usually associated with the Glashütte manufacture. This year, Nomos offers a pair of smaller

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First Look – The Cuervo y Sobrinos Gran Premio de Cuba Chronograph Trilogy Celebrates Havana’s Racing Heritage

First Look – The Cuervo y Sobrinos Gran Premio de Cuba Chronograph Trilogy Celebrates Havana’s Racing Heritage

Cuba may be making headlines today for reasons far removed from motorsport, but there was a time when Havana was among the most glamorous destinations in the world. During the 1950s, the city was a vibrant mix of culture, entertainment and international sport, attracting celebrities, entrepreneurs, and racing drivers. It was the racing capital of […]

Cuba may be making headlines today for reasons far removed from motorsport, but there was a time when Havana was among the most glamorous destinations in the world. During the 1950s, the city was a vibrant mix of culture, entertainment and international sport, attracting celebrities, entrepreneurs, and racing drivers. It was the racing capital of

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