Posts Published byraftmenpiece

The Petrolhead Corner – A Recreation of the Outrageous 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Prototype Set To Conquer Le Mans, But Didn’t…

The Petrolhead Corner – A Recreation of the Outrageous 1968 Marcos Mantis XP Prototype Set To Conquer Le Mans, But Didn’t…

“What could have been…” is a remark often heard when talking about cancelled racing programs, failed prototypes or one-hit wonders. In the world of motorsports, there have been plenty of examples of this. Cars that raced just once, never managed to move beyond the development stage, or existed only in rumours, even. Think of the […]

“What could have been…” is a remark often heard when talking about cancelled racing programs, failed prototypes or one-hit wonders. In the world of motorsports, there have been plenty of examples of this. Cars that raced just once, never managed to move beyond the development stage, or existed only in rumours, even. Think of the

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Review – The Urwerk UR-150 Blue Scorpion, Streamlined, Redefined, Still with the Same Bite

Review – The Urwerk UR-150 Blue Scorpion, Streamlined, Redefined, Still with the Same Bite

Urwerk has spent nearly three decades rewriting the rules of how a wristwatch tells time. Since Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner founded the brand in 1997, the core idea has stayed very consistent: wandering satellite hours sweeping past retrograde minutes, executed as a sort of kinetic sculpture. Models like the UR-103 put the satellite carousel […]

Urwerk has spent nearly three decades rewriting the rules of how a wristwatch tells time. Since Martin Frei and Felix Baumgartner founded the brand in 1997, the core idea has stayed very consistent: wandering satellite hours sweeping past retrograde minutes, executed as a sort of kinetic sculpture. Models like the UR-103 put the satellite carousel

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Portrait – The Manteio Zeus, Self-Taught Watchmaker Alex Goetschi’s Divine Debut

Portrait – The Manteio Zeus, Self-Taught Watchmaker Alex Goetschi’s Divine Debut

For our latest independent watchmaking discovery, we talk to Alex Goetschi, a young self-taught watchmaker from Switzerland with a very interesting story. Under the name of Manteio, which comes from the Greek word for Oracle, he finds inspiration in Greek mythology. And what better topic for your first watch than the ‘King of the Gods’ […]

For our latest independent watchmaking discovery, we talk to Alex Goetschi, a young self-taught watchmaker from Switzerland with a very interesting story. Under the name of Manteio, which comes from the Greek word for Oracle, he finds inspiration in Greek mythology. And what better topic for your first watch than the ‘King of the Gods’

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Introducing – Launching on Kickstarter, the new Northern Watches NW1 Bronze Age & NW2 Northerner

Introducing – Launching on Kickstarter, the new Northern Watches NW1 Bronze Age & NW2 Northerner

Northern Watches, launched by the Norwegian-born and Swiss-based watchmaker Stian Lofstad, arrives with a clear message: show the whole day at a glance, keep the design clean, and build it in Switzerland with proven movement. The debut range splits into two references, the bronze-cased NW1 Bronze Age and the steel NW2 Northerner, but the concept […]

Northern Watches, launched by the Norwegian-born and Swiss-based watchmaker Stian Lofstad, arrives with a clear message: show the whole day at a glance, keep the design clean, and build it in Switzerland with proven movement. The debut range splits into two references, the bronze-cased NW1 Bronze Age and the steel NW2 Northerner, but the concept

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First Look – The New Brellum Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE, a Greatest-Hits of the Brand’s Catalogue

First Look – The New Brellum Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE, a Greatest-Hits of the Brand’s Catalogue

Independent and intentionally small, Brellum is the brand of fourth-generation watchmaker Sébastien Muller, and is built on three constants: COSC certification across the board, full movement decoration under a domed exhibition back, and direct-to-consumer production capped at 299 pieces a year. The catalogue splits into clear families. The Duobox, with its twin box sapphires and […]

Independent and intentionally small, Brellum is the brand of fourth-generation watchmaker Sébastien Muller, and is built on three constants: COSC certification across the board, full movement decoration under a domed exhibition back, and direct-to-consumer production capped at 299 pieces a year. The catalogue splits into clear families. The Duobox, with its twin box sapphires and

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Hands-on – The New Titanium Jacques Bianchi JB300 Profonde x Deepsea.edc

Hands-on – The New Titanium Jacques Bianchi JB300 Profonde x Deepsea.edc

Every brand from Apple to Zenith touts at least one watch that is “built for adventure”, “to stand the test of time”, or to “take a licking and keep on ticking” (okay, maybe that last one is less current). One look at the watch marketing out there today, and you will be inundated with images […]

Every brand from Apple to Zenith touts at least one watch that is “built for adventure”, “to stand the test of time”, or to “take a licking and keep on ticking” (okay, maybe that last one is less current). One look at the watch marketing out there today, and you will be inundated with images

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Introducing – The Yema Navygraf Pearl CMM.20 Flaunts a Mother-of-Pearl Dial and Bezel

Introducing – The Yema Navygraf Pearl CMM.20 Flaunts a Mother-of-Pearl Dial and Bezel

French brand Yema got a foothold in the watch world with its rugged tool watches, exemplified by models like the mighty 300 water-resistant Superman skin diver of 1963. Proud of its French roots, Yema secured strategic alliances with the French Navy (Marine Nationale) to develop military tool watches. Based on its 1970s Navygraf dive watch, […]

French brand Yema got a foothold in the watch world with its rugged tool watches, exemplified by models like the mighty 300 water-resistant Superman skin diver of 1963. Proud of its French roots, Yema secured strategic alliances with the French Navy (Marine Nationale) to develop military tool watches. Based on its 1970s Navygraf dive watch,

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Introducing – Farer Expands its Moonphase Collection with the Stratton and Burbidge Eastern Arabic

Introducing – Farer Expands its Moonphase Collection with the Stratton and Burbidge Eastern Arabic

Farer is a British watchmaking brand founded on the principles of adventurous design, accessible quality, and mechanical integrity. It builds its reputation by blending Swiss craftsmanship with bold colour, texture, and storytelling. Every Farer collection feels both familiar and fresh, rooted in heritage but always forward-looking. The Moonphase Collection, launched in 2023, brought that same […]

Farer is a British watchmaking brand founded on the principles of adventurous design, accessible quality, and mechanical integrity. It builds its reputation by blending Swiss craftsmanship with bold colour, texture, and storytelling. Every Farer collection feels both familiar and fresh, rooted in heritage but always forward-looking. The Moonphase Collection, launched in 2023, brought that same

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First Look – The New Nomos Metro 38 Date

First Look – The New Nomos Metro 38 Date

A slightly more discreet member of the Nomos family, the Metro is a more youthful, cosmopolitan, and modern take on the brand’s clean design language, compared to the deliberately austere Tangente and the classic Ludwig. Soft in shape, elegant with a twist, the Metro is a watch that deserves more attention. And, with the latest addition to the collection, […]

A slightly more discreet member of the Nomos family, the Metro is a more youthful, cosmopolitan, and modern take on the brand’s clean design language, compared to the deliberately austere Tangente and the classic Ludwig. Soft in shape, elegant with a twist, the Metro is a watch that deserves more attention. And, with the latest addition to the collection,

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Introducing – The New CIGA Design Everest Summit Central Tourbillon

Introducing – The New CIGA Design Everest Summit Central Tourbillon

CIGA Design has carved out a distinct lane in contemporary Chinese watchmaking: bold industrial design, visible mechanics, and aggressive value. Founded by industrial designer Zhang Jianmin, the brand built early recognition with skeletonised mechanical pieces and unconventional case forms, then vaulted onto the global stage with the award-winning Blue Planet, cementing its credibility beyond the […]

CIGA Design has carved out a distinct lane in contemporary Chinese watchmaking: bold industrial design, visible mechanics, and aggressive value. Founded by industrial designer Zhang Jianmin, the brand built early recognition with skeletonised mechanical pieces and unconventional case forms, then vaulted onto the global stage with the award-winning Blue Planet, cementing its credibility beyond the

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