A year with Tudor: from the Black Bay Heritage to the Pelagos FXD GMT "Zulu Time" A year ago, I purchased my first Tudor Black Bay Heritage, a watch that marked my debut in the brand's fascinating world. Today, I am renewing my commitment to Tudor by adopting the new Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT "Zulu Time", the result of a prestigious collaboration with the French Navy. From the moment it was launched, it caught my attention: its khaki strap adorned with the navy's coat of arms, its matte black dial enhanced with a touch of orange on the "Pelagos GMT" inscription, its luminescent crown and indexes... And, of course, its new GMT movement. This watch seemed to have everything it needed to seduce me. A first impression: surprising lightness As soon as I put it on my wrist, one detail immediately struck me: its lightness. This was my first time trying on a watch made entirely of titanium, and the combination with a NATO strap only accentuated this airy feeling. The Pelagos FXD is so light that you almost forget you’re wearing it, a feature that I found particularly pleasant. The strap: a dark spot in a bright picture Unfortunately, the NATO strap, although iconic, disappointed me somewhat. At this price point, I expected a strap of superior quality. This one, although aesthetically successful, is much too thin for my taste, to the point of making the passage through the buckle delicate. This detail, which could have been easily improved, slightly tarnishes the overall experience. A slightly thicker material would certainly have provided more comfort and robustness. A timepiece that lives up to expectations Aside from this downside, the Tudor Pelagos FXD GMT “Zulu Time” remains a remarkable watch. It has everything it takes to become one of those pieces that continue to surprise and amaze every time you wear them. Its bold design, military DNA and high-performance movement make it a perfect ally for fans of sports and technical watches. I hope that this sharing of experience has allowed you to better discover this new creation and that it will enlighten those who are still hesitant to take the plunge. Tudor continues to prove that it is a brand that knows how to combine innovation and watchmaking refinement.

For my 29th birthday, my friends wanted to give me a joint birthday present. As always, I wanted a watch. In order to be surprised anyway, I selected 5/6 watches that caught my eye. I had noticed this little Zenith from the 60s, during one of those many moments when I was getting lost on Chrono24. At that time, my tastes for vintage were mixed with my desire to add a brand that I did not have in my collection and certainly with the news of the surge in the price of gold. My partner chose this watch from the list with the vote of my friends. So I received it on the evening of my birthday, I put it on my wrist and I immediately liked it. The next day, having sobered up, I realized that the strap on it was of very poor quality and that it was coming off where one of the two pumps went. I also notice that the minute hand is not original, it does not seem to be gold, it is a very coppery color. The minute hand is, as for it, in very bad condition, twisted and the black paint tracing the center is missing. Finally, the crown is also not original. I then undertake to look for the original hands. Not knowing anything about this area, I hang around on Google, going from site to site. I finally come across a parts site that sells a 2542 movement with dial (very damaged), original hands, original crown, but also the original box. The watch had to be disassembled to melt the gold and this had been done without taking care, hence the completely deformed dial. It was the jackpot for me. €110 and a few days later, I receive all that. With my low-end watchmaking kit from Aliexpress in hand, I managed to swap the hands. But when it came time to remove the original crown from the winding stem, crack! I broke the stem… With my research, I quickly found a new stem for my caliber. Once the watch was reassembled, all I needed was a nice strap. I chose a royal blue crocodile (in the tones of the original box) with a slightly burgundy brown interior from Camille Fournet. And my quest was over… A beautiful original gold buckle could complete the whole thing, but unfortunately the Zenith bracelets of that era were very thin and the price of the buckles is quite prohibitive. I've had this watch for a year and a half, perfect with a suit due to its elegance, its contained diameter of 35mm and its thinness < 9mm. Even if it doesn't spend much time on my wrist, because the Audemars has somewhat replaced it for special occasions; it still gives me so much pleasure. The research, the restoration steps and the feeling of pride felt at the success of all this, make this watch an important piece in my collection. I recommend not only this watch, but especially the process of buying a 60-year-old vintage.

I present to you my Citizen Ice Blue NJ0151-88M that I love, it's my only watch that is not a diver or a chronograph... the model that I present was for a long time only available on the Japanese market but now it is on sale in France, it is an automatic model of 40mm in diameter and 5 ATM... it has a superb color that varies in the light and a pretty integrated bracelet of 3 branches, in short a watch that I like and I find that the Japanese manufacturer Citizen is not recognized in France at its true value while in the USA this manufacturer of the rising sun is a hit... Citizen has iconic models like the Aqualand JP2000 (the big blue 1988) the promaster NY0040 and the Chalenge Diver Futjisubo titanium which has an incredible history hence the name (Bernacle in French) that I also have it is the rival of the SPB143 62 MAS from Seiko and this Tsuyosa Ice Blue (strength) in Japanese is a real hit…

Commemorative watches were not uncommon in the USSR. Celebrating the glorious past and recalling it on a watch dial was even customary and yet this watch stands out. Because it is not about celebrating an anniversary of the coup d'état of November 17, or that of the end of the hot war in 1945, no it is about celebrating the anniversary of the watch factory which finds its history in the cut stone factory in Petergof (finally Petrodvoretz at that time). In addition to the factory, it is the imperial past that is evoked. The factory and the imperial palace, this little Versailles overlooking the Gulf of Finland. Which has also become the symbol of "the window open on Europe", this forced modernization of Russia and its opening to European civilization. The golden case and bracelet further reinforce the imperial side. The guilloche (and gold) dial brings a real luxurious aspect in a Soviet Union that was really drawing to a close. Because 270 years after 1721, this brings us to 1991, the moment when the wind of change was blowing over Europe. A time when we were looking for other tutelary figures than the founding fathers of Marxism and real Socialism. I am not a big fan of gold watches, but I think it suits him very well, there are much more sober versions of the same commemoration, Dmitri Brodnikovsky presents a whole bunch of them on his YouTube channel, but ultimately, it is always the same 2609 NA movement, the same case (if not the gold plating), the same black hands, the same organic glass, the same steel case back as there are for millions of other watches that came out of the Factory. Luxury in sobriety, grandeur in decadence, this watch expresses in my eyes all the strength of this era of great change and historical continuity. The following anniversaries have produced remarkable watches, for the 290th anniversary, 2011, the commemorative watch of Gagarin's flight and the magnificent space watches that followed, for the 300th anniversary, 2021, the impressive “Imperial Peterhof Factory” line making a stone ring the central element of the wristwatch and unfortunately also becoming the symbol of the imperialist bloodbath that followed in 2022. And then 2021, it's the spotlight on the Gelendzhik Palace, the Peterhof of today's empire, which is nothing more than a sad murder hole open to Europe. For the 310th anniversary, we don't know yet, 2031 is still a long way off. In short, you will have understood that commemorative watches are invitations to compare different eras, to innovate while being part of a long tradition to imagine a more serene future. But if the watch can become the symbol of its era, it is not it that builds history, it is rather the one who wears it, for better or for worse. The adjectives that describe it are contradictory because this watch is an oxymoron, it is sumptuous and simple.

During a weekend in early December 2022, strolling through the shopping streets of the sad city of Liège, I pass by a window of an AD Seiko. Stopping to contemplate the different models on display, I flash on the dial of this Seiko Prospex Alpinist “Rock Face”. At that time I do not know the model and not wanting to bother my partner, I do not take the time to go back to try it. I nevertheless take a photo, telling myself that I would go do some research on the internet once I get home. I finally forget to go do this research. For Christmas, I am in Paris at my sister's in the 6th arrondissement. I decide to go for a walk in the neighborhood on the 24th in the morning. I knew that there was a Seiko showroom in the neighborhood, I decide to go there. Being alone and having all the time in the world, I go through the door of the store. I walk past the various shop windows until I come across the famous Rock Face. I decide to try it on. I like it a lot. I don't know if it's the very friendly salesman, the "limited edition" aspect, or the Christmas atmosphere, but I compulsively decide to take it. 2 years later, I somewhat regret my purchase. The beauty of the dial that had hypnotized me that day is still there, but it no longer erases the negative points of this watch: - The limited series is in reality too "available", can quickly be easily found in new condition with a discount of almost 20%. Certain effect of the Seiko Prospex policy of launching more and more limited editions. - The two bracelets provided do not satisfy me. The blue leather feels very cheap when worn, an unpleasant impression of imitation leather. The fabric bracelet with leather interior, however, lacks flexibility and quickly becomes dirty. - The watch, which keeps a rather contained diameter of 39.5mm, is disproportionately thick: 13.2mm. The case back is particularly thick and the lugs start too high on the case. - The case quickly gets scratches, despite a rather anecdotal wear. Quite disconcerting for a toolwatch. The quality of the steel is far behind my Victorinox STAINLESS. - The precision clearly does not seem to me to be there, without having had it tested. I realize that the watch takes several tens of minutes of advance between two wears, remaining on a winder. All these defects and the presence of many alternatives in my collection now make me want to get rid of it. Which goes to show that, for a long and serious relationship, it is better to take your time in your search and think twice, than to fall for an aesthetic love at first sight.

A very pretty Corniche Héritage Chronograph watch in its second variation of the Nocturne II with its "Black Mother-of-Pearl" dial. Limited to 250 pieces. Corniche is a Swedish house based in Stockholm. - If you appreciate natural materials and unique visual effects, "black mother-of-pearl" offers incomparable depth and iridescent reflections. However, keep in mind that each dial is unique, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage if you are looking for a perfectly symmetrical aesthetic. - Equipped with a hybrid movement, the VK64 Meca Quartz caliber from Seiko (the chronograph is mechanical and the time is quartz). - The mix between the classic Breguet numerals and the background representing the pines of the Côte d'Azur creates a strong visual identity. - A case with a diameter of 39 mm and a thickness of 11.5 mm, - Anti-reflective sapphire crystal - 20mm bracelet - Waterproof 50M - Always magnificent premium packaging!!!

I recently acquired this magnificent oyster from a Rolex retailer in Paris. Living in the south, I had put myself on the list during a stay in Paris a few months ago. The Rolex dealer contacted me on a Monday evening telling me that the watch was available but only for 48 hours, so I left the next day to pick up the watch. A pleasure to have finally been able to acquire a beautiful new Rolex that I would probably pass on to my children.

I'm not going to dwell on the specs of this watch seen and reviewed, because others would do it better than me! Watch shared with wife since our engagement, it goes wonderfully from one wrist to another without flinching. We love its timeless elegance with this design recognizable among 1000!

Looking for an el primero for a long time and after multiple searches, I came across this lesser-known version, the 146 heritage. I love its contained diameter, its magnificent sunray blue dial and its two well-proportioned sub-counters. A little extra detail, the small second at 9 o'clock which seems to float on the dial!

Grand Seiko's quest for excellence takes on its full meaning with this magnificent Snowflake. The characteristics of the watch appear gradually, making it difficult to establish a hierarchy as the whole is so close to perfection. At first contact, the piece surprises with its lightness. The resulting comfort is very appreciable and, going beyond the idea that weight is necessarily synonymous with quality, you quickly get used to it. The dimensions of the case are perfect and the alternation of polished and brushed surfaces offers a magnificently successful ensemble. The Zaratsu polishing delivers incredible perfection. Despite the absence of micro adjustment, the bracelet is easily adjustable by playing with the links of different sizes that can be removed without difficulty. Too tight? Reverse a short link and a wide one. Too loose? Replace a small link with a large one. The dive into the dial is a sumptuous journey between reliefs, light and reflections. The sapphire crystal is instantly crossed, invisible. The polishing of the indexes and hands is dazzling, it allows instant reading of the time even in very low light conditions. Thus the slightest movement of the wrist catches the light and the eye in a dazzling alternation of reflections. Finally, the dial is of a rare purity, between frozen snow and parchment paper, it reveals a relaxing and admirably executed landscape, poetically swept by a sober blued seconds hand whose fluidity of movement is hypnotic. On the battery side, the Spring Drive movement brilliantly reveals its skillfully mastered aesthetic. The treatment of the parts that compose it is as rigorously executed as the rest of the watch. Echoing the fluidity of the seconds hand, the continuous rotation of the regulator wheel seems imperturbable.