Tag: watches

IWC Pilot’s Chronograph Ceralume 2024: Price, Specs, Availability

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After months of trial and error, the final result, achieved by working with the same specialist supplier that creates IWC’s existing ceramic cases, was a ratio that found “the optimum balance between mechanical properties and luminosity.”

That was far from the only hurdle to clear, however. While standard oxide ceramics are sintered in a normal, oxygen-rich atmosphere, it turned out that under those conditions, the Super-LumiNova would degrade: It needed to be fired in a special mix of inert gases. “This was really challenging, because that’s not the standard way of sintering zirconia,” says Brunner. “I would say this was the most difficult part.”

Cleverly, despite the mix of zirconia with Super-LumiNova, which have different densities…

Photograph: IWC

… scratch resistance on the concept watch case is exactly the same as standard ceramic.

Photograph: IWC

Having figured out how to make the case and ensure a smooth even glow, the IWC team then had to make sure the end result lived up to the same standards of durability expected of a normal ceramic watch, famed for their scratch resistance and surface hardness.

Other watch brands, including Bell & Ross and Zenith, have created fully- or partly-luminous watch cases by infusing fiberglass, quartz, or carbon polymers with Super-LumiNova. But none had attempted it with ceramic until now. “When you have ceramic, the scratch resistance and durability is on a completely different planet,” claims Brunner.

“When we mix zirconia with Super-LumiNova, as material scientists, we call it [a mix of] structural ceramics and functional ceramics. Structural ceramics give the physical stability of a material, and functional ceramics a certain function, in this case the luminosity,” says Brunner. “When you mix two of them together you will probably lose some of the mechanical stability, because when you have 100 percent zirconia, you have full strength.”

“What we found out is that in terms of hardness, measured with Young’s modulus, we are at the same level. So the scratch resistance will be exactly the same as a standard ceramic. We reduced the fracture toughness a little; if you drop 100 pieces, the risk of breaking some of them would be higher when you introduce Super-LumiNova. But the reduction is surprisingly not that dramatic. We did all the [normal] testing internally, with the shock tests ranging from 25G to 5,000G, and it passed all the tests.”

The longevity of the Ceralume watch’s luminous glow is a direct function of the sheer amount of Super-LumiNova present; despite being interspersed with ceramic, it is capable of absorbing a significant amount of energy from sunlight.

The case, meanwhile, is impervious to UV damage. “It depends on the sheer mass,” confirms Brunner. “If you imagine, normally in a standard watch, you have hands and maybe some indices that are in Super-LumiNova, which is a very low amount—fractions of grams. Here we’re talking about a whole case, and also in the strap you have more Super-LumiNova.”

The strap, Brunner says, is comparatively simple to engineer, without the concerns of sintering, shrinkage, and color fastness. “Of course, one important thing is to get it completely homogeneous. That’s always difficult when you mix, say, a plastic or a resin with hard particles,” he says.

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May 30, 2024
17 Best Apple Watch Accessories (2024): Bands, Chargers, Cases, and Screen Protectors

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If you have an iPhone, there’s a good chance by now that you also have an Apple Watch. We’ve rated it as the best smartwatch and the best fitness tracker for iPhone owners. It dominates the smartwatch category, with over a third of the market.

It’s also one of the easiest Apple products to accessorize, even if you might not really need to. Personally, I’ve never cracked an Apple Watch screen or case. Apple does offer an extended warranty plan, which I would consider, given that service pricing for watch repairs is exorbitant. In the event that you turn it down, however, these screen protectors and cases can help extend the life of your indispensable timer/alarm clock/sleep tracker. We also included some of our favorite straps and chargers.

Still haven’t decided which Apple Watch to get? We have a buying guide for that too. And check out our Best iPhone, Best iPad, and Best MacBook guides for more Apple recommendations.

Updated May 2024: We added Fitness+, the Nomad Base One Max, the Nomad Glow bands, another jelly band, and the Insta360 X3. We also updated links and pricing throughout.

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May 23, 2024
TAG Heuer Kith Formula 1 Watch 2024: Prices, Specs, Availability

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Concessions to modernity include sapphire crystal instead of plastic for the dial covering on these new models, and high-grade rubber straps instead of the plastic of old. The range includes five versions with stainless steel cases (two of which have black PVD coatings to match their bezels), and five featuring cases in the original Arnite, in fun colorways designed in partnership with New York-based Kith.

Ronnie Fieg, Kith’s founder and an influential figure in today’s streetwear and sneaker world, is also a passionate collector of vintage TAG Heuer Formula 1s. The all-plastic versions, plus two steel versions with bright blue and green bezels respectively, are exclusive to Kith—find them in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Toronto, Hawaii, Tokyo and Paris, or on its website.

But expect to move fast, because if the MoonSwatch is any precedent, the scalpers will move faster—notwithstanding the fact that at $1,350, the new Formula 1s are five times the price of a MoonSwatch.

But they are rare: there are only 250 examples each of the Kith exclusive all-Arnite models, and 350 of the two steel Kith exclusives. The two models with black-coated steel cases, also with green or blue bezels and straps, are exclusive to TAG Heuer stores (and will not be online), and limited to 825 pieces each.

Finally, the version with a stainless steel case and bracelet, and black bezel, is shared between both brands, and limited to 1,350 pieces. All models feature quartz movements and 200-meter water resistance, just as the originals did. There is also, according to TAG Heuer’s press release, a boxed set featuring all ten watches, though the brand has yet to confirm how and where it is available.

As well as featuring Kith’s “Just Us” slogan on the dial, the watches are also co-branded, with “Kith” replacing “TAG” in the watchmaker’s logo—the first time TAG Heuer has ever co-branded a watch, and reflective of the company’s keenness to speak to the Gen Z consumers that are meat and drink to brands like Kith.

Indeed, modern TAG Heuer, owned by LVMH, the luxury conglomerate, since 1999, has been going through its own series of rebirths in recent years. These have included the development of its high-end Connected smartwatch; the introduction of lab-grown diamonds for high-end models; attempts (ongoing, but as yet unsuccessful) to revolutionize hairspring production with nano-technology; a recent reintroduction of its long-dormant eyewear business; the introduction, with Citizen’s help, of solar-powered models; and multiple changes in both management, product and pricing strategy.

Just under 5,000 watches will be available in total from this pimped F1 reissue, spread across 10 limited editions. However, unlike the MoonSwatch, some will be available online.

Photograph: TAG Heuer

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May 1, 2024
9 Best Smartwatches (2024): Apple Watch, Wear OS, Hybrid Watches

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The number of smartwatches on the market is staggering. I’ve tested models from Tag Heuer, Citizen, Montblanc, and many other fashion brands, but most of them are simply too expensive for what you get. Here are a few options I like.

Apple Watch Series 8 for $329: If you can find the 2022 Apple Watch Series 8 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) for a good deal less than the Series 9 (under $300), you should snag it. It’s nearly identical to the latest model, especially the health features. Save your cash!

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 for $229 and Watch5 Pro for $380: The 2022 Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends) are still great, just make sure you pay less than the price of the new Galaxy Watch6 models. They match the Apple Watch’s accuracy in several health and fitness metrics, from SpO₂, sleep, and heart-rate tracking to electrocardiogram measurements (though the latter is exclusive to Samsung phones). The Watch5 Pro is larger and has a battery that lasts roughly two full days, whereas the Watch5 lasts around a day and a morning. The Pro also adds GPX, meaning you can download hiking routes to the watch. They have sapphire crystals protecting the screen, but the Watch5 Pro’s crystal is even more durable, and it has a stronger titanium case versus the standard Watch5’s aluminum.

Casio G-Shock Move DW-H5600 for $299: Want a G-Shock with a heart rate monitor? The DW-H5600’s measurements lined up well with the Apple Watch, but if you’re serious about tracking your health, I think you’re better off buying something from our Best Fitness Trackers guide. The buttons are a bit tough to press, and there aren’t a ton of workouts you can track (running, walking, gym workouts). You can sift through a good amount of data in the app, though I was left wanting more, and battery life lasted me roughly three days with continuous monitoring. It can recharge via solar, but you will need to use the bulky charging clip every few days. I still enjoyed wearing it, even if I didn’t find it as useful as our above picks. You can use it to track different time zones, your movements via the GPS during a workout, and even sleep.

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April 14, 2024
Best of Watches and Wonders 2024

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Ultra-high-end Swiss watchmaker Bovet has created the Récital 28 Prowess 1 watch, and it can indeed adjust to DST changes. How? A revolutionary roller system can be set at the touch of a button to show UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), AST (American Summer Time), EAS (Europe and American Summer Time), or EWT (European Winter Time) in any of the 24 time zones represented on the dial by 24 rollers.

It’s a system that is simple to read but bewilderingly complex in construction, which might explain why Bovet estimates that it can manufacture only eight pieces per year. Indeed, the CHF 650,000 watch (approximately $711,400), complete with perpetual calendar and flying tourbillon, has been in development since 2019, with Bovet scrapping the first completed version then starting all over again in order to nail the unique DST function.

Patek Philippe Crosses the Date Line

Photograph: Patek Phillippe

Speaking of World Timer watches, Patek Philippe is, among other horological feats, the absolute OG of the World Timer complication, in which 24 time zones are all displayed in a single watch. Patek has been making these since 1937, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still innovate the format: Its new example includes a subtle-as-you-like date display that’s capable of crossing—and recrossing—the international date line.

What does that mean? On any World Timer, the central hands indicate your local time while the other zones are shown on a rotating 24-hour ring off-set against 24 cities around the world. When traveling, adjusting your local time zone east or west could take you across the date line, which normally would require correcting the date.

For the $76,590 Patek Philippe 5530G, the date corrects itself either forward or backward—a simple concept, but mechanically complex (and now patented by Patek), with a display that is itself innovative: A hand pointing to date numerals around the dial’s exterior is made from a hairthin slice of glass, so as not to disturb the legibility of the other dial indications.

Montblanc’s Carbon-Sucking Chrono

Photograph: Montblanc

Carbon-fiber—strong, lightweight, and offering a variety of diverting textural styles—has become a favorite modern material for the luxury watch industry, which is also keenly playing up its sustainability credentials at any (frequently tendentious) opportunity. Sensibly, Montblanc has refrained from making any specific eco-claims with its new 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen CARBO2, while showing some deftness in harnessing emerging tech from the sustainability sector.

For the past few years, several bodies have been researching the use of sequestered CO₂ for the production of carbon-fiber composites. Montblanc’s supplier captures CO₂ from biogas production and mineral waste from recycling factories, from which a powder is obtained that feeds into a nano-fiber composite known as Carbo2. That’s used to make the case of this $9,100 sporty chronograph with Montblanc’s unusual rotating-globe GMT display.

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April 11, 2024
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: A 3-Day Battery Smartwatch

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I will note that OnePlus isn’t the first company to try a novel approach to solving smartwatch battery life. Mobvoi’s TicWatch Pro series has long used dual-display technology to conserve battery life, providing similar results to OnePlus. But that watch is bulkier, the software feels clunkier, and the company’s update policy is spotty.

Speaking of, OnePlus is promising two Wear OS updates and three years of security updates. That’s similar to what Google offers for its Pixel Watch lineup, but paltry compared to what you’ll get from Samsung, which promises four Wear OS updates and five years of security updates for its Galaxy Watch6 series. What OnePlus offers here is decent, but it would be nice to see it match Samsung so you can enjoy the watch—with new features, security patches, and bug fixes—for as long as possible.

One of my favorite parts of the OnePlus Watch 2 is the fact that you only need to deal with one app. No need to have two separate apps for the watch’s functions and to access health and fitness data like with its competitors. Everything is managed in OnePlus Health (OHealth). But health and fitness is where the compromises start to creep in.

Puzzling Health

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

I like how everything is laid out in accessible tiles in OHealth, and you can click on them to access more information, but the app has some quirks. For starters, and you’ll see this in the picture above, there are some design issues, like words running into each other (see the step count goal). There are also missing health features like an electrocardiogram, skin temperature sensing, period tracking, and fall detection. All of these are on similarly priced competitors, but the quality of the information available is really the issue.

The discrepancies largely stems from step count and distance traveled. Wearing the Pixel Watch 2 on my other wrist, I noticed a big difference in these two metrics, with the OnePlus Watch 2 frequently undercounting, sometimes by 2,000 or 3,000 steps. On February 29, I traversed around Barcelona, sightseeing, and the Pixel Watch 2 says I walked 12.35 miles with 25,000 steps. OnePlus’s watch says it was 5.82 miles with 24,000 steps. With rudimentary estimates, 25,000 steps equates to roughly 12 miles, so there’s clearly some issue here with the OnePlus.

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April 5, 2024
As the Snoopy Omega Lands, Cartoon Luxury Goes Boom

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Consider, for instance, the independent watchmaker Kross Studio, which announced itself to the world with a complex tourbillon model themed around—of all things—Space Jam, the 1996 pairing of Bugs Bunny with Michael Jordan, and followed it up with another featuring a tiny sculpture of Boba Fett’s Slave 1 spaceship. Or Loewe’s Minecraft-style “pixelated” hoodie.

“There’s collectively this sense that you can have a sense of humor and still be luxury, and in fact being in on the joke in a nerdy, insider way is what makes you cool,” says Greene. For a venerated luxury brand, being able to play around with that is seen as intelligent rather than dumbing down or vulgar. “What might once have been a transparent branded content idea is, in the best examples, inspiring creativity while also playing to the insiderdom of your audience.”

PHOTOGRAPH: KROSS STUDIO

Absolute Fandom

Omega itself has demonstrated that point, both with its most recent Snoopy watch in 2020, in which rather than simply decorating the dial the mutt was seen in a mechanical automaton on the watch’s back traversing space in a tiny rocket, and in this year’s Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8, in which a minuscule model of the Saturn V rocket acts as a small seconds hand. Whether this is inescapably tacky or incredibly cool is, essentially, irrelevant.

“The delineation we used to have between what was kitsch and what was acceptable just isn’t there,” says Greene. “The internet has made us unilaterally hyper-postmodern: Everything can be interesting and relevant, so nothing is shit.”

A point that even Rolex, which has long maintained a specifically aloof stance in reference to pop culture and trends, has recently sniffed out. Its Day-Date model unveiled a year ago, featuring a multicolored dial of enameled puzzle pieces, with emoji (a heart, a kissy face, etc.) and inspirational words replacing the days and dates, is too rare to be seen as a watershed but was a shock nonetheless.

“Brands are making big efforts to become closer with their clients—there’s no more mystique, and that’s a big shift,” says Michael Friedman, a watch historian and entrepreneur who, while head of complications at the fine watchmaking powerhouse Audemars Piguet, was involved in the development of its notorious tie-in with Marvel. That resulted in 2021 with a $150,000 “Black Panther” version of its Royal Oak Concept Flying Tourbillon watch, in which a figurine of the superhero, hand-sculpted in astonishing detail, crouches within the skeletonized dial. Last year saw a Spiderman follow-up. These now change hands for around $400,000.

“We’re in an era of absolute fandom,” says Friedman. “We’re able to embrace our passions, wear that passion however we chose to, whether it’s high- or low-end, on the wrist or on sneakers or a T-shirt, and find like-minded people around the world who get that. If you’re a brand, something like this is just a moment, capturing a piece of the energy that’s out there, but the ripples can be exponential.”

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March 26, 2024
The Swatch x Omega Snoopy MoonSwatch Has Landed

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The connection between Snoopy and Omega is long established, and it’s likely this iteration of the wildly successful Swatch collaboration will be its most popular model, especially as it is a proper new iteration and not a version of the Moonshine Gold MoonSwatches. “There seems to be an increasingly sonorous groan echoing throughout the enthusiast space with each new, and somewhat gimmicky, release,” watch site Time+Tide wrote upon the release of one timepiece that arrived to coincide with National Swiss Day. No such criticisms can be made concerning the Mission to Moonphase.

This also means, however, that anyone waiting for a budget Swatch Snoopy Speedmaster will need to be prepared to, once again, stand in line at selected Swatch stores, because like the other models this won’t be available to buy online.

Photograph: Swatch

Initially, the MoonSwatch was considered for online sales, and even Nick Hayek Jr., chief executive of Swatch Group, refused to rule out the possibility post-launch. “Ask me in four months if ecommerce can play a role,” he told WIRED in July 2022. “Perhaps. I don’t know.” Nearly two years later, no MoonSwatch has been sold new online, nor does it look likely they ever will be.

The Omega and Snoopy space connection stems from NASA’s Silver Snoopy award, a silver lapel pin first awarded in 1968 for outstanding achievements related to flight safety or mission success. Omega was awarded the Silver Snoopy in 1970 after the Speedmaster played a vital role during Apollo 13, serving as backup to the broken instruments during the mission, with Jack Swigert using his to time the critical 14-second rocket engine burn, allowing a safe return to Earth.

However, it wasn’t until 2003 that Omega created what was to be the first in a series of Snoopy Speedmasters to commemorate the brand’s spacefaring heritage.

Speaking to WIRED in January, when news of the Snoopy MoonSwatch first broke, watch specialist and WIRED contributor Tim Barber said such a model was inevitable. “Bringing in Snoopy was only ever a matter of time,” Barber said. “In fact, it’s remarkable there wasn’t a Snoopy version the first time around, which would of course have been the absolute must-have MoonSwatch.”

The MoonSwatch Mission to Moonphase is available beginning March 26, in selected Swatch stores. And, as with the whole MoonSwatch Collection, apparently only one watch can be purchased per person, per day, and per Swatch store.

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March 21, 2024
Omega 2024 White Speedmaster Moonwatch: Specs, Price, Availability

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The first titanium Project Alaska Omega watch had a shielding case of anodized aluminum in bright red.

Photograph: Swatch Group

Omega followed the first Alaska prototype with a second design the following year, cased in the conventional 42-mm Moonwatch case. It retained the oversize red aluminum outer case and white dial, while on this model the steel cases were bead-blasted rather than polished to reduce dazzling reflections. The “capsule” hands also remained, but in black, and the classic Speedmaster’s tachymeter bezel (most useful for tracking speed over a known distance; relatively impossible in space) was replaced by a 60-minute scale.

Despite its more conventional styling and cheaper production costs, NASA decided not to order the watch, preferring to stick with what it knew. The Alaska Project watches did eventually make it into space, however, worn by Soyuz 25 mission cosmonauts between 1977 and 1981.

A white dial would not grace another Speedmaster Moonwatch until 1997, when a commemorative limited edition was produced to mark the 40th anniversary of the Speedmaster, and it was only sold in Italy.

In 2008, a limited-edition Alaska Project homage was released, and others have since followed, including the Silver Snoopy of 2015. In 2021, a white-dial Speedy was released in Omega’s proprietary Canopus white gold.

But this new model in stainless steel (reference 310.30.42.50.04.001) is the most attainable white version so far. Today, Omega says the color scheme is a nod to astronauts’ space suits, which it may be—but for fans of the brand it will always relate back to those Cold War creations.

So important were the Alaska Project watches, they were also immortalized in MoonSwatch form in 2022, as the red-bioceramic-cased Mission to Mars.

There are a number of other touches that cement this new Speedmaster’s place as the spiritual successor to the Alaska Project watches: The red Speedmaster dial text is a subtle nod to the design of both Alaska models; and the glossy lacquer used for the dial (another small first for Omega-kind) is in its own way harking back to the highly reflective capabilities of those top-secret prototypes.

Equipped with a sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 50 meters, and machined to tolerances that engineers of the 1960s could only dream of, this is a thoroughly modern Speedmaster—but like all the best Speedmasters, it has a powerful connection to the past.

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March 5, 2024
It’s Apparently Easy to Crack the Apple Vision Pro’s Front Screen

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Apple’s mixed-reality headset is selling well, but it’s embroiled in a new mystery that’s proving tough to crack.

As first reported by MacRumors, some customers have discovered a mysterious crack appearing vertically down the center of the front-facing screen on their Vision Pro headsets. The reports have come from only a small number of users, most of them talking about it on Reddit, which can be an unreliable source. That said, Engadget reports that the same crack has occurred on its review unit. The folks affected say they haven’t mishandled the devices—there’s been no dropping or smashing that could create the crack in the laminated glass screen. So it’s not yet clear what exactly is causing the problem, or whether it actually affects the performance of the Vision Pro.

WIRED reached out to Apple to ask about the cracks on the Apple Vision Pro’s front screen and what could be causing them, but the company hasn’t responded.

Apple has chosen to make its first headset out of premium materials like aluminum and glass that have resulted in the device being both heavy and less durable. For an example of how it stands up to stress, take this video of YouTuber JerryRigsEverthing absolutely demolishing an Apple Vision Pro headset. (Spoiler alert: It doesn’t do well if you set it on fire.)

Here’s some other consumer tech news.

Apple Sports a New App

This week, Apple announced a dedicated app for sports lovers. It’s called—wait for it—Apple Sports. The app is free on iOS, and it gives iPhone users access to real-time sports scores. It can be used to track scores and stats from some professional and college leagues, like Major League Soccer, NBA and NCAA basketball, Premier League soccer, and NHL hockey. Notably missing are other sports giants like the MLB, NFL, NCAAF, NWSL, and WNBA, though Apple says those leagues are coming to the app soon for their upcoming seasons.

The app lets users filter and customize the scoreboards to show their favorite teams. It’s also meant to push users toward watching games on Apple TV, with the inclusion of a “Watch on Apple TV” button in the app. While the iPhone app is free, streaming the games usually requires a subscription.

Apply PC Games Directly to the Forehead

In other VR news, Sony says it is testing out making its newest VR headset compatible with PC games. Sony’s PS VR2 came out a year ago, and while it’s a fun, powerful device, it received some criticism for requiring a tethered connection to a PS5 console. Now, Sony is exploring the idea of letting players utilize the headset for gameplay on PCs as well.

The announcement was buried a few paragraphs into an update about new games coming to Sony’s console platform. The company didn’t share any details about which PC games it is testing on PS VR2, or when such a feature might become available.

Still, it’s a welcome cross-platform move that may bring Sony a step closer to ending the console wars. That’s probably not the company’s immediate goal here, but it is not the first move by a gaming company on the interoperability front. Last week, the Xbox team announced that several of its previously exclusive console games will soon be made available on other platforms like PlayStation and the Nintendo Switch.

What Are You Dune 2 Night?

Swiss luxury watchmaker Hamilton has unveiled two new timepieces inspired by director Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune sequel. As you might expect, they look like something that’s arrived straight from Arakkis. (That’s the Dune planet.) The exterior is a rugged matte black, with bright blue numbers and watch hands meant to evoke the color of the eyes of the Fremens. (They’re the Dune people.) The triangular shape of the case is an evolution of Hamilton’s Ventura model, which was first introduced in the 1950s.

The Ventura XXL Bright costs $1,810 and is limited to 3,000 total units. The Ventura Edge Dune watch is $2,553 and is limited to 2,000 total pieces. Dune: Part Two opens next Friday, March 1.

Tech Trouble

It’s a rough time to be in the tech industry for a lot of workers, especially those who have been swept up in the great wave of layoffs that have happened so far this year. In a matter of weeks, tens of thousands of tech workers lost their jobs. Companies of all sizes have made cuts recently, including Google, Amazon, Discord, and Instacart. It’s a stark shift for an industry that grew by enticing employees with extravagant campuses and benevolent benefits. Now, faced with a glut of job seekers, companies have gotten very particular about who they hire. It’s harder than ever to land a tech job, and both sides of the interview table are getting creative about how they approach the other. (Yeah, they’re probably all using AI.)

This latest episode of WIRED’s Gadget Lab podcast dives into the plight of tech workers, and how getting a job and keeping one have become much more precarious.

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February 24, 2024