In Depth: Taking A Journey Through Time With The Rolex 'Hulk' Submariner Ref. 116610LV By: Danny Milton For every watch enthusiast or watch lover, there are always two points in time worth remembering. The first point is when you were a normal functi…
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The Long And Increasingly Complicated Story Of The Reference Number
In-Depth: The Long And Increasingly Complicated Story Of The Reference Number From 2447 to CBS2210.FC6534 – why reference numbers keep getting longer. Two four four seven. When Heuer released the first Carrera in 1963, it gave its new racing chronograph an easy-to-remember four-digit reference numbe…
Decoding Watch Model Numbers: Breitling
Model numbers: those sometimes short and sometimes long strings of numbers and letters associated with every watch must serve some purpose. Each watchmaker has their own style; Rolex uses four to six digits, Grand Seiko uses four letters followed by three numbers, and Omega uses 14 digits separated…
How a Watch Works | 101
Video Transcription It should be no surprise that here at Crown & Caliber we love watches. From the most exclusive watches to quirky quartz watches we love them all. And sometimes we get so inundated with watches we forget most people don't spend their day working around these fascinating instru…
Watches Not Made of Metal
Video Transcription Mechanical watches have been around for centuries, and over the several hundred years of watchmaking technological advancements have made more accurate, more reliable, and more robust timepieces. And often when we think of new watch technologies we immediately jump into the movem…
The New Rolex Submariner | Baselworld 2020 Predictions
Video Transcription The Rolex Submariner is a watch we talk about a lot, and for good reason. It's the watch that most watches are compared to. But that can be a good thing and a bad thing. And to paraphrase Shakespeare, "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." I just had to make that pun. Rolex is…
A Deep Dive on the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms
The Quintessential Dive Watch When you consider the quintessential dive watch, a number of different models probably come to mind. You may think of the Rolex Submariner, the OMEGA Seamaster, or the Breitling Superocean. Still, the original dive watch optimized for professional divers was the Blancpa…
A Guide to Watch Standards
The Development of Quality Standards Since the early days of watchmaking, watchmakers have built reputations and grown brands on the quality of their timepieces. Today, modern watchmakers have many different ways to market their watches, from strategic partnerships with sporting events to celebrity…
How To Use a Breitling Navitimer
Brief History of the Breitling Navitimer The Breitling brand has become synonymous with superior pilot watches since the release of the Chronomat in 1942. With its debut came the introduction of a totally new and patented technology specifically designed for pilots: the slide-rule bezel. Over the co…
Top 6 Rectangular Watches
Video Transcription Most watches follow a pretty standard design. It's a circular case, with lugs connecting to a bracelet, and a crown at three o'clock. It's a tried and true design that just works, but sometimes you may want something a little different. Square and rectangular watches are definite…
2020 Watch Events Around the World
Each year, the watch industry has a plethora of exciting events. Almost every month, there’s a different auction or exhibition you can attend. Some are larger and better known, like Baselworld. Others are smaller and more regionally specific, like WatchTime New York. No matter where you live or wher…
The Evolution of Tudor’s Snowflake Hands
Developing a Signature Design as a Watch Brand Every watch brand has signature traits. For some, it’s technical, and for others, it’s design. Since its inception in 1946, Tudor has worked to distinguish themselves from their powerhouse parent company, Rolex. In doing so, they’ve developed some of th…
A Deep Dive on the Rolex “Big Red”
The Rolex Daytona: A Collector’s Timepiece The Daytona instantly became a staple of the Rolex catalog when it debuted in 1963. Over the years, the collection has notched some milestone moments for the Rolex brand. Models like the Paul Newman Daytonas of the 1960s and 70s helped solidify the collecti…
The Best Anti-Magnetic Watches
In the early days of watchmaking, there were many factors that could influence the accuracy of a watch. One of them was not, however, magnetic forces – powerful magnetic forces simply weren’t around. In fact, it wasn’t until the twentieth century – 1915 to be exact – that Vacheron Constantin made th…
What Makes a Watch Collectible?
Imagine if you could have predicted how iconic certain watch models would eventually become. Think of watches like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak that were nearly a flop and now a legend. Consider that a stainless steel model was once thought to be inferior to an all-gold one. Now, there are multi-ye…
Hidden Gems: The Piaget Altiplano
The burgeoning watch enthusiast and insecure teenager share a similar predicament - what will people think? The negative connotation of flashy watches (while sometimes true) sheds a negative light on the watch community. For young professionals or those wishing to fly under the radar, this Piaget Al…
What to Know Before Buying a Rolex Explorer
Video Transcription The Rolex Explorer is often overlooked when compared to its flashier siblings like the Submariner and the Daytona, but it's every bit of a Rolex sport watch. So, let's take a look at the Explorer history, talk through some of the prominent references, and explain why we think the…
Patek Philippe Nautilus vs Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Video Transcription At a glance the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus seem to be distant cousins. They're both stainless steel watches from two of the most esteemed watch brands, and they both have pretty unique case designs, but in reality they share much more. Both of these…
Watches That Sparkle
Today, many people still fall under the antiquated assumption that diamonds are reserved for women. Interestingly enough, much like WWI helped to transform the wristwatch from a women’s jewelry item into a masculine tool, WWII did something similar for diamond watches in the States. The period follo…
Top Watches of the Decade
It may just seem like another year is coming to a close, another year is around the corner. However, 2020 isn’t just another year. It ushers in a new decade. 2010 may not seem like that long ago, but here are a few things to put it into perspective. In 2010, the hit TV show Lost was in its final sea…
Proprietary Materials of Rolex
Evolution of Rolex’s Proprietary Materials Experimentation with new materials has always been a part of the watch industry. In the past, it was necessary to further the evolution of watches themselves. The development of new watch materials helped watches go from exclusive, bespoke items to producti…
A Look at the New WMBrown Edition Serica Watches
The Enduring Legacy of Military Watches Watches have been an important tool for military forces for centuries. These specially designed and issued models eventually made their way into the civilian market. Today, military-inspired timepieces continue to be some of the most popular among collectors…
Profiles in Time: Adam Driver
You may know Adam Driver from his breakout role in HBO’s Girls. Perhaps you’re more familiar with him as Kylo Ren in the Star Wars franchise. Since rising to stardom as one of the decade’s most intriguing actors, Driver has maintained the unconventional nature that led him to acting in the first pla…
Wrist Check: The Cartier Tank Americaine
The Cartier Tank needs no introduction. Strip away branding, and the design is instantly recognizable to a watch nerd or lover of luxury goods. Introduced in 1917, the Tank has enjoyed a long history of adorning some of the most stylish wrists in fashion. However, often overlooked, there’s another i…
Top Rolex Nicknames Explained
Video Transcription Rolex sport models like the Submariner and the GMT Master II are some of the most sought-after watches. Their classic and robust design make them perfect choices for any occasion, and over the years with this increased familiarity a lot of these models have gained nicknames. So…
How to Use a Watch Chronograph Part 2 | The Tachymeter
Video Transcription In another video we previously covered the very basics on "How to use a Chronograph". So, let's take a minute and delve a little deeper and how to use a chronograph bezel. The most common bezel we see on a chronograph is the tachymeter. A tachymeter is essentially a scale used in…
What are Jewels and What Role Do They Play in Watchmaking?
In all your reading and research about watches, you may have come across the term “jewels.” No, I’m not referring to diamond accents or high-level gem setting. I’m talking about the watch movement. In fact, if you have or have seen a watch with an exhibition caseback, you may very well have noticed…
How Does a Flyback Chronograph Work?
The chronograph is one of the most common and most popular watch complications. In the simplest terms, a chronograph is a stopwatch used to record or measure elapsed time. However, there are also variations on the chronograph. The three main types are the mono-pusher, the rattrapante, and the flybac…
What is Oysterflex?
Rolex has been a leader in the watch industry since the early days of the company. One of their first achievements came all the way back in 1910. That year, they created the first wristwatch to receive chronometer certification. Since then, Rolex’s accomplishments have spanned beyond industry accola…
The Panda Dial: A Roundup of Some Favorites
With its eyecatching white dial and black subdials, the Panda Dial is a variation of the chronograph complication. Since its inception in 1969, the chronograph itself has quickly become one of the most popular complications, with an instantly recognizable design featuring a distinct layout with eith…
The Best Entry-Level Rolex | The Oyster Perpetual
Video Transcription When people think of a luxury watch they often think Rolex and then they think, "There's no way I could ever own one!" But there are some really good sleeper models, as we like to call them. Now they may not garner the same attention as the Daytona's or the GMT-Masters, but they…
The Patek Philippe Aquanaut: A Look at the Iconic Model
Origins of the Aquanaut The 1970s marked a moment of significant shifts in the watch industry. During the decade prior, the mechanical watch market had surged with advancements in accuracy, efficiency, and water resistance. However, when it came to variety of watches in the 1960s, there were primari…
Wrist Check: The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Typically, the saying “you never want to meet your heroes” is a decent rule to live by. As a watch enthusiast, my “attainable” grail has always been a Royal Oak. So when that little black box showed up this month from the Crown & Caliber shop, I was a little nervous this piece of horological his…
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