A very Happy New Year to you! In the first round-up of 2022, we have bad news for those waiting to get their dream Rolex watch. The brand just increased the prices of its watches. Speaking of Rolex, we get up close with the Sky-Dweller, which is now available with a Jubilee bracelet. Moving on, we have reviews of two interesting quartz watches from Citizen and Grand Seiko.
The new year is also a time for speculation, and we have a story featuring the predictions of industry insiders and collectors. Finally, we want to bring your attention to a questionable Patek Philippe that surfaced at an auction not too long ago. Vintage watch collecting is exciting and can be highly rewarding, but it does come with its pitfalls. Let this be a warning to all.
1. 2022 BRINGS NOTICEABLE ROLEX PRICE INCREASES, ESPECIALLY ON STEEL LUXURY WATCH MODELS
Good news if you have already attained your grail Rolex watch. And bad news if you haven’t. Rolex has just had a round of price hikes. The reasons, you’ve probably heard them before: rising costs, inflation, and all sorts of pandemic-related shortages and extra expenses. The hikes are substantial, especially on popular steel models. The stainless steel Daytona, GMT-Master II, Submariners, and even the Milgauss all saw increases of at least 10%. While we can all moan and groan, it’s important also to consider how and why Rolex is doing this at this time. After all, price hikes are not exercises to be taken lightly. For our analysis, hit the link below.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
2. WATCH REVIEW: CITIZEN RECORD LABEL TSUNO CHRONO
I have always said that if you are going to be a snob and ignore anything that has a quartz movement, you’re going to miss out on some really nice pieces. Case in point: the Citizen Record Label Tsuno Chrono. These chronographs have strong vintage vibes, and that’s mainly because of the case. They have bullhead-style cases where the crown and chronograph pushers are located at the top of the case, reminiscent of vintage Citizen chronographs that have similar style cases. The choice of dial colors and accents helps, too. And at well under $300, these watches are affordable. Why? They are quartz.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
3. WATCH REVIEW: GRAND SEIKO SBGN003 9F QUARTZ GMT
In 2018, Grand Seiko announced its first high-end 9F quartz GMT movement. For watch lovers who can put aside their disdain for quartz movements, this is, in many ways, the perfect travel watch movement. A true GMT that combines the legendary accuracy of Grand Seiko’s 9F movement? What’s not to like? The Grand Seiko SBGN003 was one of the three watches to debut this movement. With its black dial and red GMT hand, it’s arguably the most conservative and versatile of the trio. To find out just how good a watch it is, hit the link below.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
4. HANDS-ON: ROLEX SKY-DWELLER WATCHES ON JUBILEE BRACELET
The Sky-Dweller is Rolex’s most complicated watch. As its name suggests, it was designed for the jet-set, and so it has a dual-time complication. Beyond that, it’s also an annual calendar. The date, as ever, is under a large cyclops glass, and tiny apertures at the tips of the hour indices are used to tell the month. All of these functions are controlled using just the crown — there are no pushers. Last year, Rolex decided to give its customers the option of equipping their Sky-Dwellers with a Jubilee bracelet. Here’s a closer look at these new watches.
Source: aBlogtoWatch
5. HANDS-ON: TIMEX GIORGIO GALLI S1 38 AUTOMATIC WATCH
The Giorgio Galli S1 is a seminal watch in Timex’s modern history. It was designed by Giorgio Galli, Timex’s design director, and was supposed to represent everything that modern Timex watches stand for. It was clean but functional. Crucially, it was also quite affordable. All in all, it was mostly perfect but it came in a 41mm case, which many felt was too large given its dress watch aesthetics. Fortunately, there’s now a smaller 38mm version. Personally, I feel this smaller case size suits the character of the design a lot better. And happily, this more compact version loses none of the appeal that made the original so beloved.
Source: aBlogtoWatch