movements and complications Archives - Albert Review

The Best Jumping Hour Watches Defy Convention

Tanisha Angel — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:19:48 +0000

Jumping hour watches are among the lesser discussed and sought after complications, however they’re no less interesting than their more coveted counterparts. Watches with jumping hour complications defy the norm when it comes to time-telling; rather than gradually moving across the dial every hour, the hour hand will ‘jump’ from one hour to the next as the minute hand reaches 60 minutes. Often, timepieces will eschew the hour hand altogether in favour of a ‘digital’ display — despite the name, […]

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The Best Chronograph Watches To Buy In 2026 (And, What A Chronograph Is)

Tanisha Angel — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 01:52:34 +0000

Equally as relevant now as they were upon their invention over two centuries ago, the appeal and popularity of the chronograph has not attenuated since its inception. While chronograph watches were initially introduced to make astronomical calculations before being adopted as a ‘doctor’s watch’, it’s their ties to motorsport (and a certain Paul Newman) that have served to cement its place in the horological cultural lexicon. Whether it’s used to calculate lap times, measure the heartbeats of patients, or simply […]

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The Useless Profundity Of A Moonphase Watch

Theo Rosen — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 06:08:56 +0000

Humanity has always looked to the sky for guidance, with ancient civilizations observing the heavenly bodies as the earliest form of timekeeping. Although the sun — kept track of using shadow clocks and dials — was used to determine the passing of days, the lunar cycle was instrumental in monitoring the passing of months. And while the waxing and waning of the lunar cycle is no longer necessary to keep track of lost time, the lure of the moon hasn’t […]

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No Bones About It; These Are The Best Skeletonised Watches In 2026

Tanisha Angel — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 09:49:02 +0000

Historically, watches have always left a little something to the imagination. Namely, the mechanisms powering them. While exhibition casebacks allow wearers to view the movement from behind, the dial conceals the majority of the magic. Skeletonised, or open-worked, watches put the mechanical complexity behind a timepiece on full display, with the dial serving as a window into the gears, wheels, and bridges that make a watch tick. The best skeleton watches don’t merely slap a sapphire crystal onto the dial […]

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A Primer On The Types Of Rotors In Automatic Watch Movements

Theo Rosen — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 23:52:00 +0000

A rotor, also known as an oscillating weight or mass, is a key component of all automatic watch movements. The rotor dates back to 1777 when Swiss horologist Abraham-Louis Perrelet created a self-winding mechanism equipped with a rotor that winds the spring accurately in both directions; this became known as a perpetual watch or perpétuelle, due to its eternal motion. Perrelet’s invention didn’t really take off at the time, as it was built for pocket watches, which remain fairly stationary […]

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Ding Dong! From Minute Repeaters To Grande Sonneries; A Guide To Chiming Watches

Henry Blake — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 11:59:47 +0000

Wondering how people told the time in the dark before the digital age? “Super-Luminova,” you might say. But what about before that? In the mid-18th century — prior to the adoption of electric lighting and well before luminescent coating on watches — watchmakers created a way for timepieces to sound the hour on demand, allowing the time to be told in the dark. While upon their invention chiming watches (also known as striking watches) were a practical necessity, today they’re […]

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A GMT Is The Ideal Watch For Two-Timers

Theo Rosen — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 11:59:33 +0000

Whether you’re a frequent business traveller, a polyamorist with families on two continents, or simply a sports watch fan, a GMT watch should be on your radar. Among a host of somewhat-justifiable-but-mostly-not-that-useful watch complications (we’re looking at you, moonphase), the GMT complication is both applicable to modern day life and more accessible than complications like the world timer or chronograph. The simplest travel watch of them all, the GMT does away with the need to whip out your phone (or […]

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What Is A Tourbillon & The Best Tourbillon Watches To Know About

Theo Rosen — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 11:58:20 +0000

Like many beautiful things worth knowing about, the tourbillon is also rather complicated. However, it’s not actually a complication. Confused? Let us explain. For many watchmakers and manufactures, a tourbillon represents the ultimate display of virtuosity. Unlike many intricate complications or movement componentry, the tourbillon sits front and centre on the dial, allowing wearers (and admirers) to observe the beating heart of the watch—namely, the balance spring and balance wheel—at work. While they once served a practical purpose, today the […]

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Anatomy Of A Watch: A Guide To The Different Parts Of A Watch

AR Staff — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 11:58:06 +0000

Depending on whether it’s accompanying you to a black tie gala, the bottom of the Mariana Trench, or trackside at Formula One, your watch will likely boast a distinct aesthetic and occasion-specific complications. But regardless of whether you’re sporting a dress watch, dive watch, chronograph, or even a grand complication, all watches share certain fundamental components. Understanding the different parts of a watch will enable you to talk about your own in a convincing and confident manner, and prevent you […]

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Mechanical vs Quartz; A Guide To The Different Types Of Watch Movements

AR Staff — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 11:55:25 +0000

Ever wondered what makes your watch tick? Literally, not metaphorically. All watches are powered by movements. Akin to the engine of a car, a movement is the mechanism that keeps your watch running. Watch movements can be categorised as mechanical or quartz, with the former further broken up into manually wound (i.e. hand-wound) or automatic. The best watchmakers pay great attention to the development and execution of watch movements, which play a crucial role in the functionality (and often aesthetics) […]

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