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Justin Mastine-Frost

Articles by Justin Mastine-Frost

EDITOR’S PICK: 5 things that separate fine from very fine watchmaking (apart from the price tags)
Watch Education
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EDITOR’S PICK: 5 things that separate fine from very fine watchmaking (apart from the price tags)

Editor’s note: They’re the questions we all ask ourselves when contemplating a new mechanical watch: is it worth it? Is that price-tag truly justified?  Here’s Justin’s…
A primer on the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Collection, and why it gets us so darned excited
Watch Reviews
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A primer on the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Collection, and why it gets us so darned excited

Editor’s note: Justin Mastine-Frost, while being full of energy as a human being, is not what I would describe as ‘excitable’. If you ever want…
9 of the most underrated chronographs of 2019
Lists
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9 of the most underrated chronographs of 2019

Tudor S&G this, Patek 5172G that, but wouldn’t you rather have something … different? Year after year it’s the same story. News breaks in January…
Can’t score that Nautilus or Pepsi? Here’s 6 watches you could buy instead
Lists
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Can’t score that Nautilus or Pepsi? Here’s 6 watches you could buy instead

These are the conversations we all keep having lately. Much like our beloved Sandra Lane, I’m equally sick of the steel Rolex and Patek hype…
LIST: Justin’s best watches of Baselworld (on a budget)
Lists
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LIST: Justin’s best watches of Baselworld (on a budget)

Baselworld has by now nearly slipped entirely into the ether, yet there’s a small list of watches that I’ve been mulling over ever since leaving…
HANDS-ON: Grand Seiko’s SBGY002, a hot new hand-wound take on the Snowflake
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: Grand Seiko’s SBGY002, a hot new hand-wound take on the Snowflake

It’s been an excellent crop of new releases for Grand Seiko, and hiding amidst a healthy assortment of models came this gem — the yellow gold…
HANDS-ON: The edgy, architectural Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The edgy, architectural Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Tourbillon

Hublot has been growing the Spirit of Big Bang line slowly and steadily, and though the SoBB Yellow Sapphire was quite the cool addition, this…
INSIGHT: Legitimately unique; why Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department is unlike any other 
Watch Education
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INSIGHT: Legitimately unique; why Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers department is unlike any other 

I’ll be frank: even using the word “unique” in this feature – let alone in its title – is dangerous territory. In this era of overblown, overhyped, and over-exaggerated…
LIST: From simple to surprising and complex — our 3 Patek Philippe picks from Basel 2019
Lists
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LIST: From simple to surprising and complex — our 3 Patek Philippe picks from Basel 2019

Let’s face it, the fair has been a bit of a mixed bag. There’s been a range of good, bad, and downright ugly watches lurking…
LIST: 3 Hublot watches spotted at Watches & Wonders, and why they’re so very Miami
Lists
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LIST: 3 Hublot watches spotted at Watches & Wonders, and why they’re so very Miami

Thanks to some last-minute magic, I found myself pointed towards Miami for some much-needed warmth and the slew of watch industry shenanigans that was Watches…
HANDS-ON: The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire – the not so mellow yellow
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Yellow Sapphire – the not so mellow yellow

Magic Gold, ceramic, sapphire. We all know that Hublot loves toying with case materials, and their latest comes as yet another clever spin on case…
HANDS-ON: The brand new Rado Captain Cook 42mm satiates the Goldilocks Syndrome sufferers out there
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The brand new Rado Captain Cook 42mm satiates the Goldilocks Syndrome sufferers out there

Constantly feeling like the Captain Cook offerings were either too big or too small? Problem solved. If you think about it objectively, watch collectors may…
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8
Hands On
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Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8

Justin isn't normally a Speedy kind of guy, but he might just make an exception for the Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8.
IN-DEPTH: The Longines Conquest V.H.P. GMT “Flash Setting”
Watch Reviews
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IN-DEPTH: The Longines Conquest V.H.P. GMT “Flash Setting”

The story in a second: A rare case of quartz having legit enthusiast appeal, albeit in a clever, and very novel, fashion. Say “it’s quartz”…
IN-DEPTH: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quantième Annuel Phase de Lune
Watch Reviews
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IN-DEPTH: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Quantième Annuel Phase de Lune

The story in a second: A classy calendar for the life aquatic. Expanding on a dive watch collection — especially one with such a rich…
INSIGHT: Classic design pushed forward – the world of watchmaking at Breguet
Watch Education
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INSIGHT: Classic design pushed forward – the world of watchmaking at Breguet

With a brand so rich in history, the origins of what can only be called typical Breguet design cues date a fair ways back into…
IN-DEPTH: The Glashütte Original Senator Cosmopolite in Steel – a study in complex elegance
Watch Reviews
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IN-DEPTH: The Glashütte Original Senator Cosmopolite in Steel – a study in complex elegance

The story in a second: It’s big, it’s complicated, it’s bloody clever. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: I’ve got a real…
OPINION: To beater, or not to beater – what exactly makes a beater watch, that is the question
Opinion
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OPINION: To beater, or not to beater – what exactly makes a beater watch, that is the question

What can and can’t be dubbed a ‘Beater Watch’ remains a contentious issue among many. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to let your watch…
LIST: Birth year watches for millennials – 6 future classics
Lists
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LIST: Birth year watches for millennials – 6 future classics

The idea of a ‘birth year’ watch is nothing new, though after a recent discussion I came to realise that it poses an interesting question.…
INSIGHT: Smart money – 6 expert takes on the best value watches to buy right now
Lists
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INSIGHT: Smart money – 6 expert takes on the best value watches to buy right now

Anyone with an eye on horological news has seen their fair share of “Value Propositions” and other notes and recommendations about watches delivering varying shades…
MY WEEK WITH: What it’s like to finally date your dream … watch – the Rolex GMT-Master II ‘Batman’?
Pop Culture
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MY WEEK WITH: What it’s like to finally date your dream … watch – the Rolex GMT-Master II ‘Batman’?

You all know the feeling. You spend months or even years dreaming about them, they become the background screen on your phone, tablet, and laptop.…
OPINION: The “McQueen” Submariner: What we really know, what we don’t, and what actually matters
Opinion
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OPINION: The “McQueen” Submariner: What we really know, what we don’t, and what actually matters

By now, you’ve seen the news everywhere. Phillips auctions touting their upcoming sale with headlines like “Phillips to Sell Steve McQueen’s Rolex Submariner”, and lines…
IN-DEPTH: the Drive de Cartier Extra Flat in steel — driving the value proposition
Watch Reviews
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IN-DEPTH: the Drive de Cartier Extra Flat in steel — driving the value proposition

The story in a second: A lot of value for not a lot of case. Though “perceived value” has become the new marketing-speak of the…
IN-DEPTH: The Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT Titanium
Pop Culture
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IN-DEPTH: The Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT Titanium

The story in a second: A funky and practical Hublot packed with style and substance. Launched early last year in Geneva, the Big Bang Unico…
HANDS-ON: The Patek Philippe Ref. 5524 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Patek Philippe Ref. 5524 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time

Effectively a new dial and case metal of an existing reference, initially launched in white gold with a blue dial, what makes this new version…
HANDS-ON: The record-shattering Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The record-shattering Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Automatic

The tit-for-tat battle between Piaget and Bulgari for title of “Master of the Ultrathin” rages on, and it would seem Bulgari has struck another blow…
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy Classic Skeleton — a Defy Lab-inspired entry level to the collection
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy Classic Skeleton — a Defy Lab-inspired entry level to the collection

It sort of feels like all we’ve been hearing about from Zenith through the last year leading up to Baselworld 2018 has been all things…
HANDS-ON: With the winning Omega Olympic Official Timekeeper collection
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: With the winning Omega Olympic Official Timekeeper collection

Though technically introduced ahead of Baselworld 2018, the fair provided the first opportunity to take a first-hand look at the latest Omega watch collection for…
LIST: The 10 best independent watches of Baselworld 2018
Lists
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LIST: The 10 best independent watches of Baselworld 2018

The dust of Baselworld 2018 has finally settled, and while there was a ton of quick news to hammer through, there are certain topics that…
HANDS-ON: The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968A — A Patek for the cool kids
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968A — A Patek for the cool kids

One of the more entertaining games to play at Baselworld 2018 is: “Who is Brand X after with this watch?” In some cases the answer…
HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy El Primero Zero G
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Zenith Defy El Primero Zero G

Since the launch of the Defy 21 last year, and the shockingly innovative Defy Lab later in 2017, it wasn’t a matter of speculation that…
HANDS-ON: The Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Moon Black Enamel

Last year, Jaquet Droz rolled out a first round of the Grande Seconde Moon in three editions, including two steel models, and an ivory-coloured enamel…
INTRODUCING: The big bad Hublot Big Bang MP-11 14-Days 3D Carbon
Introducing
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INTRODUCING: The big bad Hublot Big Bang MP-11 14-Days 3D Carbon

Given how much Hublot unveiled in Geneva back in January, the volume of additional novelties the brand had ready to go for Baselworld 2018 came…
HANDS-ON: The Glashütte Original Vintage Sixties –  the ultimate green dial of 2018?
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Glashütte Original Vintage Sixties –  the ultimate green dial of 2018?

Now a third year into the Sixties series of watches — one that started with a limited production of five colourways of the watch seen here…
HANDS-ON: The Chopard L.U.C Quattro goes casual, and has never looked better
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Chopard L.U.C Quattro goes casual, and has never looked better

Chopard have had a really solid last couple of years when it comes to their new releases, and all told they did not disappoint at…
HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia
Watch Reviews
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HANDS-ON: The Hublot Big Bang Referee 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

It was only a matter of time before Hublot wound up in the smartwatch game, and somewhere in the onslaught of new product, Baselworld 2018…