Latest watch news · Page 15

Tudor drops the Black Bay Chrono to 39mm and adds a yellow-and-black Bumblebee dial. Here's what changes inside, what it costs, and why the size matters. Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 "Bumblebee" reference 79310N: 39mm steel case, COSC-certified MT5813, yellow dial with black sub-counters. Specs, price, and what is actually new.

At London Watch Week 2026, Pragma announced two developments that mark the next phase of the young independent brand’s journey. First, the company announced it’s partnering with retailer Ace Jewelers for the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Second, it unveiled the first of the Pragma P1 Perseverance Stone Dial Editions 2026. The exclusive P1 Perseverance […] Visit Introducing: The First Of The Pragma P1 Perseverance Stone Dial Editions 2026 to read the full article.

Indie watch brand Ming was founded by Malaysian photographer, designer and engineer Ming Thein in 2017. Since then, Ming has amassed a devoted following for its contemporary design-led watches distinguished by minimalism, luminescence, layering and colour. The latest 37.06 Lightning, a joint project between Ming and J.N. Shapiro Watches, a Los Angeles-based watchmaker, is the […]

Ming has joined forces with J.N. Shapiro for a decidedly contemporary twist on traditional guilloche. The 37.06 Lightning proves its possible to combine disparate design languages cohesively, and to offer meaningful hand craftsmanship for less than five figures, with a few sensible trade-offs. Initial thoughts Ming and J.N. Shapiro are two of the three members of the Alternative Horological Alliance (AHA), a loosely affiliated coalition of brands that also includes Fleming. The Lightning is not the first time that Ming and J.N. Shapiro have worked together — they co-developed a tantalum bracelet designed to fit watches from each brand — but it is the first time they’ve collaborated on a wristwatch. And while J.N. Shapiro is best known for more traditional designs and an obsessive focus on in-house production in the United States, the brand’s expertise in guilloche clearly translates beyond its own house style. The radiant polychromatic dial looks right at home in a minimalist Ming. The artisanal dial makes intuitive sense paired with Ming’s typical look, especially considering the lume plots and brand logo are engraved on the underside of the sapphire crystal. This approach means the dial does not have to be touched post-heat treatment, and the shimmering guilloche pattern can extend edge to edge without interruption. The Lightning is priced at a relatively accessible CHF6,750, a price point that entails a few trade-offs elsewhere in the watch — namely the move...

When the Alternative Horological Alliance was formed in 2024, I think many of us who care about this sort of thing immediately began speculating about possible collaborations between the brands involved. The teams at Ming, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro (as well as Fears and Massena LAB, two brands added after the founding of the alliance) have clear affinity for one another. And while there might not be obvious ties between the watches they make, clearly there is a perspective on the watch landscape itself that’s shared among the group, and sometimes that’s what makes for the best partnerships.  Today, Ming and J.N. Shapiro have announced the launch of the 37.06 Lightning, which amounts to the first watch released collaboratively by members of the Alternative Horological Alliance (although Ming and J.N. Shapiro did work together on the AHA tantalum bracelet and the tantalum cases for the Ming Project 21). The star of the show is a dial that combines elements of what both brands excel at, and is notable as each individual dial has a bit of handcraft applied by the founders of both brands.  You would expect, I think, a J.N. Shapiro branded watch to feature hand guilloche of some type as that is really the brand’s calling card at this point, and the 37.06 Lightning is no exception. It distinguishes itself, though, in the guilloche pattern used, which is referred to by the brands as “lightning guilloche” and is being used for the first time by Shapiro on this watch. Sh...

What We Know When Ming, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro teamed up in 2024 to launch the Alternative Horological Alliance, they did so with a product: a "universal" tantalum bracelet. But I've been waiting to see if the AHA (now including Fears and Massena LAB) would team up in other ways. Today, Ming and J.N. Shapiro announce the 37.06 "Lightning," which blends the dial work Shapiro's team is known for with Ming's signature design language into something that's both new yet familiar. It's not a trick of the light. The dial is really that striking (no pun intended, I promise). Each dial is made from grade-2 titanium and hand-guillochéd in Los Angeles through engine-turning on a traditional rose-engine lathe to create a pattern called "Lightning guilloché." It's a pattern J.N. Shapiro hasn't used on a wristwatch before. The dials are then shipped to Kuala Lumpur, where Ming Thein himself hand-colors each dial by heat-staining it with a butane torch.  It's not as easy as just sticking a torch on a dial. A time too long or too short by even a few seconds, and the color might be uneven. Even if you do it right, the final result might still fail because the guilloché process exposes variations in titanium's crystalline structure. Only one in three dials works out. The dial is still very Ming, as is the rest of the watch, with the flared lugs and engraved crystal that's filled with HyCeram luminous indices. The hands have Super-LumiNova X1. The case is 38mm in diameter, 10.9mm in t...

Girard-Perregaux turns last year's 50th-anniversary limited edition into a four-watch core collection. New 36mm sizes, two enamel dials, and the in-house GP4800. Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty Collection: four steel models in 36mm and 39mm, including a 39mm blue grand-feu enamel dial. Specs, prices, and what changed since the 200-piece anniversary edition.

Today, we’ll take a brief look at a new collaboration watch from Ming and J.N. Shapiro. You may recall that both brands are founding members of the Alternative Horological Alliance, a group founded in 2024 that aims to support its members through innovation and partnership. Thus far, the AHA has given us bracelets and cases, […] Visit Introducing: The Ming × J.N. Shapiro 37.06 Lightning to read the full article.

Back in March, I found myself on an Amtrak train from Philadelphia to Lancaster, PA, a small city that many think of as the ancestral home of American watchmaking. I’d been to Lancaster before, with Hamilton, some years ago, and even though their old factory is no longer in use, the brand’s history is woven throughout the town in any number of ways. But I wasn’t traveling to Lancaster for Hamilton, I was there to see RT Custer, founder of Vortic. The coincidental nature of the line that connects Hamilton, RT, Vortic, and the city of Lancaster is almost beyond belief, and a new layer to that connection would be added in a matter of hours, as RT worked to secure a purchase of vintage pocket watch movements that would take his brand through another year (at least) of production.  RT grew up in Lancaster, and his father still lives in town. Hamilton’s history there, of course, would have been something he encountered in his younger years, working its way into his memory the way a knowledge of baseball might if you happened to grow up in Cooperstown, or movies if you grew up in Hollywood. I don’t know, though, that anything could have predicted that RT would one day find himself running a company that would be so inextricably linked to the history of American watchmaking.  A collection of very early Vortic watches Vortic is one of the most unique watch brands you’ll ever encounter. Founded in 2013 and based in Fort Collins, CO, Vortic repurposes vintage pocket wat...

Seiko's Astron 5X63 gets two colorful summer limited editions, Crystal Pink and Crystal Green, each limited to 1,200 pieces.

Over the past few years, Paris-based brand Laps has been offering watches built around graphic design and artistic expression. Collections such as Signature Art Print presented affordable quartz-powered references with fun dial designs inspired by architecture, photography, illustration and contemporary culture. The emphasis was always on visual storytelling rather than traditional watchmaking. Now the brand […]

The Le Locle manufacture launches a new collaboration program, and its first partner is the most talked-about independent in Japan. The Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed Naoya Hida & Co. pairs a legendary precision movement with Japanese independent sensibility.

What We Know Last September, Girard-Perregaux released the Laureato Fifty, a 200-piece limited edition marking the collection's 50th anniversary. Continuing to build on that, the La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture has announced four new Laureato references today, in 36mm and 39mm sizes. All four share the same octagonal case and GP4800 movement—the 39mm options are a rose gold-toned 18k dial with Clous de Paris motif and date display, and a deep blue in-house enamel dial over the same pattern. The 36mm gets the same rose gold-toned dial minus the date, and a silver-toned Clous de Paris dial with a gem-set bezel carrying 64 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling approximately 0.55 carats. Everything comes on a steel integrated bracelet with a triple-folding clasp and 4mm micro-adjustment. Water resistance is 150 meters. The GP4800, first introduced last year, is an automatic movement running at 4 Hz with a 60-hour power reserve. Its architecture draws from GP's Three Bridges lineage, with the balance bridge crafted in rose gold. All four are available now, with pricing as follows: the 39mm blue enamel is $24,500; the 39mm rose gold-toned dial is $23,100; the 36mm rose gold-toned dial is $23,100; and the 36mm diamond-set is $24,200. What We Think When I covered the Laureato Fifty last October, my main critique was that GP had only offered a grey dial. That's now been addressed, with the brand offering a variety of options. Another improvement worth noting: the two-tone bracelet has be...

If you’ve seen me around in the watch community, it’s very likely you’ve noticed me wearing a Girard-Perregaux Laureato. While I’ve fooled many into thinking I own one of these beauties, the model is in fact my number one requested loaner whenever I have the privilege to borrow a timepiece for a special event. In my years adoring the Laureato, I’ve had the pleasure of trying out several iterations from the bold 42mm (proving that yes, even my rather small 5.75-inch wrist can rock a 42) to the more pared down 38mm. In all the sizes and dial colors that have graced my wrist, one of my favorites has to be the 38mm copper, which, in my humble opinion, is the ideal twist on a two-tone look. Today, Girard-Perregaux is complicating things for me yet again with some incredibly compelling new takes on the Laureato. First up, we have two variations with a solid 18-karat rose gold dials, one in 39mm and one in 36mm. Unsurprisingly, these deeply rival my former-favorite with the copper dial. I would say the copper is a bit more subtle and subdued with a slightly more matte appearance and a rich shade that lands somewhere between yellow and rose gold. The dial of the new models is decidedly shinier and more reflective with a true rose gold color that is both bright and soft at the same time. In addition to feeling torn between the previous copper dial version and the new 18-karat rose gold, I’m equally undecided on my favorite proportions for the Laureato. I thought the 38m...

Quite a radical departure from the usual classic German style of the Pano and Senator collection by Glashütte Original, the Seventies range, now exclusively available as a chronograph, is characterised by its TV-shaped case and integrated bracelet, but also by a great audacity in colours – which reflects the era after which the watch is […]

Grand Seiko adds to their Heritage Collection with the new Cherry Blossoms Sakura Wakaba SBGH376, released in WWG26. Hands on review.

What We Know The Timex Atelier line doubles in size today, adding four new references and continuing to expand into new complications with the announcement of the Chronograph Automatic M1a Ti and the Chronograph Quartz M1q. Designed by Giorgio Galli, the new models join the existing Diver and GMT, bringing the collection to a total of six references. The M1a Ti is built from titanium with a stainless-steel middle case and a black IP coating, measuring 42mm in diameter with a 20mm lug width. The M1q is a skeletonized stainless steel case with the same black IP middle case treatment at 40mm, also with a 20mm lug width.  Both get a fixed tachymeter bezel, a double-domed sapphire crystal with a triple-layer AR coating, and come on either a metal bracelet or an NBR rubber strap with a deployant buckle. The major difference here is that the M1a Ti has an exhibition caseback showcasing the automatic movement beneath. Both feature two-register chronographs—a first for the Atelier line—with matte black dials, silver subdials, and high-polished silver hands. The M1q adds guilloché texture to the dial and a date window at 6. The M1a Ti stays flat matte. Powering the duo are two different sides of the spectrum. The M1a Ti features a Swiss-made Landeron L72 automatic chronograph at 4Hz with a 43-hour power reserve and 28 jewels. The M1q uses a Swiss-made Ronda 5021D quartz movement with a battery. The M1a Ti comes in at $2,250 on a bracelet and $2,100 on a rubber strap. The M1q i...

As the official sponsor and timekeeper of the historic Mille Miglia since 1988, Chopard enjoys one of the longest-running partnerships between a watch brand and a car event. The brand’s Mille Miglia collection is the watchmaking extension of co-president Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s lifelong passion for the classic Italian road race. With the 44th edition taking place […]

Five standout dive watches from the first half of 2026, from a $649 French-assembled diver to Longines' 42mm heritage reissue.

Only a few integrated-bracelet luxury sports watches can claim the same continuity as the Girard-Perregaux Laureato. Introduced in 1975, at the height of the quartz era, the model combined the brand’s technical expertise with a distinctive design defined by an octagonal bezel set on a circular plinth, a tonneau-shaped case and an integrated bracelet. Over […]

The Girard-Perregaux (GP) Laureato Fifty collection adds four new references in crowd-pleasing configurations. The original 39 mm size is joined by a compact 36 mm option, available with our without diamonds, while a range of expensively made dials are on offer from solid 18k rose gold to deep blue flinqué enamel. The first four permanent members of the Laureato Fifty collection are powered by the brand’s latest automatic calibre, the GP4800, which illustrates GP’s capabilities as a manufacture. Initial thoughts Last year’s launch of the Laureato Fifty felt promising, but it was clearly just an opening act. GP is a brand intent on resurgence, and the Laureato Fifty represents an important part of the brand’s future. In this context, the four new Laureato Fifty references — in 2 sizes and 3 popular colourways — feel somewhat inevitable, though the high level of execution is anything but. Under the leadership of Marc Michel-Amadry GP seems to be building momentum in the right way — by emphasising what makes the brand unique. Specifically, its design icons like the Laureato and Three Gold Bridges, and its capabilities as a manufacture. In a few short months, the brand has delivered in each of these categories. The Laureato was one of the original luxury sports watches with an integrated bracelet, and helped establish the now-familiar format. Today, however, the field is crowded, a fact that invites comparison. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak comes to mind first,...

Today, we go hands-on with a watch that should prove to be a sure-fire winner. This, folks, is one of those pieces that feels like it was waiting to be made. Finally, that day is here, and we have the full rundown. It’s the new Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty in full stainless steel. If that doesn’t […] Visit Hands-On: The New Steel Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty to read the full article.

The new Girard-Perregaux Laureato FIFTY collections brings the design into regular production, in full steel, with 36mm and 39mm options.