Latest watch news · Page 205

This week marks the return of Australia's largest enthusiast-run watch and horology convention to Sydney - here's what you need to know.The post Australia’s watch community is gathering in Sydney this week for Watchfest 6! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Welcome to the first round of the Fratello Dress Watch Season contest, our effort to identify the best new dress watch of 2025. If you thought we’d kick the series off quietly, you are mistaken. The first match in round 1 immediately sees a major clash of entirely different watchmaking philosophies. Lex defends the Grand […] Visit Fratello Dress Watch Season: Round 1, Match 1 - A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34mm Vs. Grand Seiko SBGH368 to read the full article.

Phillips’s upcoming sale in Geneva has the most attention-grabbing roster of the Geneva auctions, including the return of a record-setting Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in steel. Yet it was the J. Player & Son No. 11’901 that most affected me. Dubbed the “hyper” complication by Phillips, the watch belongs to a rarified group of swan-song supercomplications that memorialise the final days of English fine watchmaking. Despite being over a century old, the watch easily holds its own against the fine watchmaking of today, both in decoration and mechanics. By the turn of the century, the traditional watchmaking centers of England and France were besieged by vertically integrated American super-factories from the West, and cheap but skilful Swiss labour from the East, both of which benefited greatly from mechanisation. During the waning years of English fine watchmaking, the most prestigious firms responded by attempting to move even further upmarket with highly complicated watches, and the firms remained confident in the appeal of their products. “If they are more expensive, as they must necessarily be, they last the purchaser a lifetime,” said a representative of Nicole, Nielsen & Co., the company that built this watch, said of English watches in 1912, “The better classes, indeed, have always bought, and will always buy, English-made watches, and will not buy any others”. Swiss prelude This watch started life in Switzerland as ebauche number 7’321, according to Fr...

The Shield and the Anchor together at last: Tudor is coming into our London Discovery Studio for an exclusive four-month residency.The post Everything you need to know about the Tudor x Time+Tide Library & Lounge appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

One of Swatch Group’s mid-level brands, Mido is beginning to get the attention it deserves with well-designed, robust watches that won’t break the bank. The recent revival of Mido’s 1970s TV-shaped watch, rechristened the Multifort TV Big Date, is a testament to the brand’s knack for transforming vintage designs into coveted models with contemporary specs. […]

For the past few years, the Time to Watches show has been an important stop on our schedules while in Geneva for Watches & Wonders. Among the many, many events that take place parallel to the biggest trade show in the industry, Time to Watches, which features a variety of small, independent brands which tend to be on the more approachable side of the spectrum, feels like it’s really in our wheelhouse. This year’s Time to Watches event in Geneva was greatly expanded over previous years, and in a new location a stone’s throw from Palexpo, making it an easy and obvious stop for Watches & Wonders attendees.  This morning, news broke that Time to Watches is coming to the United States through a new partnership with Couture, the Las Vegas trade show held every year at the Wynn. Couture, these days, is primarily a jewelry focused event. There are still a number of watch brands that exhibit at Couture, but that figure seems to be decreasing year after year. It’s a huge event for the jewelry industry, but seems to be less critical for the watch world. It certainly has not had the media presence in recent years that it once did.  In a press release, the partnership was described as a move to bring a “curation of luxury timepieces” to the Couture event in Las Vegas. Time to Watches has secured exhibition space at the Wynn that promises easy access to all Couture attendees. Time to Watches Managing Director Christian Wipfli sees Couture as a natural partner in the United...

After years of not getting Cartier's "sports watch," it's finally making sense to me.

This announcement shouldn’t come as a surprise and was largely anticipated by the industry. Yet, now that the 39% import taxes imposed by the U.S. administration on Swiss goods entering American soil, also known as the tariffs, are effective (since the beginning of August), we clearly see the effects. And yes, there is no other […]

“We’re only making two hundred and fifty of them,” they say, causing your ears to perk up like a Doberman’s. “Just two fifty,” you ponder, eyebrows raised. “Correct,” says the salesperson, pulling a well-rehearsed “You don’t see one of these every day” face. Dazzled by the prospect, you throw your credit card down.

The AP House Manchester isn't your typical high-end watch boutique, and it's home to some properly special timepieces.The post Andrew shares his favourite Audemars Piguet watches available at AP House Manchester appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

A series of features identifying the most extraordinary mechanical masterpieces in history, blending precision, innovation, and craftsmanship. We all have our favourite timepieces either in our collection or those incredible horological masterpieces that have been invented or created through the ages. This series will showcase examples from the previous centuries up to the present day and look at the importance and impact on modern day timekeeping.  John Harrison’s H4 Chronometer was a groundbreaking timepiece that solved the longitude problem, a major challenge for navigation during the 18th century. Before Harrison’s work, sailors had no reliable way to determine their precise east-west position at sea, leading to deadly navigation errors. The British government, through the Longitude Act of 1714, offered a large prize to anyone who could develop a practical solution. Sir Cloudesley Shovell, by Michael Dahl, about 1702-5 (L); The Association with the Eagle, Rumney and the Firebrand, Lost on the Rocks of Scilly, October 22, 1707 (R). Image courtesy of the © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London The Catalyst for the Longitude Act In the early 18th century, determining longitude at sea was one of the greatest challenges in navigation. While sailors could measure latitude using the position of the sun or stars, longitude required precise timekeeping-something that was nearly impossible with the unreliable clocks of the time. The inability to determ...

Sinn releases a new variant of their U50 dive watch, now in a blue dial with 3 strap options, and now feature a beautiful matt-blue dial.

After its comeback in 2022, Hautlence (an anagram of Neuchâtel) doubled down on unconventional time displays with the Sphere Series 1, followed by the darker Sphere Series 2, both pairing a multi-axis spherical jumping hour with a retrograde minute. Those watches reintroduced the brand’s TV-screen silhouette and reminded collectors why Hautlence sits in the front […]

It’s back - but only in Europe, with a limit of 100 pieces. The Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic Edition Europe exchanges the standard model’s Arabic numerals for stick indexes, creating a more sober and persuasive Art Deco look. Alpina has been on a retro roll lately. Earlier this year, the brand released the Heritage Tropic-Proof, […] Visit Introducing: The Europe-Only Alpina Alpiner Heritage Carrée Automatic With A Different Dial to read the full article.

Since formalising its modern manufacture capabilities (including a long-standing stake in Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier), La Montre Hermès has developed a distinct vocabulary with typography that’s unmistakably Hermès. The H08 collection, launched in 2021, translated the approach into a daily-wear sports watch that felt designed rather than engineered. Its cushion case, graphic numerals, and mix of […]

The Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 stands as one of the most technically ambitious pocket watches of the modern era. Launched to mark the turn of the millennium, it was the fourth most complicated watch in the world at its debut, but its true significance lies not in numbers, but in the ingenuity of its mechanisms, which redefined how grand complications could be conceived, engineered, and executed. An original complete set of four Star Caliber 2000 watches is being offered for sale by Sotheby’s at its first-ever watch auction in Abu Dhabi, which takes place in December. The first complete set to ever appear publicly, the sale will likely draw significant attention from collectors and institutions alike. The technical significance of the Star Caliber 2000 The Star Caliber 2000 was and is a remarkable achievement in watchmaking, but it was never the world’s most complicated watch. When it debuted, the Star Caliber 2000 ranked fourth in the official tally of complications, behind the Patek Philippe’s own Caliber 89 and the famous Henry Graves Super Complication from 1932, as well as the lesser-known Leroy 01 from 1904. Over the past quarter century, the Star Caliber 2000 has fallen down the rankings as more complicated watches, for both the pocket and the wrist, have been developed by Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. But the Star Caliber 2000 should not be judged solely by this kind of ranking, which is largely superficial. The watch is packed with a number o...

Möels & Co has updated its striking offset TV dial dress piece with aesthetic and technical refinements, including a La Joux-Perret movement.The post Are you ready to binge-watch with Möels & Co’s TV-cased 528 Series 2? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Let’s rewind to the golden age of scuba diving and, some would say, sports-watch design. It is the 1960s, and Doxa and Rolex are co-developing a specialized technology that will allow their ultimate diving watches to endure the rigors of the deep. A consistent issue had been noted after dive watches had spent time at […] Visit The Rolex Sea-Dweller Vs. Doxa’s Sub 300T: A Battle For The Burly Wristed to read the full article.

Autumn has always been a special time in New York, and that’s especially true now that the city plays host to the nation’s flagship watch fair. Held each October in the heart of Midtown, WatchTime New York has become one of the most high profile public watch fairs in the United States, bringing together independent watchmakers, major brands, and collectors under the imposing dome of Gotham Hall. Now in its tenth year, the 2025 edition was the largest yet, and served as the backdrop for the public unveiling of a few notable watches (and one strap). The Greubel Forsey Hand Made 2. Initial thoughts This was my third year attending WatchTime, and the experience is remarkably consistent from year-to-year. That said, this year’s event was clearly the biggest yet, with 44 brands and more than 2,700 visitors. Despite this turnout, it’s still a fraction the size of an event like Watches & Wonders, which gives it a more intimate feel that reminds me of SalonQP, which was an annual watch fair in London put on by now-defunct QP magazine. In other words, it’s big enough to attract big names and small enough to allow the general public to meet watchmakers that they might not otherwise have access to; Kari Voutilainen, Stepan Sarpaneva, Martin Frei of Urwerk, Albert Edelmann of Zeitwinkel, and Roland Murphy of RGM were present throughout the fair to engage with collectors. A big turnout Not only did WatchTime attendance set a record, the nearby Windup Watch Fair, a free event f...

On Episode 16 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss ongoing horology events in Paris and Singapore, and debrief on the new Piaget Andy Warhol. It’s also the debut of a new segment comparing two watches head-to-head. First up is the Ulysse Nardin Freak – how does the original, now 25 years old, stack up to the new Freak S? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.  

Enthusiasts are constantly searching for the perfect GADA watch; that is, a “go-anywhere, do-anything” watch. One ready for everything from a beach holiday to the office to weekend DIY projects and everything in between. Enter the field watch. Designed for the rigors of war, it now serves as the perfect go-anywhere companion. Constantly evolving throughout the 19th century, the entrenched warfare of the Crimean War and First World War forcibly altered the tactics of Europe’s armies. The ability to sync artillery and multiple infantry units across a front was of the utmost importance. As the (perhaps apocryphal) story goes, the pocket watch traditionally worn proved inconvenient for those at the front. A new class of watches, titled “Campaign,” “Wristlet,” and “Service” watches by various manufacturers, arrived to meet the needs of Europe’s armies. Enthusiasts are constantly searching for the perfect GADA watch; that is, a “go-anywhere, do-anything” watch. One ready for everything from a beach holiday to the office to weekend DIY projects and everything in between. Enter the field watch. Designed for the rigors of war, it now serves as the perfect go-anywhere companion. Constantly evolving throughout the 19th century, the entrenched warfare of the Crimean War and First World War forcibly altered the tactics of Europe’s armies. The ability to sync artillery and multiple infantry units across a front was of the utmost importance. As the (perhaps apoc...

A massive 16mm central tourbillon shrink-wrapped in some mad bit of colour-changing sapphire? It could only be an ArtyA.The post ArtyA’s new Purity Wavy Central Tourbillon is a mesmerising merry-go-round of crazy sapphire appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In this video, we answer the newbie question of what are complications in watches, and talk about our personal favourite complications.

A beautiful product is nothing without a good package, and the same goes for watches. You can design the most stunning dial, back it up with a stellar mechanical movement, but put it in a case that doesn’t match, and it all falls flat. And it’s a real challenge for watchmakers and brands to get […]

I have always believed that the Rolex Oyster Perpetual is best enjoyed when you stop treating it like a precious object and start treating it like a companion. With ongoing wait lists and the like, getting one new from the Rolex AD has proven tricky. Luckily, Rolex recently loaned me the new Oyster Perpetual 36mm […] Visit Two Weeks With The Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 “Pistachio” to read the full article.

Vintage Seiko is the perfect starting point for dipping your toes into vintage collecting without breaking the bank.The post These three affordable vintage Seikos deserve your attention appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.