Latest watch news · Page 24

MB&F; celebrates World Gorilla Day with a weird and wonderful pencil sharpener. Dubbed GorillaSharpener, this is a design MB&F; and made by Caran d'Ache,

Immediately after I saw the images of the new Glashütte Original 70s series, I was intrigued. With the square case shape and textured dials, these new watches instantly reminded me of a classic Citizen watch my father wore in the 1980s, which I still have at home. As you’ll understand, a connection like that is […] Visit A Personal Trip Down Memory Lane With The New Glashütte Original 70s Series to read the full article.

Longines continues its hot streak with a new, more contemporary blue colourway for both the Spirit Pilot & Spirit Pilot Flyback.

The Longines Spirit collection was launched in 2020 and has since evolved into one of the brand’s main contemporary families, offering watches with vintage-inspired aviation cues yet with modern specifications. The range now comprises six models, including the Spirit Pilot and Spirit Pilot Flyback introduced in 2025 – streamlined, more focused and more compact models with […]

What We Know Not all of the releases we cover are horological heavy hitters or groundbreaking mechanical inventions. Yes, plenty are, but sometimes a simple new dial color is worth talking about. And in the context of Longines' mighty newsworthy year, with several extremely well-received launches like the Hydroconquest and the Master Collection Monopushers already in the recent catalog, a new colorway for the Spirit Pilot and Pilot Flyback still feels worth discussing. The new time-only Spirit Pilot in blue.Image, courtesy Longines. The second iteration of these two watches, since its update last year, introduces a matte blue dial (and a glossy blue ceramic bezel insert on the chronograph). At a high level, that's kind of it. But with the change from a gilt-style look, swapping the golden accents of the applied numerals, chapter ring chamfer, and printing, this is the first time the latest generation of Spirit Pilot feels like a decidedly modern product. Yes, you lose a little bit of the vintage charm, but the new versions are not replacing those "gilt" editions, so now you have the same models in two very different aesthetic contexts. I won't spend too much time on specs because they remain unchanged—the time-only Spirit Pilot is 39mm by 11.5mm, with a lug-to-lug of 47.2mm, and the Flyback chronograph is 39.5mm by 13.4mm with a lug-to-lug of 47.4mm. The time-only model features the automatic L888.4 caliber, which is COSC-certified and offers a 72-hour power reserve with...

A little over a year ago, I reviewed the Makina Azazel_I. This futuristic-looking watch from the young Filipino brand features clever design tricks that make it hard to forget. And now, a year on, Makina is presenting a new version of the Azazel_I that keeps the same concept but integrates a GMT complication in a […] Visit The Makina Azazel_I Outgrows Local Time And Adds A GMT Complication to read the full article.

While Breguet is mostly known for its classic watches adorned with guiloché dials and the numerous inventions of its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, the venerable manufacture nevertheless holds two sportier collections: one intended for aviation (the Type XX), the other for naval exploration (the Marine). And both are actually inspired by important historical moments in the […]

Breguet refreshes the Marine 5517 and flyback Chronographe 5527 with new hand-guilloché dials in white gold, rose gold and titanium.

What We Know A refresh of Breguet's Marine line, inspired by Abraham-Louis Breguet's history of marine chronometers and scientific instruments, has been coming for some time now. If you've been following the sometimes sweeping, sometimes subtle, almost always welcome changes to Breguet's catalog over the last few years (and especially last year during the brand's year-long 250th fête), you knew the Marine was one of the few stones left unturned.  While the Experimentale 1 (a groundbreaking achievement) launched a new design language for the Marine last year, today's refresh is more subtle. The first thing that you probably will notice is that the eponymous "Breguet" numerals now replace the Roman ones on the previous models. But wait. There's more. Previous versions of both models had either soleil finishing centered around the boxed brand name (and number) or a larger, irregular wave guilloché, depending on the execution. In both new models, the watches now feature the new, finer "Quai de l'Horloge" guilloché pattern launched to honor the brand's 250th Anniversary last year, with a circular brushed hour track. Rather than just doing the same dial treatment for each case material, regardless of the complication, the brand has a mix of dials ranging from blue (in different shades) to grey and black. In general, the case material matches the tone of the hands, but there is an exception. The cases and movements have remained largely the same, 42.3mm by 13.9mm with a 50.7m...

As their names already suggest, the Tradition and Classique are Breguet’s classic-looking models, perfect for dressier occasions. But what if you want a sportier, water-resistant watch from the maison that made timepieces for royalty and emperors? Breguet has you covered with the Marine collection, available in precious metals as well as titanium. Breguet marine chronometers […] Visit Fresh Faces For The Sporty Breguet Marine 5517 And Chronographe 5527 to read the full article.

Audemars Piguet is hosting a Padel Pop-Up Club starting September 25, marking the brand’s first local event tied to its involvement in the sport. Held in the School Hall of New Bahru, a fashionable “lifestyle destination”, the event will combine padel sessions with a courtside lounge, welcoming experienced players and newcomers. Padel, like its American counterpart pickleball, is a fast-growing racquet sport that blends elements of tennis and squash. Usually played in doubles, the sport is synonymous with the social atmosphere that surrounds it. Recognising this, Audemars Piguet is hosting a courtside lounge to welcome those who are more interested in the social scene than scoring points on the court. Audemars Piguet formally got involved with padel back in May, announcing a global partnership as official timekeeper of the Qatar Airways Premier Padel Tour, alongside sponsorship of Agustín Tapia, one of the sport’s top players. The tour agreement includes courtside clocks and branding at tournaments. While major sports like tennis, golf, and Formula 1 are saturated with watch brand partnerships, emerging sports like padel represent something of a Greenfield opportunity, especially with a younger audience. But that’s changing as brands adapt the well-established sponsorship playbook to the new domain. Earlier this year, Rolex added Spanish padel star Arturo Coello to its circle of celebrities, and Frederique Constant became the official watch partner of the Pro Pa...

The story of the Overseas begins in 1977 with the sporty-chic integrated 222, Vacheron Constantin’s bold response to a new generation of luxury sports watches represented by the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. Inheriting certain traits of the 222 but amplified and beefed up, the first-generation Overseas debuted in 1996. Now in its third phase, […]

Today, Vacheron Constantin launches a special Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin to celebrate the collection’s 30th anniversary. This limited edition of 200 pieces pairs an 18K white gold case with a new, lighter azure dial. Although the underlying watch debuted in 2016, the Overseas Perpetual Calendar remains one of the thinnest full-calendar integrated-bracelet sporty watches available. […] Visit Celebrating With The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin 30th Anniversary to read the full article.

Formex turns its field watch into a pilot’s watch with the new AirField 40mm Automatic model. With a pilot’s watch-inspired dial and hand set, the AirField features the new Sellita SW200-2 Power+ and a hardened titanium case. Available in four different colours, the Formex AirField 40mm Automatic is available for pre-order now, with deliveries starting … Continued

Seven new dial variations, a more capable caliber, and a centenary worth celebrating, the F77 MKII is Nivada's boldest statement yet. The Nivada Grenchen F77 MKII 100 Years arrives with stone dials and a movement upgrade to mark the brand's centenary. Here's our full take.

Just before summer, Glashütte Original invited us to its manufacture in eastern Germany. It was a great way for me to get to know the brand a little better. But the most important reason for the visit was the presentation of a few new releases. Jorg will cover the new Seventies collection in a separate […] Visit Flieger Or Dresser: Which Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph Suits Your Style? to read the full article.

What if you had to choose just one watch from your entire collection and let everything else go? No backups, no rotation, and no keeping that one watch you rarely wear “just in case.” In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho, RJ, and Daan take on that particularly difficult hypothetical. The interesting part is that […] Visit Fratello Talks: If We Could Only Keep One Watch From Our Collection to read the full article.

IWC went green this year with the Ingenieur 42 Ceramic, and while we thought the black was good, this could be better! What We Love: The shade of green ceramic works extremely well The gold accents elevate the watch nicely The finish & light play make this a standout on the wrist What We Don’t: Still, the lack of the quick-link adjustment system on the bracelet The 42 mm case size may not suit all wrist sizes and types A full ceramic watch may not be for everyone, or suit some people’s lifestyles Overall Rating: 8.75 / 10 Value for Money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 When IWC released the black ceramic Ingenieur last year, I was pretty impressed with how well the watch worked in the metal, or ceramic, I should say. The Ingenieur is already a very distinctive design, and creating it in ceramic could easily have changed the proportions or feel of the watch, but IWC managed to retain what makes the current Ingenieur work while giving it a completely different feel on the wrist. IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr talked to us about this last year, and how much research and development went into making a 42mm-sized ceramic version to mirror the proportions, look and feel on the wrist as the standard steel 40mm. It was an interesting chat, which you can read all about here. It’s not easy being green, as the frog once said! But maybe, in this case, it is! Not content to rest on its laurels, IWC released a green ceramic version for Watches & Wonde...

In terms of analog intricacy and an unyielding enthusiasm for the vintage and enduring, watches and the automotive realm are a natural A-to-B: it should come as no surprise that the Venn diagram of watch nerds and automotive nerds is eerily close to a circle.  Yet, there’s more to the world of branded cross-promotion than, say, TAG Heuer and Porsche. Some of the most off-the-beaten-path collaborations are worthy of deep dives, and the six examples highlighted here (including many from Heuer!) are collectible and worthy of appreciation by those who know. Because there’s only so much that can be represented by Steve McQueen, in that white racing suit, giving the British equivalent of the middle finger. Thankfully, the world of mechanical fascination runs so much deeper than that.  IWC Mark XII x Saab “Born from Jets” was the advertising slogan of the now-defunct Saab for the last 20 or so years of its life, and while there was a distinct difference between Saab AG the defense contractor and the General Motors-owned division, it made for some really, really cool television ads. IWC, who built its reputation on pilot’s watches, lent its flagship Mark Series to a Saab tie-in in 1997: if you put down the deposit for a limited-edition 900 Mellow Yellow Cabrio, you were awarded one of these Mark XIIs, each one customized with a yellow leather strap and “Saab Automatic” on the dial instead of the usual “Mark XII Automatic.” Today, if you can find one, they go fo...

Founded in Geneva in 1988, Frederique Constant is now a globally respected name in watchmaking, offering classic designs at reasonable prices, with a growing portfolio of complications developed and assembled at its Plan-les-Ouates manufacture. Part of the Citizen Group since 2016, the brand was created by Peter Stas, who left his native Netherlands for Switzerland, […]

Héron, the Montreal-based microbrand that had a legitimate hit on its hands with the release of the Mirabel GMT last year, is back with their take on the classic “go anywhere, do anything” sports watch, met with the brand’s typically refined design codes. Héron exists at a time when the straight up vintage inspired watches that dominated the scene a decade ago are fading in popularity, but they remain distinct and relevant for putting a truly personal and distinctive spin on the genre. These are not recreations of well known vintage references, but seem to exist in that type of “alternate reality” space imagined by brands like Serica, Albishorn, and others. There’s just a little extra charm to these watches that sets them apart, and make them feel like they aren’t part of a playbook.  The new Héron Continental is, according to the brand, inspired by watches worn “during the great age of exploration.” They want us to think of early transcontinental flights, mountaineering expeditions, and important midcentury scientific breakthroughs. This, of course, is not new ground for watch brands. Many that existed during this age of exploration remind us of it on a regular basis, and newer brands do their best to conjure. To Héron’s credit, they make their inspiration explicit in their press materials, citing watches like the Rolex Explorer, Universal Geneve Polerouter, and Longines Conquest as touchpoints. But the Continental is its own thing, borrowing cert...

This week on The Business of Watches, we sit down with the business leader who has headed the reborn Czapek & Cie. brand for more than a decade now. Xavier de Roquemaurel didn't come from the watch industry when he co-founded Czapek with fellow entrepreneur Harry Guhl, with help from watchmaker Sébastien Follonier, in 2015.  He's had to learn the industry on the job, and while Czapek burst on the scene by winning the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) Public Prize in its debut year in 2016, the company and de Roquemaurel have faced plenty of challenges along the way. From the novel financing and shareholder model they created to fund the startup, to reckoning with a massive surge of back orders for their popular Antarctique integrated bracelet sports watch model during the boom times of the post-pandemic era, as well as serious health and medical ordeals. Reconsidering all the tests he and the company have faced, de Roquemaurel says he now believes that "adversity gets the best out of you." Today, Czapek has just opened a new boutique on the historic Quai des Bergues in Geneva on the same banks of the Rhône River where François Czapek himself had his first atelier in the 1800s. In a wide-ranging interview, the Czapek CEO traces both the path of the reborn brand and how it has found inspiration in the legacy of the watchmaker who opened what is believed to be the first watch boutique on Place de Vendôme in Paris while producing timepieces for Napoleon III and t...

What We Know It's always a great day when we get news from Bart and Tim Grönefeld. But this time, the news came with a lot of anticipation, as I've been getting a lot of texts and messages from people around the world asking what, exactly, the brothers were teasing on Instagram. First, I couldn't tell anyone, even if I did know—that's how embargoes work—but second, I only found out this morning. However, the brothers' new Quadrivium, with a 7.5-second remontoire with exposed governor, a one-minute flying tourbillon, central jumping seconds, and a power-reserve indicator, certainly was worth the anticipation. The watch combines highlights from the brand's history, especially the discontinued pieces customers kept asking for. The deadbeat seconds from the original One Hertz in 2010 are here. So is the GPHG-winning Parallax Tourbillon (which had a power reserve indicator) from 2014. Finally, the Remontoire was launched in 2016 and eventually became one of the earliest Hodinkee limited editions. All of this comes together in a compact 40mm by 11.3mm case, made in either tantalum or platinum, with the brand's "1941" collection design language: a polished, domed bezel; incut flanks and lugs; and a stepped shape to the downturned lugs as well. The dial is also quintessential Grönefeld, with a frosted main surface, hand-beveled stainless steel elements, and polished, multi-faceted white gold hour markers, topped with blued hands. The movement side is also exactly what you'd ...

Grönefeld, the Dutch independent watchmaking atelier created by Tim and Bart Grönefled, a.k.a. The Horological Brothers, should need little introduction by now. The duo gained recognition from their peers and collectors with their GTM-06, One Hertz and Parallax Tourbillon models, all celebrated watches that introduced several signature design elements and functions, such as movements with […]

Grand Seiko revisits one of the milestones in its modern history with the new SBGW325, a 600-piece limited edition inspired by the SBGW003 of 2001.

Although Nivada Grenchen re-entered the market in 2020 after decades of absence, its roots date back to its original establishment in 1926. To celebrate the 100th anniversary, Nivada is releasing seven new dial variations for one of its most popular models, which also underwent a facelift. I was lucky enough to put my hands on […] Visit A Sumptuous Centenary: Hands-On With The New Nivada F77 MKII Stone Dials Collection to read the full article.

Summer is over. Okay, maybe not quite — there's still some hot weather to be wrung out over the next few weeks (although I have noticed more than a few sweaters being broken out around the Hodinkee office this week). Labor Day has come and gone, school has started, our white pants are put away for the season, and the carefree, relaxed days of summer are now largely behind us. With that in mind, I asked (read: pestered) a handful of my colleagues to find out what watches they had on their wrists this summer, and the answers didn't disappoint. DWC Terra Titanium [Mark Kauzlarich] If there's something you should know about a lot of us on the Hodinkee edit team, it's that we love a good bit. So, after I came out of anesthesia from my spinal fusion earlier this summer, I decided to buy a watch to suit the moment. Look, I'm not saying that James Stacey gatekept this from me, but when I saw the Delhi Watch Company Terra on his Instagram, I felt left out. Turns out, I'm not as chronically on "watch internet" as I should be, apparently, because everyone over in The Grey NATO-land was talking about this super cool, $47 titanium quartz-powered watch out of India, and I missed out. I missed out on all THIRTY THOUSAND of them, I might add (shows how little I'm in the loop), and people were charging an arm and a leg to get one. Image, James Stacey (Yes, he has one too) Until the bit came around, that is. I got curious after my surgery and dug through my surgical notes for the info abo...