Latest watch news · Page 283

While many brands have focused their efforts on producing smaller watches, it’s nice to see Piaget carrying the banner for thin ones with its Altiplano series. As a longtime producer of wafer-like timepieces, the company continues to push boundaries with innovation. One example includes using the case back as the mainplate to reduce thickness. Today’s […] Visit Piaget Introduces New Versions Of The Altiplano Ultimate Concept Tourbillon And 910P to read the full article.

As one of the main competitors in the battle for the thinnest watches, Piaget has had quite a few records on its hands, using the emblematic Altiplano watch collection as the vessel to deliver record-thin models. The Altiplano Ultimate Concept (AUC) made some noise by becoming the thinnest mechanical watch ever in 2016, and the […]

There’s so much to say about the Holthinrichs Signature Ornament Lab Series 1.24, but when I see the patinated copper dial adorned with 24K gold leaf, I want to sing the famous Nat King Cole jazz standard “Autumn Leaves.” The melancholy song starts with the words “The falling leaves drift by the window” and ends […] Visit Hands-On With The Dutch Holthinrichs Signature Ornament Lab Series 1.24 Watch to read the full article.

After weeks of discussion among our editors and a single session of reader voting, the results are clear: the Rolex Datejust 1601 has emerged as the favorite in our editors’ Datejust lineup. While initially highlighted by Thomas van Straaten as his pick, the 1601 received 41% of the vote, demonstrating broad appeal among collectors and […] Visit The People Have Spoken: The Rolex Datejust 1601 Reigns Supreme to read the full article.

Since its inception in 2016, the AIKON line has been Swiss watchmaker Maurice Lacroix’s bestselling collection. Nine years later, the brand is ready to kick it up a notch. The new aptly-named AIKONIC series packs updated mechanics and new materials into an upgraded case design with pops of color, promising innovation in the urban watch space while maintaining the original watch’s flavor. Does it land? Let’s take a look.  The first new aspect of note for the AIKONIC collection is the 43mm case; while it retains the familiar six double-wide “arms” around the bezel, a tactile grip cover is added to the crown. Both the bezel and the crown cover are composed of matt ceramic, which promises scratch-free usage for years to come. And while the case remains steel, it features both brushed and polished surfaces for visual and tactile complexity.  The carbon dial, too, is all-new on the AIKONIC. With carbon fiber strands running north to south in one direction as opposed to interwoven, each dial is slightly distinct from the next. Maurice Lacroix collaborated with a Swiss partner to create the dials, resulting in a construction that is fresh both structurally and aesthetically. The noth-south carbon pattern indeed gives each dial a vertical wave pattern, diversifying the design from both a textural and visual standpoint. Atop the dial sits silver text details, rhodium indices and second hand, and rhodium-facetted hour and minute hands. A sapphire crystal with anti-reflect...

Favre Leuba was never shy to bring colour and character to its watches, and the Chief Chronograph is no exception. Launched in 2024 as a modern revival of the brand’s 1970s designs, the new models got noticed with their distinctive looks and rather complex dial construction. Now, the line welcomes two fresh references, presented in […]

The Malaysian brand introduces its fifth generation design language with a bold new chronograph at a lower price point.

Wrist Enthusiast founder Craig Karger's microbrand joins forces with the affable Ben Cook of Ben's Watches on a hot little dive watch.The post Wren and Ben’s Watches unveil the Diver One Magma, a diver that epitomizes the modern watch community appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Jaquet Droz releases the Tourbillon Skelet Red Gold with a metiérs d'art dial featuring the Catrina Skull, an incarnation of the Mexican Day of the Dead.

Independent watchmaking thrives on daring ideas, and Ming is one of the few modern brands that embody this spirit vividly. Since its debut in 2017, the collective led by designer and photographer Ming Thein has built an impressive catalogue of over 75 references, each exploring a distinct facet of horology. The early 17-series brought the […]

It comes up, somehow, in almost every article you read about Ming: they have an incredibly distinct design language all their own. How many times have you read something like, “you can spot a Ming from across the room!” I admit, we’re as guilty as anyone. But it’s undeniable that the look of these watches defines them, and that they’ve landed on something with that flying blade lug design that is both easily identifiable and well suited to building a supremely comfortable case. It’s something that’s always been there, but has slowly evolved over the course of Ming’s still relatively short history. Today, the brand announces the new 57.04 Iris, the first watch in what the brand terms as their fifth generation design. It’s at once both a radical departure from previous Ming designs, and very much related to all that’s come before.  The new 57.04 is influenced rather unapologetically by Art Deco design cues, particularly the dramatic stepped lugs, still with the same flared design. Ming says that the lugs make use of nine separate pieces in what has to be one of the most complex case designs the brand has attempted to date. The top of each step is polished and sides (which have very small surface areas by design) are brushed. It’s a bold design for sure, and makes an immediate impression, and strikes me as being quite a bit more ornate than the inherently minimalistic case designs Ming has produced in the past. Still, the shape is unmistakably Ming.  T...

The folks at Ming showed us a host of upcoming releases and conceptual drawings during our time with them at Time To Watches in Geneva. As the two biggest fans of the brand on the Fratello team, Balazs and I have had the difficult task of keeping our traps shut until these pieces are eventually […] Visit Hands-On With The New Ming 57.04 Iris Chronograph to read the full article.

With a colour-shifting dial and monopusher chrono movement designed specifically for this watch, there is a lot to get into here.The post The MING 57.04 Iris brings technicolour to the wrist in a tasteful way appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Appointed to the top job at Breguet just under a year ago, Gregory Kissling trained as a movement constructor and spent most of his career leading Omega’s product development. A native of the Vallee de Joux, Mr Kissling is now in charge of one of the most revered names in watchmaking, which this year celebrates its 250th year. Aided by his background in product and long tenure at Swatch Group, the parent of Breguet, Mr Kissling is off to a running start. He has already made his mark with anniversary editions like the Classic Souscription, a simple but smart creation I rate highly, and holds ambitions to elevate the brand to where it should be. He was recently in Singapore to open Breguet’s new boutique in Ion Orchard, a mall on the city’s premier shopping street, and I got my first face-to-face with him since he assumed the role. We discussed his plans for the brand founded by Abraham-Louis Breguet, ranging from an increased emphasis on artisanal craft, to Breguet design, and even one-off or custom watches. The interview was edited for length and clarity. SJX: You have one of the most interesting and exciting jobs in the Swiss watch industry; you have taken over one of its greatest brands. Gregory Kissling (GK): It is a fantastic brand and every day I learn something new [about its history]. The heritage and legacy are immense. And also the fact that Breguet has a true manufacture – we produce everything in house but also thanks to the sister company of Swatch Grou...

Awarded annually by the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH), one of Switzerland’s leading timekeeping museums, the Prix Gaïa recognises individuals who have contributed to watchmaking in three categories. This year’s winner in the “History [and] Research” category is Dr Helmut Crott. Best known for having founded the eponymous auction house, Dr Crott is also an author, scholar, and former owner of Urban Jürgensen, amongst other roles. In 2021 he authored Le Cadran, an in-depth study of dials and dial making techniques of 20th century wristwatches. Le Cadran by Dr Helmut Crott Past winners of the Prix Gaïa include Reinhard Meis, Jonathan Betts, Pierre-Yves Donzé, Kathleen Pritschard, and Ludwig Oechslin, all scholars and authors who have contributed substantively to the body of knowledge in the field. Alongside Dr Crott, this year’s winners are Jean-Jacques Paolini for “Entrepreneurship”, and Roger W. Smith for “Craftsmanship [and] Creation”. As the successor to Georges Daniels’ brand of English watchmaking, Mr Smith now produces watches under his own name, with his achievements and timepieces well known. Jean-Jacques Paolini Mr Paolini, on the other hand, is less known outside the industry, but he is arguably most responsible for building the enterprise that’s the largest employer in La Chaux-de-Fonds. In 1980, Mr Paolini took over his family’s case and bracelet manufacturing business, developing its operations sufficiently that it was acq...

Toys for Hospitalized Children is holding its 2025 charity luxury watch raffle, with a Patek and Cartier up for grabs.The post Win a Patek Philippe Aquanaut (or Cartier Baignoire) while supporting hospitalized kids! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Belisar Chronograph Moon Phase has long been one of Union Glashütte’s signature watches, combining Saxon craftsmanship with the appeal of a complete calendar and lunar display. In 2023, the Belisar Chronograph line received a welcome refresh with sleeker proportions, more angular bezels, and a renewed emphasis on legibility. This year, the usually classic Belisar […]

Arabic numerals are often recognized as one of the easiest means to read the time at a glance. For centuries, Roman numerals were the fashionable standard for time-telling. These days, Arabic numerals, alongside markers, are now considered more of a “standard” means of telling the time. This is particularly relevant in the digital age, when […] Visit A Return To Elegant Simplicity: Five Watch Options With Arabic Numerals to read the full article.

Phillips to auction the same steel 1518 it sold for a record in 2016, complete with an estimate of CHF 8 to 16 million.

A rattrapante, split-second, or double chronograph is not something you see every day. Such a chronograph, capable of measuring intermediate times without interrupting the ongoing measurement of a longer elapsed time, is a seriously complicated watch. For many, including me, the double chronograph is one of the most fascinating complications the world of Haute Horlogerie […] Visit Hands-On With The Montblanc 1858 Split Second Chronograph Limited Edition In Burgundy to read the full article.

Episode 4 of A Matter of Time explores the distinctions between a good watch, a great watch, and a grail watch.The post A Matter of Time Episode 04: What makes a watch GOOD, GREAT, or GRAIL? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Favre Leuba releases two additional dial colour options to their Chief Chronograph collection, viz British Racing Green and Dune.

Headquartered in the historical centre of Delft, The Netherlands, Holthinrichs Watches, named after its founder Michiel Holthinrichs, is one of the rising stars of the indie watchmaking scene. The brand has a truly unique approach to design and manufacturing, combining advanced metal printing techniques (yes, 3D printed cases are THE signature feature there) with high-end […]

The ascent of Mt. Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953 is etched into Rolex folklore. British watch company Smiths was the official supplier of 15 watches to the British expedition involved in the 1953 ascent. It is highly likely that the Smiths watches, not Rolex Oyster Perpetuals, were worn at the […] Visit Looking At The Rolex Gifted To Sir Edmund Hillary After His Everest Ascent to read the full article.

Franck Muller and Japanese streetwear brand #FR2 add some summer colour to their second fun-filled collaboration.The post Franck Muller joins forces with #FR2 for another cheeky collab appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Continuing from last week’s Buying Guide, where we listed a series of titanium watches perfect for life during the summer, we return to the topic once more. But, to avoid repeating ourselves too much, now we take a look at another material perfectly suited for hot days: ceramic! Primarily known for its resistance to scratches […]