Latest watch news · Page 33

Few wristwatches in the world carry the immediate visual impact and prestige of the “Rolex Presidential.” If you’ve noticed a sudden surge in search traffic around this iconic timepiece, you aren’t alone. Driven by record-high precious metal values, celebrity endorsements, and a resurgence in classic luxury aesthetics, the world’s most famous status symbol is having a major moment online. First Things First: “Rolex Presidential” Isn’t Its Real Name Let’s start with a little horological trivia to impress your friends: Rolex has never officially sold a watch called the “Presidential.” The watch’s actual name is the Rolex Day-Date, introduced in 1956. It earned its famous nickname because: It came on a specific, three-piece semi-circular link bracelet that Rolex officially named the “President” bracelet. It quickly became the go-to accessory for the most powerful world leaders on the planet. Also, Rolex has a strict “no peasants allowed” rule for the Day-Date: it is made exclusively in 18k gold (yellow, white, or Everose) or 950 platinum. You cannot buy a stainless-steel Day-Date from Rolex. If someone tries to sell you a steel one in an alley, run. Why Is the Search Volume Skyrocketing? Exclusive Precious Metals:With gold market values reaching historic peaks, owning solid gold horology represents both a luxury flex and a tangible asset. Pop Culture Dominance: From executive boardrooms to sports stars and viral social media unboxings, ...

Twenty twenty-six has been a milestone year for Rolex, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its signature Oyster case with several commemorative models. While not as innovative as the enamel-dialled Daytona or as surprising as the revised Yacht-Master II, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 dresses the brand’s flagship time-only watch in a new proprietary gold alloy dubbed “Jubilee” gold and an aventurine stone dial. Initial thoughts Stone dials are everywhere, but as usual Rolex has found a way to stand out by using an unusual mineral. Most brands today source the same few varieties of stone — especially malachite and tiger’s eye — from the same few suppliers, resulting in stone-dialled watches that tend to resemble one another. But with its unusual aventurine dial and muted Jubilee gold case and bracelet, there’s no mistaking the Day-Date 40 for anything else. And this is also actually aventurine stone, rather than the more commonly used and less expensive aventurine glass. The exotic dial and proprietary alloy give the new Day-Date 40 a look that is both distinctive yet coherent with the rest of the collection. Many key Rolex models are perpetually out of stock, underscoring the brand’s commitment to value. While it might seem disingenuous to describe a US$65,700 time-only watch as a good value, the Day-Date 40 in Jubilee gold makes a case for itself. In a perfect world with on-demand availability, this would be a strong value proposition. The A. L...

Casio has added a new model to its Vintage range for July 2026, and the A1000SP-7 is more than another colour change. It keeps the familiar rectangular digital display but surrounds it with a stainless-steel case, a solid metal bracelet and, most importantly, a sapphire crystal. This is the specification that makes the new model stand out among Casio’s classic digital watches. Sapphire crystal is the main attraction Sapphire is much more resistant to everyday scratches than acrylic or normal mineral glass. It is not impossible to damage, but keys, desk edges and normal daily wear are far less likely to leave scratches on it. Sapphire is still unusual on an affordable digital Casio, so this upgrade gives the A1000SP-7 a real advantage rather than a change that exists only for decoration. The crystal also plays a part in the design. Casio has applied a striped vapor-deposition treatment to its underside. Below it sits a brass dial with a sunray finish. Together, these surfaces create visible depth around the digital screen, with the pattern changing as light hits the watch from different angles. The result is more interesting than a flat silver face while remaining easy to wear with almost anything. Full stainless-steel construction The case and bezel are made from stainless steel. Casio also fits a solid stainless-steel band with a one-touch three-fold clasp. Hairline-brushed and mirror-polished surfaces are combined across the band, giving it a mix of matte and shiny are...

It’s devilishly easy to be reeled in by the promise of a limited edition item. The allure of exclusivity, the potential for appreciation, the collectability factor: all perfectly reasonable excuses to cash in on a limited watch. Still, most enthusiasts (myself included) are understandably frustrated when these cool limited models come at a hefty price tag or feel like unobtainium due to double-digit production volume. Enter watches like the new Citizen Tsuyosa Shore “Time Slip”, which, while technically limited at 12,000 units, promises a more affordable and obtainable entry into the limited edition collectible world, while still retaining some of that “exclusive” magic.  Citizen’s Tsuyosa collection has made quite the name for itself as a bold, sub-$1,000 line of automatic watches. Most of the models involve loud colors and subtle, minimalist design, making them great choices for everyday wear, or a new enthusiast’s first mechanical watch. The Time Slip joins two other skin diver-adjacent Shore models in the Tsuyosa line. Like the non-limited previous models, it boasts 100 meters of water resistance within a 40mm stainless steel case. Inside, a caliber 8210 automatic movement powers the stop second and date (with a “cyclops” style magnifying window) functions. It’s a neat little package that allows for the robust longevity of a mechanical movement, but even with a unidirectional bezel and added legibility features like luminous hands and indices, it d...

Independent watch retailer Collective Horology LLC filed legal action against President Donald Trump, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and a host of other government officials and departments, alleging the administration's new tariff duties are "unlawful," lack congressional approval, and harm American business. The Ventura, California company, in a lawsuit filed in the United States Court of International Trade on July 24, alleges Trump and his deputies, in imposing tariffs of 10% and 12.5% on goods imported into the U.S. under Section 301 of the Trade Act,  exceeded the President's authority to unilaterally levy such measures. The lawsuit represents the most aggressive response yet by the watch industry that has been financially kneecapped by the levies that have exacerbated an economically challenging environment that includes a strong Swiss franc against the U.S. dollar and record precious metals prices, a key input in luxury watchmaking. Many of the most high-profile watch brands raised prices in response, while retailers have taken a hit on margins. Collective Horology co-founder and CEO Asher Rapkin. Photo courtesy Collective Horology.  Founded in 2018, Collective sells independent watch brands including Armin Strom, Czapek, Fears, U.S.-based J.N. Shapiro and Ming, among others. The company has paid more than $160,000 in tariff duties under various schemes imposed by the Trump White House and U.S. Trade Representative Greer, says co-founder and Chief Exe...

Dominique Renaud hardly needs an introduction. Co-founder of Renaud & Papi, later to become Audemars Piguet Renaud & Papi (APRP), he helped shape modern haute horlogerie by developing complications for Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, A. Lange & Söhne and many others. His workshop also became a breeding ground for independent watchmaking, with Robert Greubel, Stephen […]

One of the things you may have noticed about Worn & Wound over the years is that we don’t pay too much attention to celebrity watch spotting or culture (I use that term very loosely). We usually just don’t find much interest in what movie and pop stars are paid to wear on red carpets and premieres. I point this out because it’s actually a pretty large segment of the watch discourse that we elect to simply not take part in – you might be surprised (or maybe not) about the sheer volume of press releases we receive notifying us of a famous person wearing a watch that they are almost certainly being paid to wear.  That said, there are exceptions. Earlier this year I wrote about how Timothée Chalamet’s support of Urban Jürgensen and other indies could reshape how those specific types of brands are viewed by the masses (the jury’s still out on that one). And, I admit, as a bit of a pop culture fiend who was raised on a steady diet of Entertainment Weekly, I have a bit of a personal fascination with the behind-the-scenes mechanics of how these relationships between celebs and watch brands develop.  Over the years, some of these brand ambassador relationships have truly baffled me. People I never would have thought would associate themselves with a watch brand at all, and also watch brands that have attracted interesting people that seem at a glance to be outside their scope are something I always make note of. It’s also kind of interesting to observe how these r...

What We Know TK What We Think Something someone said someone. TK The Basics Brand: Model: Reference Number: Diameter: Thickness: Case Material: Dial Color: Indexes: Lume: Water Resistance: Strap/Bracelet: The Movement Caliber: Functions: Diameter: Thickness: Power Reserve: Winding: Frequency: Jewels: Chronometer Certified: Additional Details: Pricing & Availability Price: Availability: Limited Edition: For more, click here.

This week on The Business of Watches, we take stock at the halfway point of the year for watch auctions. Remi Guillemin, Christie's head of watches for the Americas, Europe and Middle East, gives us his take on what's driving the interest of the top watch collectors these days. It's a pivotal time, with the watch auction market setting record sales results at most of the top auction houses despite global economic challenges and geopolitical tensions and conflicts.  Remi Guillemin at the rostrum in Geneva.Photo courtesy Christie's  The last time the market was this hot was in the post-COVID era of 2021 and 2022. Guillemin believes this time is different, and he tells us why references from F.P. Journe and Cartier, and (surprise!) pocket watches, are driving the market these days and how that's a fundamental shift from the hype watch driven boom post-pandemic. He also shows us some of the watches in his personal collection and reveals the grail he's still chasing.  There's plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Be sure to leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes 0:36 Remi Guillemin (Christie's website - scroll for bio) 1:00 Auctions: The Five Result...

Artisans de Genève is an independent watchmaking workshop offering handcrafted timepiece customization and restoration services. AdG is neither associated nor affiliated with the makers/brands of those timepieces. Artisans de Genève carries out work at the sole request of its customers, on their timepieces, for their private use only. The Artisans de Genève are a group […] Visit Video: Meet The Artisans De Genève And Discover Their Exceptional Craft to read the full article.

Bell & Ross extends the BR-05 collection with a new model in a sage green dial. Available in their now iconic steel bracelet or a rubber strap.

Mido has given the Multifort TV Big Date one of its warmest and most assertive makeovers yet. Reference M049.526.33.041.00 combines a deep blue dial with a rose-gold-colour case and bracelet, turning the familiar television-shaped sports watch into something considerably dressier without sacrificing its everyday specifications. It is not a limited edition, but it is a distinctive new option for anyone who likes the proportions and large date of the modern Multifort TV and wants more visual impact than the steel and rubber versions. The blue dial and rose-gold-colour PVD exterior give the Multifort TV Big Date a much richer character. A 1970s Shape, Reworked for 2026 The Multifort name reaches back to 1934, but the shape that matters here appeared in 1973, when Mido introduced its first watch with a television-style case. The company revived that idea for the modern Multifort TV Big Date in 2023. Its rounded-square outline, broad bezel and integrated-looking bracelet architecture immediately separate it from the endless supply of conventional round sports watches. This version does not change the successful formula. Instead, Mido uses colour and finishing to shift its personality. The 316L stainless-steel case receives a rose-gold-colour PVD coating, as does the matching steel bracelet. It is important to be clear that this is coated steel rather than solid gold, which keeps the price and practicality within the usual Multifort territory. Brushed surfaces control the shine,...

In the field of independent watch brands, Laine Watches holds a special place, with its focus on finishing, movement decoration (not manufacturing), and highly respectable guillochage skills. Founded ten years ago by Finnish watchmaker Torsti Laine and based in the Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, the small atelier creates classical time-only watches (even though a chronograph […]

The Grand Seiko SLGB006 UFA Spring Drive Ice Forest at Dawn brings the midsize Evolution 9 case to 18k yellow gold.

Earlier this year, Minerva stepped out from the shadow of Montblanc to reclaim its independent, stand-alone branding and celebrated the occasion by releasing two limited editions of the Unveiled Secret. Presented in compact 39mm cases with wine-red accents and a new, inverted in-house monopusher chronograph calibre exposed in all its magnificence on the dial, rest […]

This year Chanel celebrated games of all sorts, from chess to cards and even video games with the J12 Coco Game — a quartet of Chanel’s best selling ceramic dive-ish watch featuring pixel art renditions of the Mademoiselle herself. This haute joaillerie variant is the maximalist-chic final boss of the sub-collection, set with 5.88 carats of diamonds, and equipped with the same bulletproof movement and hardy ceramic construction that makes the J12 so practical — though without the useful bezel or date. Initial thoughts Every year I look forward to Chanel’s Watches & Wonders launches — more-so than I do many “real” watchmakers — and every year the brand graces us with a one-two punch of remarkable objects and whimsical watches, often related by a common theme. This year’s theme was games, and Chanel outdid itself with a multi-million-dollar, unique (and already sold) chess set as the halo piece. Downrange there are allusions to playing cards, dominos and Scrabble, and a quartet of video game-inspired J12s. The other three models in the lineup, from left to right: ref. H11063, H11091, and H11062. Image – Chanel Pixel art developed as a natural consequence of past technological limitations, but it remains popular, particularly among independent game developers. And I suspect these watches will appeal just as much to a generation — my generation — that grew up with indie games like Minecraft, Terraria, and Undertale, rather than retro pixel art games lik...

Nomos is very dear to my heart, and the brand’s Tetra collection must be one of my favorites. The clean Bauhaus dial design works so well in these square watches with subtle, almost Art Deco-style lugs. Currently, you can get a Nomos Tetra with either a 27.5mm or 29.5mm case. For this summer, the brand […] Visit The Nomos Tetra 27 Is The Ultimate Style Flex to read the full article.

All timekeeping is astronomical in origin. Perhaps for this reason, clocks and watches capable of reproducing the movements of the heavens in miniature have long ranked among the highest expressions of horology. Astronomical complications mechanically encode vast celestial cycles into concise visual displays. Such mechanisms featured prominently in the collections of European monarchs and nobles, and later those of the industrialists and financiers who succeeded them as horology’s most ambitious patrons. The Vacheron Constantin Copernicus Celestial Spheres depicts the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the Sun, resulting in a calendar of sorts read against the signs of the zodiac. Yet many astronomical complications are based on principles that have been understood for thousands of years, and are often simpler — mechanically speaking — than more commonplace complications like chronographs. The tension between their relatively straightforward operation and their profound historical meaning makes them difficult to place within the traditional hierarchy of complications. This calls into question whether such a hierarchy even exists. Time comes from above Long before the development of mechanical clocks, humans attempted to relate the passage of time to observations of the heavens. The rising and setting of the Sun, the changing phase of the Moon, and the return of the seasons helped determine when to plant, harvest, travel and perform religious ceremonies. A fragment ...

For years, the watch-collecting corners of the internet have echoed with the same tragic lament: “The Tudor Black Bay Chrono is too big! It’s too thick! The sides are too flat!” Honestly, the complaining always cracks me up. I wear the 41mm Black Bay Chrono regularly, and as a woman who supposedly falls into the “needs a smaller watch” demographic, I’ve never once felt like I was lugging around a grandfather clock on my wrist. I think the 41mm wears beautifully. But apparently, enough guys shed tears in the comments sections over those few extra millimeters that Tudor finally decided to pass out the tissues and downsize.  Let’s talk about the yellow elephant in the room. Enter the Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 (M79310N-0001). If you’re going to shrink a watch, you might as well make it loud enough that people still notice it. Tudor absolutely nailed the visual impact here. The watch has quickly earned the “Bumblebee” nickname thanks to its vibrant matte yellow dial heavily contrasted by two black snailed sub-counters. Complete with Tudor’s signature lumed Snowflake hands, a domed sapphire crystal, and a black anodized aluminum tachymeter bezel, it walks a perfect line between vintage motorsport heritage and modern swagger. While I will defend the bold, chunky stance of the 41mm all day long, I have to give credit where credit is due, the engineering on the 39mm case is undeniably impressive. Tudor didn’t just shave 2mm off the width; they completely ...

Although the most current form of the Longines Hydroconquest has only been around since March of this year, it comes up in a lot of conversations. Since its release, it has found considerable relevance with the value-focused audience, managing to strike a balance that is becoming increasingly rare – strong enthusiast value from a major brand at a competitive sub-luxury price point. In a space that used to be dominated by Omega (and more recently, Tudor), Longines has stepped up with an offering that checks a lot of boxes, including the fact that this new and nicely proportioned diver rocks a price tag that feels more 2016 than 2026. Launched in 2007 as a dive-themed spin on the brand's longstanding Conquest line, the Hydroconquest has had a handful of generations that progressively refined what started as a quirky diver with oversized numerals, chiseled crown guards, and a characterful hour hand with a diamond-shaped lume plot. Until recently, with the launch of the latest generation, that was the known format of the Hydroconquest. With modern positioning, it was just unconventional enough to stand out among its peers, and the brand's alignment with Swatch allowed for reliable movements, attractive price points, and the chance of local retail availability. An example of a 2018 Hydroconquest in 41mm offered as a US market LE.  Then, earlier this year, Longines launched this latest iteration in 42mm and, yes, 39mm. The watch you see here is the 39mm example, and its steel...

Long before the doors opened on Friday morning, a line had already formed outside Morgan MFG. Some attendees had traveled across the city, others across the country, all eager to see more than 70 watch brands, reconnect with friends, meet the people behind their favorite companies, and spend a weekend immersed in watch enthusiasm. By the time the doors closed on Sunday afternoon, one thing was clear: this was our biggest Windup Watch Fair Chicago ever. Over three incredible days at our new home in Morgan MFG, Windup Watch Fair Chicago welcomed its largest attendance to date, setting a new benchmark for the event. Thousands of enthusiasts, collectors, industry professionals, and first-time visitors filled the show floor, creating the unmistakable energy that has come to define Windup. The move to Morgan MFG proved to be the perfect next chapter for Chicago. The spacious venue gave us room to grow while maintaining the welcoming, community-first atmosphere that makes Windup special. Flooded with natural light and just steps from Fulton Market, it quickly became one of our favorite venues yet. More than 70 exhibiting brands brought hundreds of new releases, fan favorites, prototypes, and limited editions for attendees to experience firsthand. Whether someone was buying their first mechanical watch or comparing the latest releases from independent brands, every table offered the chance to discover something new. Incredible Partners Helped Make It Happen A weekend like this sim...