Latest watch news · Page 44

A 200-year-old brand, Gallet is now back as the third part of The House of Brands and is acting as its welcome starting point.

Gallet is returning to the watch industry in 2026, exactly 200 years after its founding in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The historic Swiss name returns as a sibling brand to Breitling, which will manufacture the new watches and provide the infrastructure behind them. The relaunch centers on four collections — Flying Officer, Multichron Pilot, Multichron Sport, and […] Visit Gallet Returns For Its 200th Anniversary With Four New Watch Collections to read the full article.

What We Know Today, amongst a slate of other launches and re-releases, Gallet — now a part of the Breitling "House of Brands" — lifted the curtain on the Gallet Multichron Pilot. The new watch takes the recipe of the original 1969 Multichron Pilot and updates it, and the result is a watch that is recognizable but also, arguably, the most contemporary model in the very fresh Gallet lineup. The new watch does borrow heavily from its namesake, and seeing the two watches next to each other highlights the similarities. The new Multichron Pilot is still a tri-compax chronograph, with a bi-directional twelve-hour bezel, pump pushers, stick hands, and cut-off arrow-shaped markers. By way of comparison, a vintage Gallet Multichron Pilot. Image, courtesy Analog Shift. But there are definite differences too, many of which are concessions to modern taste. For one thing, those cut-off arrow-shaped indices are now lumed instead of polished, but there's also a date — visible through an aperture at 6 o'clock — and while the telemeter remains on the new watch, the tachymeter (which appeared as a second scale on vintage examples) is omitted. The watch is also bigger than vintage Multichrons.  The new watch has been upsized from 38 to 42mm, is 11.3mm thick, and measures 45.59mm lug-to-lug. At that size, the new Multichron Pilot is the largest watch in the new Gallet catalog but is still quite reasonable and a far cry from some of the oversized watches that still seem to populate Bre...

What We Know As we walked around Geneva on day one of Geneva Watch Days, we saw signs being put up for Gallet, and I thought how poetic. On the eve of the brand's relaunch, it's certainly an exciting time for fans of the brand. The parent group, House of Brands—Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet—already relaunched Universal Genève earlier this year and is rounding out 2026 by bringing back Gallet today, with one of the brand's most enduring models, the Flying Officer, in two variations: the Flying Officer Chronograph 40 and the Flying Officer Automatic 40. Today's reintroduced Flying Officer arrives in four dial colors across two versions, all cased in 40mm steel. Case specs are shared across the range: 20mm lug width, a screwed-in steel caseback, cambered sapphire glareproofed on both sides, and 100 meters of water resistance. The chronograph case is 15.02mm thick with a 47.55mm lug-to-lug; the three-hand case is thinner, at 10.67mm, with a 47.49mm lug-to-lug. Both versions share a bezel with a city ring listing 24 destinations, mixing major international airports with more remote locations. The Flying Officer Chronograph 40 comes in light blue or black, both with tone-on-tone subdials, and runs the Gallet 23, an automatic caliber based on the Sellita SW510. It measures 30mm in diameter and 7.9mm thick, runs at 28,800 vph (4Hz), and offers an approximate 62-hour power reserve. It offers quarter-second chronograph timing with a 30-minute counter. The Flying Offi...

What We Know Mixed in with the new releases from Gallet today is the Gallet Multichron Sport. The watch, which, instead of modeling itself on any specific Gallet model, draws its inspiration from mid-century Gallet chronographs as a whole, is meant to act as a general-purpose, automotive-inspired, everyday, and "all-terrain" sports chronograph. What does that mean? Well, largely, it just means that the Multichron Sport is exactly what it says it is on the tin. It's a reasonably sized (by modern standards), reasonably priced (again, by modern standards), straightforward, to-the-point, legible, contemporary chronograph. It's a watch that will withstand anything a reasonable buyer throws at it. It's also the only watch in the lineup without a directly corresponding heritage model for comparison. That said, when lined up next to the other new offerings from the new Gallet, it still makes a lot of sense. Practically speaking, the Multichron Sport measures 41 mm across, 13.87mm thick, and 49.20mm lug-to-lug. Like the slightly larger Multichron Pilot and slightly smaller Flying Officer Chronograph, the Multichron Sport is powered by the Gallet 23 chronograph caliber. That movement, based on the Sellita SW510, is a cam-actuated chronograph with a 62-hour power reserve and a date at 6 o'clock. The Multichron Sport is available today in two configurations: a black and silver reverse panda dial with a silver tachymeter ring, and a blue dial with black subdials and a black tachymeter ...

What We Know When Gallet's relaunch was announced, I sat up in my chair a bit. My second cousin, once removed, has a vintage Gallet Yachting that once belonged to my great uncle, who was an avid sailor. I have fond memories of going out on my Uncle Bob's boat and sailing around the bay of Green Bay every few summers—well, fond when I was piloting and not getting seasick. All Gallet needed to do was not forget the Yachting watches of the past (and, hopefully, do a good job with the legacy), and I would be somewhat happy. Well, they did that, and a lot more. But let's start with another model first. Sitting at the top of the price range for the modern Gallet lineup, yet still below the Breitling offerings with the same movement (a key positioning for the group), are the new Gallet Classics, featuring three Multichron reissues, of sorts. All of them measure 38mm by 12.5mm with 46mm lug-to-lug, and share the same stainless steel case with slightly twisted and faceted lugs.  The cases have stainless steel screw-down casebacks with sapphire displays. Despite that sapphire crystal, the entire package is rated to 100m of water resistance, protecting a Breitling B09 manually wound movement. While a bit thicker than the original Multichrons, the movement, caseback, and reliable water resistance are huge upgrades. You can see that the three watches differ only in dial treatment. At the top of this article is the only version with lume: the Tribute to Multichron 45, with a deep bla...

Hands-on Review of the Greubel Forsey Balancier GMT Convexe released in WWG26, with Michel Nydegger, CEO of Greubel Forsey introducing the novelty.

One of the most striking watches to debut at Geneva Watch Days is a new variant of Gérald Genta’s Minute Repeater featuring a dial made of Golden Obsidian. In variation from last year’s debut, it’s forgone the glossy black onyx dial in favour of naturally formed volcanic glass. Initial thoughts Beyond the dial the only change is the strap, still with its signature centre-lug though now in a brown calfskin which nicely dresses down the overall package. It’s a perfect example of the brand’s ethos as they expand the collection: methodical, deliberate and measured. Small changes that stack up and give buyers more choice, and the addition of the Golden Obsidian alongside the Onyx shows how one small change can take a watch from classical and serious to relaxed and charming — having both options in the lineup should help satisfy still-healthy demand for stone dials perfectly compliment each other and goes far to round out a healthily expanding lineup for Gérald Genta. Obsidian dial Golden obsidian is a variant of the jet-black volcanic obsidian you’re likely familiar with. It forms naturally when lava cools rapidly and traps microscopic pockets of iron, air and gas bubbles forming organic striations and graining through the glass. These imperfections give golden obsidian its warmth and shimmer, changing dramatically as light hits it from different angles. What it does share with stone is its unique formation, so no two Golden Obsidian dials will be alike. Like wi...

Akhor, an independent Swiss watch brand spearheaded by Anissa Bader, made its debut one year ago at Geneva Watch Days. Unlike many newcomers to the scene, Akhor benefits from Bader’s ties to Clamax, a watch component and micromechanics manufacturer based in Geneva. The inaugural watch was the poetic Le Temps en Equilibre, based on a […]

Over the past decade, CIGA Design has surprised us with some wildly original creations. The most famous, without a doubt, is the Blue Planet, which has won multiple horology prizes, including a GPHG Award in 2021. Another remarkable series is the Everest, which celebrates the conquest of the world’s highest mountain. For its next release […] Visit Conquering Mount Everest With The CIGA Design Everest China 65th Anniversary to read the full article.

The field-watch-inspired montre à guichet gets a smaller footprint and more options in 2025. Bremont Terra Nova Jumping Hour returns with new variants including a 35mm case size, building on the bold jumping-hour field watch launched in 2025.

Daniel Roth has unveiled the Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt, a new variant of the brand’s elegant time-only model featuring a gilt black dial. Unlike many contemporary watches that misappropriate the term, this is a true gilt dial by definition, where the gold seen on the dial is in fact the dial plate shining through where the dial finish hasn’t been applied. Initial thoughts Daniel Roth is keeping up its momentum at a thoughtful pace; the latest Extra Plat is quintessential Daniel Roth in style, though it stands in stark contrast to earlier versions of the model. Though the new Extra Plat is unchanged in form and movement, it has a strikingly different feel, akin to a dress watch with a bit more flair. Daniel Roth’s line-up, then and now, was dominated by pale-coloured dials. Though the brand made watches with black dials in its original incarnation back in the 1990s, they were uncommon, making the “Rose Gold Gilt” dial both historically correct and novel. Dial aside, the rest of the watch is familiar. The compact dimensions are spot-on for an old-school dress watch, but unconventional in form thanks to the double-ellipse case. And the movement is simple but finely executed, and decidedly superior to the workmanlike Frederic Piguet calibre in the 1990s original that inspired this. A true gilt dial Creating the dial finish is a multi-stage process. Daniel Roth start with the solid 5N rose gold dial plate and apply a pinstriped guilloché, executed by hand on a straig...

A record-breaking ultra-thin line meets the retro-futurist imagination of Vianney Halter, and the result is unlike any Octo we've seen before. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Dual Time x Vianney Halter marks the brand's first independent watchmaker collaboration, debuting at Geneva Watch Days 2026.

A true black gilt dial meets rose gold and a hand-wound movement, and the result is exactly what this revival needed. The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt pairs a black gilt dial with a rose gold double-ellipse case and the DR002 hand-wound movement. Here's the full picture.

For most of the last 20 years, watch marketing has quietly pushed in one direction — bigger. Cases grew from the 33–38mm range that once counted as a normal men’s watch into the 40mm+ territory that now reads as standard. A handful of watches, old and new, from Rolex, IWC and Tudor (although there are […] Visit Are Smaller Watches Actually Better In Design And On The Wrist? to read the full article.

We’re already well into 2026, and the watch industry has given us plenty to talk about. From major releases by established manufacturers to smaller brands introducing watches that caught our attention, there has been no shortage of new things to discover. But which watches actually stand out? In this episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho is […] Visit Fratello Talks: The Best Watches Of 2026 So Far to read the full article.

Having remade – and refined – its first-ever wristwatch, Louis Vuitton now does the same for the second. The Monterey Ceramic is a reimagining of the LV II of 1988, preserving the Gae Aulenti-designed case and dial but in modern, high-end materials and execution. As with the earlier Monterey in 18k gold, the new model in ceramic does away with the quartz movement of the 1988 original and replaces it with an in-house automatic calibre. The case has been scaled up a little to accommodate the calibre, but retains the proportions and quirky form of the original. But unlike last year’s model, the Monterey Ceramic is regular production. Initial thoughts The Monterey Ceramic is basically a more affordable iteration of last year’s limited edition in 18k gold. It retains the same design, movement, but replaces gold with ceramic (and steel), and the fired enamel dial with a lacquered one. Even with these changes, the Monterey Ceramic is still a far more sophisticated watch than its 1988 inspiration. I like the styling of the 1988 originals, and the modern-day reissues both manage to capture the look and feel of the originals. The Monterey Ceramic in particular sticks to the case diameter of the original, albeit a little thicker, but sticks closely enough to the proportions of the LV II. The Monterey Ceramic is priced like a modern-day luxury watch, but it has the intrinsic features to justify the price. The Monterey Ceramic costs €19,000 before taxes, which is less than a ...

Ferdinand Adolph Lange was born in Dresden on February 18th, 1815. Thirty years later he’d found his eponymous company, and 145 years after that a new A. Lange & Söhne would rise from the proverbial ashes of East Germany. The A. Lange & Söhne we know today debuted in 1994 when the brand launched four watches: the Arkade, Saxonia, Lange 1, and the flagship Tourbillon Pour le Mérite, which established a set of visual codes that would later define the 1815 collection. Today, the 1815 family is primarily known for its many time-only variants, the 1815 Up/Down, and, of course, the 1815 Chronograph. However, the 1815 collection also includes some of the brand’s most extraordinary, unusual, and rarely seen models. Lange 1815 Emil Lange Moon Phase (1999) The Tourbillon Pour le Mérite of 1994 defined the 1815 collection’s design codes, specifically the printed Arabic dial that is vaguely reminiscent of a pocket watch despite being an almost from-scratch design. However, it was not officially badged as an 1815. That designation arrived the following year with the refs. 206.021 in yellow gold and 206.025 in white gold. These introductions saw the rectangular movement inside the Arkade and Saxonia reformatted to make it presentable through a display case back. The extra space was put to use in the followup 1815 Up/Down, which added the namesake power reserve indicator and recreated the running seconds. In 1999, Lange launched the 1815 Moonphase Emil Lange (1849-1921) to mark...

Ferdinand Adolph Lange was born in Dresden on February 18, 1815. Thirty years later he’d found the eponymous company, and 145 years after that a reborn A. Lange & Söhne would rise from the proverbial ashes of East Germany. The A. Lange & Söhne we know today debuted in 1994 when the brand launched four watches: Arkade, Saxonia, Lange 1, and the flagship Tourbillon Pour le Mérite, which established a set of visual codes that would later define the 1815 collection. Today, the 1815 family is primarily known for its many time-only variants, the 1815 Up/Down, and, of course, the 1815 Chronograph. However, the 1815 collection also includes some of the brand’s most extraordinary, unusual, and rarely seen models. Photo credits: @lelangelust and @scatteringphotons Lange 1815 Emil Lange Moon Phase, c. 1999 The Tourbillon Pour le Mérite of 1994 defined the 1815 collection’s design codes, specifically the printed Arabic dial that is vaguely reminiscent of a pocket watch despite being an almost from-scratch design. However, it was not officially badged as an 1815. That designation arrived the following year with the refs. 206.021 in yellow gold and 206.025 in white gold. These introductions saw the rectangular movement inside the Arkade and Saxonia reformatted to make it presentable through a display case back. The extra space was put to use in the followup 1815 Up/Down, which added the namesake power reserve indicator and recreated the running seconds. In 1999, Lange launched...

I also dropped by Girard-Perregaux and was presented the Laureato Fifty Tourbillon Micro-Rotor. Here is my hands-on impressions.

Since its inception in 2014, Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo line has propelled the Maison into the realm of serious watchmaking, a rare accomplishment for a brand whose origins are deeply rooted in jewelry making. In just over a decade, the models have gone on to break numerous world records (10 to be exact) and take on countless forms from highly complicated versions to ones that play with a range of materials. Along the way, Bulgari has called upon several artists across various mediums to collaborate on designs, resulting in co-created editions with names like Tadao Ando, Lee Ufan, and Mo Coppoletta. Now, for the first time, Bulgari has looked within the industry to partner with another watchmaker, tapping independent Vianney Halter for the next evolution of the iconic Octo. Although this recent collaboration hails from the expertise of two watchmakers, other artforms still come into play, namely the element of sculpture. Bulgari has long been vocal about the influences of Roman art, architecture, and design in its creations. Similarly, Vianney Halter draws inspiration from other modalities, which informs the three dimensional and industrial design language that brings a sculptural nature to his timepieces. These shared values and visions align in the new Octo Finissimo Dual Time x Vianney Halter. When I think of the aesthetic codes of both Bulgari and Vianney Halter, they are bold, clearly defined, and instantly recognizable. At first glance, reading the headline of the pr...