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SJX Watches

Patek Philippe consider enamel Jul 4, 2025

Inside Akrivia’s Enamel Workshop in Geneva

The world of Swiss watchmaking is a small one; everyone seems to know everyone. This is especially true among the exclusive ranks of enamellers. In total, there are about 120 practicing enamellers in Switzerland, largely concentrated in Geneva, which has been a leading hub for fine enamelling for more the 400 years. Of these, four artisans have recently taken up residence at Émailleurs de la Cité (EC) in Geneva’s Old Town. A newly established enamel workshop founded by Rexhep Rexhepi of Akrivia and Florent Olivier Martin, EC crafts a small number of grand feu enamel dials annually for Mr Rexhepi’s own watches and for select clients like Biver. Though recently opened, the workshop has the feel of a mature and highly organised operation, benefiting from the obvious experience of the staff – Mr Martin was formerly the production director at the respected dial specialist Olivier Vaucher – and the attention to detail for which Mr Rexhepi is known. The enamel workshop is a fitting addition to his growing empire, and is conveniently located just steps away from Akrivia’s watchmaking atelier on Grand-Rue, the picturesque cobblestone thoroughfare that runs through the Old Town. The hand-engraved gratté pattern is applied personally by Mr Rexhepi. The art of enamel Brands like Patek Philippe consider enamel a “rare handcraft”, and for good reason. While industrial groups like the Swatch Group seem to have largely mastered the production of quality enamel dials at (v...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

TAG Heuer Jul 2, 2025

Paul Newman Rolex Daytona: The World's Most Valuable Watch

If you are into watches and watch collecting, you have heard of the “Paul Newman Rolex,” have heard of it spoken of with reverence and awe, and have perhaps even longed to possess or at least see one yourself. But how did this watch - a very specific version of the Rolex Daytona - become the celebrity watch of all celebrity watches, as well as the né plus ultra representing the absolute highest echelon of watch connoisseurship? It’s a story of watch marketing savvy and market serendipity that spans the globe from Geneva to Daytona, from Cleveland to Hollywood. Rolex was riding a hot streak of successes in the 1950s and early ‘60s. The Swiss company had already introduced to the market the definitive luxury divers’ watch, the Submariner; the quintessential luxury travel watch, the GMT-Master; and even an understated, rugged outdoor watch, the Explorer, that became a star in its one right by virtue of its role in the historic summit of Mount Everest. The one popular category that Rolex had yet to really crack was the emerging genre of motorsport-inspired wrist chronographs, an area in which brands like Heuer (today’s TAG Heuer), Longines, and Breitling had a substantial head start. Rolex boldly jumped into the fray, introducing its first “pre-Daytona” wristwatch chronograph, Ref. 6234, in 1955, and its successor, Ref. 6238, in 1962. Both were 36mm steel watches outfitted with manually wound Valjoux 72 calibers, and both had dials that read simply “Chro...

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Jaeger-LeCoultre His Plans Jul 2, 2025

Interview - Jérôme Lambert on his Comeback as CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, His Plans and The Collectibles

I have known Jérôme Lambert for longer than I want to admit. The man started his watchmaking career right there, at La Grande Maison, or the Watchmaker of Watchmakers. Lambert has already been CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre from 2002 to 2013, and he left his mark on the brand. Strong collections, focus on complications and high-end […]

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Worn & Wound

Jul 1, 2025

A Keepsake in Time: The Wedding Watch Gift Guide with Hampden

When the wedding invitations start rolling in and the summer air warms with celebration, there’s a timeless question every groom and wedding party must answer: What gifts can truly mark this moment? For the groom and his closest friends, a Hampden watch does more than tell time-it tells stories, turning a single day’s memory into a lifetime keepsake. A Heritage of Craft and Personal Touch Hampden has earned the distinction of America’s oldest family watch brand, now in its fourth-generation of continuous family ownership. Founded in 1922 and rooted in Chicago’s rich horological past, its relaunch this year to mark a century in business balances classic American watchmaking sensibilities with contemporary Swiss precision. While their dials and movements are built to endure decades of wear, it’s Hampden’s mastery of custom caseback engraving that makes each watch singularly meaningful. From precise monograms to heartfelt messages and even sketches or handwritten notes, Hampden’s engraving technology is among the best in the industry-a nod to its historical reputation for innovation and personalization. The post A Keepsake in Time: The Wedding Watch Gift Guide with Hampden appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Cartier Crash Alternatives Jun 27, 2025

Cartier Crash Alternatives For Every Budget

We’re back at it again with another "alternatives" roundup for some of the most iconic watches in watchmaking history, and in this episode, we’re getting more quirky than we ever have before. Which is only fitting given today’s subject, which is one of the most subversive watch designs of all time: the illustrious Cartier Crash.  Before I launch into some quick Cartier Crash history and then contemporary alternatives at multiple budgets, let’s establish some key design ingredients in the recipe at hand. Because I didn’t want to make you all eat up some AliExpress Cartier Crash phonies, and because the design is so iconic that most watchmakers haven’t really attempted their own imitations, I will be leaning into asymmetry or hints at surrealism here instead of more 1:1 design alternatives. Before I begin, I will say that the avant-garde era of the 1960s and '70s, before the big houses had such rigid design codes, is one of my favorites in watchmaking history. Here in the modern age, many brands seem less willing to experiment boldly, and really keep things, largely, safe. Still, there are some asymmetrical watch gems out there, and below, they will get a little time in the spotlight. I will warn you now that on the current market, prices for more bold watch designs run a little steep, so the budget I’m working around here is at a higher price point than I try to stick to (though I have thrown in some affordable options). But given the exorbitant prices of the...

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Fratello

Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph Jun 25, 2025

Introducing: The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955 With A Surprisingly Beautiful Dial

Seiko’s Speedtimer series is the Japanese brand’s chronograph collection that celebrates retro looks with modern technology. The series is part of the Prospex collection and has slowly grown in recent years. It consists of several impressive mechanical chronographs as well as multiple solar-powered models. I have had a chance to go hands-on with several of […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955 With A Surprisingly Beautiful Dial to read the full article.

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SJX Watches

Omega s Small-But-Mighty Movement Jun 25, 2025

Omega’s Small-But-Mighty Movement in the Aqua Terra 30 mm

Omega’s latest Aqua Terra is a competent women’s watch with a brand-new calibre that is both compact and proficient. Equipped with the new cal. 8750/8751, the Aqua Terra 150M 30 mm launches with a healthy mix of metal variations and dials across 12 models that will surely expand in time. Initial Thoughts Despite scarce coverage in watch media, watches made for, and marketed to women are very important to the industry. And, women have rewarded brands that put in the effort with enormous success. The Lady-Datejust, for instance, is often rumored to be Rolex’s highest volume model. While Omega offered an Aqua Terra 30 mm in the past, the Constellation has arguably the brand’s champion in the segment for the last few years. The new Aqua Terra 30 mm might look similar to its predecessor, but it stands out for the new cal. 8750/8751 that is a Master Chronometer-certified movement. Building a movement that can consistently meet Master Chronometer standards, while being small and thin, is an achievement on its own. All else being equal, larger movements perform better than smaller ones; the difference is significant enough that the ISO 3159 chronometer standard that form the COSC testing standards has less stringent requirements for movements 20 mm and under. Options Omega’s watches are often, and fairly, criticized for being unnecessarily thick, but that isn’t the case here, thanks in part to the new caliber. All steel and two-tone models are 10.6 mm tall (10.7 mm for...

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Monochrome

Jun 24, 2025

First Look - The Kneijnsberg Hugenius, Honouring the Legacy of Christiaan Huygens

Dutchman Brendan Horneman, an independent watchmaker and teacher at the Dutch national school for watchmakers, goldsmiths and jewellers in Schoonhoven, is set to relaunch his own brand with a brand new, and highly original watch. The Tree of Life was his first work made for the public, back in 2018, under the name Kneijnsberg & […]

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Worn & Wound

Jun 23, 2025

Hands-On: the Zeitwinkel 240° Noir

It’s hard not to focus on price these days. The world has gotten more expensive over the last few years, and watches have not been immune to price hikes. Anyone following watch media in 2025 would be able to tell you that, and this site has not been immune. It’s the topic of the day in a big way, and ignoring it altogether would be a mistake on all fronts. Still, if you look back at the 13 years since Worn & Wound has been around, the narrative arc in that time isn’t about rising prices, it’s about value. In the more than a decade since Worn & Wound first came online, watchmaking has been dramatically democratized. Value has, in large part, been the name of the game, and increased access to complications, techniques, and materials has largely been a big part of what has kept me so interested in watches on a deep level - I mean, the idea that anyone complaining that a sub-$1000 GMT watch only had a caller movement would have been anathema to any collector just 10 years ago. Most of the value conversation in recent years has been focused on affordable watches, but a remarkable reality is that there is also value to be had if you take a step up. Brands at all scales have noticeably stepped up the quality of their movements, and while I’d never consider calling a 17,200 CHF watch anything but expensive, it’s hard to ignore that Zeitwinkel is offering (or at least trying to offer) something really special at a price that would have been hard to imagine not that l...

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Monochrome

Maen Manhattan 37mm Ultra-Thin Smaller Jun 19, 2025

First Look - The New Maen Manhattan 37mm Ultra-Thin, Smaller but with a Big Impact

Maen, a relatively young brand from Sweden with Dutch roots, has combined two of its popular Manhattan models into a compact and sleek 37mm integrated sports watch that highlights the best of both collections. Based on consumer demand, the current Manhattan 37mm automatic has been slimmed down with an ultra-thin case and hand-wound calibre like […]

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Monochrome

Grand Seiko Jun 17, 2025

Introducing - The Credor GCBD997 with Artist Akira Yamaguchi

Thanks to the recent introduction of the revived Locomotive watch, made with Gérald Genta, many might have finally got to know about Credor, the high-end watch brand owned by the Seiko Watch Corporation, alongside Grand Seiko. For now, its fame mostly came from the splendid Eichi models, as well as the ultra-complicated minute repeaters and grande sonneries. But […]

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Worn & Wound

Patek Philippe Nautilus acts as Jun 16, 2025

The Living Art of the Aballe Horologium Spinale Silver Watch Bracelet

We are all familiar with the concept of a grail piece. That seemingly unobtainable watch that sits saved in our search history, popping up across multiple “For You Pages” because they are always listening, taunting you as a reminder of your horological shortcomings. Well, what happens when you achieve the unthinkable? What happens when you finally have that grail watch? At some point, after swiping the watch from your nightstand and mindlessly throwing it on as you do every day, you are going to find yourself in a room with someone else who has that same quest. Yes, your watch is your watch, and each scratch is yours, and the two watches may have completely different stories. However, for production pieces, the reality is that at some point, it may not feel as unique and exciting as it did back when it sat behind Gorilla Glass. Watch modification comes into play for those special circumstances to set you apart from the select crowd.  That is where this story takes shape. Though, to be fair to the process, it had been in the works for a good while before that, living in the recesses of the artist’s brain. Milestone watches are very real for many people, especially in the financial sector. A signal of status and success, they can help signal trust to a new client while placing you on a tier list of your peers. Think business cards in American Psycho. For many at the higher tier, the Patek Philippe Nautilus acts as a trophy, as it did for Onchain Lifestyle creator GMon...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Citizen Titanium Watches Jun 14, 2025

Citizen Titanium Watches: The In-Depth Guide

The first Citizen titanium watch hit the market more than 50 years ago, and while it probably didn’t receive the breathless coverage that it may have garnered in today’s watch media, it was a watershed moment for the industry. Many watch brands make titanium watches today, but few of them have made the metal a signature of its identity to the extent that Citizen has, and fewer still have even attempted what the Japanese watchmaking giant has achieved in terms of improving and plumbing the full, unrealized potential of titanium. In this feature, we explore Citizen’s history in titanium watches and spotlight some of its most historic pieces, from 1970 to today.  Long before it entered the watchmaking arena in the late 20th Century, titanium had played a role in numerous industrial developments. It was first discovered in 1791 by clergyman and mineralogist William Gregor, in Cornwall, Great Britain, and named several years later by German chemist William Kaproth, who had previously discovered Uranium. Like the latter element, named for the Greek god (and planet) Uranus, titanium’s name comes from a mythological source, the Titans who preceded the Olympian gods. Some of its earliest applications as a mineral ore included titanium dioxide, in products like white pigment, and titanium tetrachloride, in hydrochloric acid and smoke screens. Later, alloyed with metals like iron, molybdenum, aluminum, and vanadium, titanium became prized for its high strength-to-weight rati...

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Worn & Wound

Rolex Jun 12, 2025

Inside Hour Precision, the Machine Shop Determined to Revitalize American Watchmaking

Usually when watchmakers brag about space cred, they bring up models that have gone to space or that are made of rocks from space or that take inspiration from the solar system. Zach Smith has them all beat: the Ohio-based horological craftsman makes aerospace engineering components (among other things) at his workshop, Hour Precision. Smith had hoped from the start that Hour Precision would make watches, and found along the way the machines and expertise you need to machine intricate watch movement pieces translate well to making parts for semiconductors, medical equipment, and, of course, aerospace components. That move into non-horological industries came relatively recently for Smith, however. Before the micro-machining and before he founded Hour Precision, Smith was a high-school-aged watch enthusiast who landed a job in a jewelry school. “I was fixing heart rate monitor watches. There was a brand called Polar before the Apple Watch that made fitness watches, and I started off doing that and then moved,” said Smith. “My boss at the time was selling pre-owned Rolex. He would buy product from walk-ins and from other suppliers and refurbish the Rolex watches, polish them, etc., and then sell them. After a while where I was doing well with the Polar watches, he asked me if I wanted to start doing that.” Zach Smith, front left, upon graduation from watchmaking school. Image courtesy Zach Smith @zachsmiami From there, Smith moved to another store that processed betw...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Sinn 104 Review Before I Jun 10, 2025

Sinn 104 Review

Before I get into this review of the Sinn 104 St Sa I white-dial watch, I wanted to offer some of my thoughts and provide some context about the brand. Now, if you know me, you know I’m a longtime fan of Germany’s Sinn and its iconoclastic range of tool watches. all of which have that extra little bit of over-engineered oomph when compared to many of their rugged peers. Come to think of it, these watches actually have no peers, given their unique solutions to problems facing watches that actually experience adverse conditions. Sinn History & Context Founded in 1961 in Frankfurt by ex-military pilot Helmut Sinn, the brand's cultish popularity stems from its technical innovations, which include the so-called "Submarine" steel, developed for the modern German Navy and found in many Sinn dive watches. Submarine steel possesses a mechanical strength more than one and a half times that of normal steel, and additionally, it's highly resistant to magnetism, cracking, and corrosion. In fact, Sinn claims the alloy is completely resistant to prolonged exposure to salt water, something that few stainless-steel formulations can claim. Sinn also employs an additional technology for hardening both stainless steel and titanium surfaces under the Tegiment name. This treatment increases both hardness and scratch resistance even further, making for a practically bombproof finish.  The caseback of the Sinn U15 Sinn also goes above and beyond when it comes to handling pressure. For its p...

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Worn & Wound

Jun 9, 2025

Italian Indie Gagà Laboratorio Introduces Two New References

We covered the introduction of Gagà Laboratorio back in August of last year, and have remained curious about how this new independent brand with Italian roots would evolve. Their first models, the Labormatic Bauhaus and Labormatic Cinquanta, paired a highly considered case design defined by dramatically flared lugs with a creative timetelling format that riffs heavily on the classic jump hour. Each watch represented the flipside of the same coin: the Bauhaus subtle and minimal, the Cinquanta more light and colorful. The brand’s latest releases are a new pair of Labormatics that follow a similar theme.  First up, the Labormatic Champagne. This watch was conceived as something of a counterpoint to the minimalist design ethos of the Bauhaus model. The Champagne, as the name of the watch implies, is celebratory where the Bauhaus is subdued, trading clean and cold grays for vibrant gold tones, including deeply textured dial base. On this reference, as with the Bauhaus, time is told via a digital hours window at the 12:00 position and an analog minute display.  Gagà Laboratorio has also introduced the Labormatic Azzuro, which can be understood as a complement to last year’s Cinquanta. Both watches are inspired by Italian design from the 1950s, which was a notably colorful period following the tumult of World War II. The pastel blue tones seen here look great with the rich, wine red chosen for the stylized Arabic numerals in the hour and minute tracks. Once again, the hou...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

TAG Heuer Monaco used Jun 7, 2025

The 45 Best Pilot Watches For Every Budget In 2026

Some of the most interesting and coveted watches on the market were designed as tools for professionals in fields that are more exciting than those of the average nine-to-fiver. Divers, race car drivers, and pilots have spurred on many of the most popular tool watch designs on the market today. Take, for example, the Rolex Submariner, designed for divers, the TAG Heuer Monaco, used for auto racing both onscreen and off by Steve McQueen, and the Breitling Navitimer, an aviation icon for decades. More than just jewelry, the timekeepers worn by these professionals, plying trades in which seconds count, were depended upon in some cases to save their lives. Pilots had to rely on their watches for critical information like calculating the distance traveled and the amount of fuel left. However, thanks in large part to digital tech, much has changed, and many great pilot’s watches are now used as heritage-infused time tellers in less austere circumstances, though the watches themselves are still more than capable. But, before we get too far ahead, what do we mean when we talk about pilot’s watches? Today, there’s an entire genre of watches dedicated to aviation. Some are homages to vintage designs, while others are modern variations on those earliest pilot’s watches. Some pilot watches are still tools, and act as backups to onboard instrumentation for professional pilots, while others are simply accessories for frequent fliers. In either case, the pilot watch genre ...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Ming Our Favorite Designs Jun 6, 2025

[VIDEO] A Closer Look at Ming: Our Favorite Designs and Personal Pieces

Ming launched their first watch, the 17.01, back in the summer of 2017. That watch sold out quickly, as did subsequent watches, and over a relatively short span of the time, the brand achieved an almost reverential status among affordable independent and micro-brands. The watches, from the beginning, have been stylish, highly distinctive, and have pushed design boundaries.  Our thoughts on Ming have evolved along with the brand itself. While the 17.01 is still easily recognizable as quintessential Ming, it’s remarkable to consider how much the brand has accomplished since that watch’s debut. Through rigorous roadmapping and experimentation, Ming has evolved into a significant indie brand with an ultra-clear design language. In the brand’s earliest days, it would have been easy to lump them in with other small brands finding their way in a competitive watch landscape. But over time, and particularly with their most recent crop of releases, it’s become clear that their ambition and ingenuity set them apart.  Some examples? Both are discussed in this video, but the use of white emitting lume on the 37.02 Minimalist and the impressive water resistance of the 37.09 are both illustrative of ways in which the brand is willing to invest in finding new ways to make their watches. The creative use of luminescent material has been a hallmark of Ming watches from the very beginning, and they’re rightly proud of figuring out a way to mix lume that truly emits white, somethi...

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Fratello

Shapiro Infinity Series Pure I Jun 6, 2025

Introducing: The New J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series Pure

I have had the pleasure of meeting Josh Shapiro, owner of the eponymously named J.N. Shapiro Watches, several times. Hailing from Los Angeles, he has a wealth of knowledge about watchmaking history, movements, and finishing techniques. Until now, he has focused on exclusive and expensive watches with prices over $75,000 and wait times of nearly […] Visit Introducing: The New J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series Pure to read the full article.

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Fratello

Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship Jun 6, 2025

Introducing: The Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship Unglazed Arita Porcelain Dial Limited Edition SPB497

Let me present you with a dilemma. What dial type do you prefer - lush lacquer, enticing enamel, or pristine porcelain? It’s a difficult choice, right? Before reaching your verdict, please have a look at the new Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship Unglazed Arita Porcelain Dial Limited Edition. This watch highlights artisanal qualities, resulting in […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship Unglazed Arita Porcelain Dial Limited Edition SPB497 to read the full article.

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Monochrome

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms State Jun 3, 2025

The Evergreens - The History of The Citizen Aqualand, The Diving Icon Celebrating 40 Years

Traditional dive watches have never waned in popularity, despite modern diving computers and even smart watches pushing them into technical obsolescence. The dawn of early divers in the 1950s is defined by two brands and two watches – the Rolex Submariner and the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms. State of the art at the time and able […]

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Worn & Wound

H. Moser Introduces Jun 3, 2025

H. Moser Introduces a Pair of Streamliners as Part of their Partnership with Alpine Motorsports, Including an Ana-Digi Smartwatch

Just when you thought watches associated with F1 teams were getting stale and predictable, here comes H. Moser with a release that I definitely did not have on my bingo card. There are actually two releases here, both introduced last week as part of the brand’s partnership with the Alpine Motorsports F1 team. Both part of the Streamliner family, one is a skeletonized chronograph (which is cool, but not exactly the most exotic thing in the indie watch world) and the other is…a smart watch. Yes, a Streamliner smart watch from the brand that started their recent rise to prominence by, basically, trolling the most popular wearable ever created. The loose concept here is that this pair of watches consists of a “Drivers Edition” Streamliner as well as a corresponding “Mechanics Edition.” We’ll start with the Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition, a “measuring instrument” designed specifically for an F1 team and the highly specialized work they do to support their drivers. The watch does a nice job of evoking what we’ve come to know as the Moser aesthetic, with a blue lacquer dial for the time at 12:00, surrounded by black when the watch is on standby mode (Moser of course loves a deep and dark black). But that black negative space is actually a screen, and when digital functions are activated the watch effectively transforms into something we simply aren’t used to seeing from high end independent brands.  The Mechanics Edition is powered by a movement made ...

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SJX Watches

Patek Philippe ref 1518 Jun 2, 2025

Highlights: Phillips NYWA XII

As the Hong Kong auctions have wrapped, we move to the final sales of the spring season in New York City. Phillips will offer a healthy mix of new and old, common and rare, across 144 lots. The sale includes many of the expected top-of-the-line offerings, with the headline lot a Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in yellow gold, and staples like a pair of ref. 5004s. But there are plenty of interesting watches to be down catalog too, including some fresh faces and value buys. Highlights include the best of English watchmaking made by Charles Frodsham a century apart, the auction debut of American independent Keaton Myrick, an unusual F.P. Journe Résonance, along with a Cartier pocket watch made by complications specialist THA. We round up these and a few more from The New York Watch Auction: XII, which takes place from June 7-8, 2025. The full catalogue is available on Phillips.com. Lot 11 – A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph “2022 Best of Show, Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este” Since 2012, A. Lange & Söhne has been a sponsor of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, a classic car shown that takes place in spring on the picturesque shores of Lake Como. Each year, the owner of the event’s best car is presented with a unique Lange watch. While past winners have received a fairly conventional Lange 1 Time Zone, the brand upgraded the prize in recent years to a striking 1815 Chronograph. In 2022, the winner was Andrew Pisker with a Bugatti 57 S from 1937. He received th...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Rolex GMT-Master II Again It May 30, 2025

Why I Bought A Five-Digit Rolex GMT-Master II (Again)

It must have been 1999 or 2000 when the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 16710 was incredibly high on my wishlist. I even had the official Rolex advertisement for this model as the wallpaper on my Windows desktop. But I was a student, and the Rolex GMT-Master II was out of reach. The Rolex GMT-Master II […] Visit Why I Bought A Five-Digit Rolex GMT-Master II (Again) to read the full article.

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Monochrome

May 29, 2025

The Collector's Series - An Italian Collector on His Bespoke OISA 1937 Watch, Marking the Return of Movements Made in Italy

It’s something we’ve told over and over again. Watchmaking isn’t only Swiss. Watchmaking is global and has, historically, been present all over the world. Surely, with industrialisation and the effects of the Quartz crisis, three giant hubs have emerged: Switzerland for high-end watches, Japan with its immense conglomerates and China, the silent factory… Italy surely […]

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Worn & Wound

MB&F; May 20, 2025

MB&F; Launches an Entirely New Collection for their 20th Anniversary with the SP One

Would you expect anything less from MB&F; on their 20th anniversary than the launch of an entirely new collection? The independent brand founded by Max Büsser has spent the last two decades confounding expectations, delighting enthusiasts and collectors along the way with some of the brazen and creative watch designs of the modern era. The brand’s influence and importance on the modern independent watch scene really can’t be overstated. To date, MB&F; releases have existed on two distinct tracks: the LM or “Legacy Machine” collection, which represents Max Büsser’s idea of a classical watchmaking style (think circular cases, classical complications, and a generally traditional if sometimes highly complex readout of the time), and the HM, or “Horological Machine” collection, which can be described as pure, maximalist creativity. This is where you see watches shaped like dogs, and spaceships, with time read in unusual and unexpected ways. While you’d think that working within two collections in this manner (particularly where one is seemingly unbound by traditional watchmaking rules) Max and his team would have the freedom to create just about anything they set their mind to. In reality, of course, there are always projects that don’t reach the finish line for one reason or another. The SP One (SP is short for “Special Projects”) represents an entirely new product category for MB&F; with the promise of reviving these projects and creating entirely new one...

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SJX Watches

Louis Vuitton tapped L’Epée 1839 May 19, 2025

L’Epée 1839’s Surprising Imperial Hot Air Balloon Desk Clock

Swiss clock maker L’Epée 1839’s latest desk-bound timekeeper is the Imperial Hot Air Balloon, a unique piece that is uncharacteristically classical compared to the brand’s recent launches that have tended towards modernity. It’s essentially a highly decorated, elaborately styled variant of the no-frills Hot Air Balloon clock of 2018. L’Epée 1839 was absorbed into LVMH last year, and this shift towards more traditional clocks chimes with the luxury group’s focus on higher-end and artisanal watchmaking. Notably, Louis Vuitton tapped L’Epée 1839 for its own hot air ballon-shaped desk clock. Initial thoughts While most of L’Epée’s creations are undoubtedly interesting, blending sculptural mechanics with proprietary clock movements, the clockmaker was historically a maker of classically traditional mantlepiece clocks. Most of its creations from earlier decades were styled after carriage clock. While entirely sculptural in form, the Hot Air Balloon manages to look as it belongs to a bygone era of watchmaking. A métiers d’art creation, the unique piece is restrained and ornate, while being modern only in the way it displays the time. Otherwise, the miniature flying object would sit comfortably in a historical residence. Not to say that other L’Epée are not well executed, but their modern and structural constructions don’t usually allow for classic artisanal crafts to be put to good use. The Hot Air Ballon’s centrepiece is the blue enamelled surface...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Patek Philippe Museum’s extensive collection May 18, 2025

Highlights: Magnificent Chinese Market Timepieces at Phillips Hong Kong

The Geneva sales have wrapped up, but the spring auction season continues in Hong Kong, where Phillips will offer a collection of unexpected and wonderful pocket watches made for the Chinese market in the 18th and 19th centuries. As Europeans became enamored with Chinese goods such as tea, silk, and porcelain, the Chinese were equally enraptured by European watches and clocks, often adorned with miniature enamel painting, pearls, gemstones, and hand engraving. Genevan enamelling, in particular, was world-leading and adorned some of the most elaborate timepieces of the 19th century. Proof of that can be found in the Patek Philippe Museum’s extensive collection of Chinese market watches and clocks. Today, Chinese market watches seem alien in their lavish and ornate decoration. Collectors’ tastes have become homogenized over time, particularly today, which makes historical Chinese market watches stand out as a world unto themselves, both in style and mechanics. A mini collection of such watches will be sold during the first session of Phillips’ The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XX at 6:30 pm on May 23, 2025. The extraordinary miniature enamelling found on a clockwatch by L. Vrard & Co. Lot 801 – Perfume Sprinkler Pistol by Moulinié & Bautte & Cie Geneva historically specialized in the manufacture of oddly shaped “fantasy watches” watches during the early 19th century. Common forms include fruits, musical instruments, animals, and flowers. Some of the more exotic fanta...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Patek Philippe May 14, 2025

Naoya Hida & Co. Has Announced their 2025 Releases

Seeing a watch made by Naoya Hida & Co. in person for the first time was one of those moments when you truly realize that you have to experience a watch in the metal before casting judgement. At the time, the brand was only in its second full year, and most of the people commenting on the watches in online forums, Instagram, etc. were reacting to what they perceived as an exorbitant price tag. These specific watches, after all, used a (highly) modified Valjoux 7750 as the base movement – not exactly high horology. But when you handle one of these watches, wear it, and, importantly, turn the crown, you realize you’re dealing with an object that’s largely handmade, a fully fleshed out complete thought with a singular perspective. That’s a pretty rare thing, as are the hand carved dials that have become an aesthetic signature of the brand, and truly require magnification to fully grapple with. Naoya Hida & Co. has just unveiled their new slate of watches for 2025, and I imagine we’re heading for some of the same conversations we’ve heard before, but there’s a new watch in this crop of releases that should quiet at least some of the naysayers.  The marquee release in this year’s lineup is the NH Type 6A, Naoya Hida’s most complicated watch to date and their first perpetual calendar. The 6A is made in the same vintage inspired style as all of Naoya Hida’s other watches, evoking classic pieces by Patek Philippe and others (but mostly Patek, let’s be honest...

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Audemars Piguet s boldly styled Royal May 9, 2025

Seiko Arnie Review: The Discontinued Icon

Before getting into the Seiko "Arnie," I must discuss the man who made it an icon on the big screen. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a guy who knows watches. Or he is at least a guy who is very clear and consistent about the types of watches that he likes. In terms of impact on the watch industry, few celebrity enthusiasts have been as huge (pun intended) as Schwarzenegger, the former “Mr. Universe” from Austria who dominated the big screen during the 1980s and ‘90s in high-testosterone blockbusters like Conan the Barbarian, Predator, Commando, Total Recall, End of Days, and the Terminator series. Along with his fellow iconic action star, Sylvester Stallone, Schwarzenegger helped bring Panerai and its hypermasculine, military style to the attention of millions, kicking off a fascination with large, bulky watches that more or less defined the early 2000s. He also played a significant role in taking Audemars Piguet’s boldly styled Royal Oak Offshore out from under the shadow of the original Royal Oak and into a pop-cultural milieu all its own, famously donning a specially tailored model for his 1999 thriller, End of Days. From this, one can make the assumption that Arnold, who also went on to become the governor of California, loves big watches with mechanical movements from historic Swiss maisons. But in at least two of the movies listed above, he turned instead to a Japanese watch with an analog-digital display - still plenty big, but at the time priced in a range tha...

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