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3,333 articles · 17 videos found · page 108 of 112

Miroir Image: Berneron Inverts the Mirage SJX Watches
Montblanc Unveiled Secret” Yesterday

Miroir Image: Berneron Inverts the Mirage

Berneron is following the release of its most complicated model with its simplest: the Mirage Miroir. An inverted variant of the popular Mirage 38, the Miroir flips the script to put the golden calibre on display in lieu of a traditional dial. Initial thoughts I’ve been looking forward to the launch of the Miroir since seeing the 3D-printed plastic prototype earlier this year. The inverted format is not especially new, but the Miroir is probably hitting the trend in stride. Beyond the popularity of the mirrored concept itself, Berneron’s house style for movement finishing suits being put on display. Unfortunately, the inverted format precludes a dial. This isn’t a critique of the Miroir as much as it is a weakness shared across the category. Of course, watches like this exist because for many collectors, the opportunity to see the movement — which in this case offers a rich palette of materials and textures — is preferable to looking at a dial. Rather than expose the relatively uninteresting dial side of the main plate, Berneron has opted for a closed case back, similar to the Montblanc “Unveiled Secret”. This choice gives the compact watch surprising heft and a low-profile feel on the wrist. The Miroir also introduces the brand’s first bracelet, which embodies the same detail-oriented approach to construction that Berneron puts into its watches. I tried on an early example of the bracelet back in April, and even then the quality was obvious — the alterna...

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Introducing - The New Piaget Polo Minute Repeater Monochrome
Piaget Polo Minute Repeater Piaget 2 days ago

Introducing - The New Piaget Polo Minute Repeater

Piaget has long built its watchmaking reputation on a combination of ultra-thin movements and decorative techniques. Founded in 1874 by Georges-Édouard Piaget in La Côte-aux-Fées, the Maison developed its expertise in high-precision movements before making ultra-thin mechanical calibres one of its defining specialities. This expertise has also extended to major complications, including the tourbillon, chronograph, […]

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Longines Masters The Monopusher SJX Watches
Montblanc Aug 25, 2026

Longines Masters The Monopusher

The Longines Master Collection Chrono Monopusher is a compelling showcase of the brand’s industrial expertise and increasingly compelling value proposition. The watch pairs 1930s charm with a thoroughly modern manually wound monopusher chronograph. The advanced calibre is complemented by a richly textured dial — in soft blue or warm silver — that features period-inspired pulsometer typography and applied numerals. Initial thoughts The Master Monopusher is illustrative of the industrial transformation that has taken place over the past decade at Longines. Like its rival Tudor, Longines has aggressively moved to incorporate advanced features like silicon hairsprings to create distance between itself and the ever-growing roster of brands that rely on more generic movement platforms that are widely available from suppliers like Sellita and La Joux-Perret. A decade ago, Longines’ latest and greatest monopusher chronograph had an industry-standard Nivarox hairspring, and was adjusted by means of a generic curb-pin regulator. Power reserve was a reasonable — but unimpressive — 54 hours. Fast-forward to today, and every one of these details has been meaningfully upgraded, giving consumers and collectors a reason to choose a mainstream powerhouse over an independent start-up. The advanced technical content results in an attractive value at US$3,900, a price that undercuts rivals like Montblanc that offer similar monopushers. Furthermore, that’s less money — in both ...

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Insight: The Science of Gear Tooth Profiles SJX Watches
Ming ly minor variations have Aug 18, 2026

Insight: The Science of Gear Tooth Profiles

Having explored several concepts related to energy systems in watchmaking, from mainspring barrel capacity to automatic winding and the chain and fusee, our technical series continues with a detailed examination of how that energy reaches the escapement. A vital part of all watch movements, gears are usually taken for granted and generally not given much thought. But upon closer look, gear tooth profiles vary in shape and size. These seemingly minor variations have big implications and reveal various calculated trade-offs. We take a closer look at the different gear profiles used in watchmaking and review their particularities and evolutions over time.  History and curves Mechanical timekeeping is inextricably linked to the concept of gears and transmissions. Long before the invention of the hairspring, early craftsmen and horologists were already using toothed wheels in conjunction with weights, verge escapements, and pendulums to measure the passage of time.  Historically, gear-cutters were separate professionals who catered to clock makers. Horological lore has it that the tooth profiles used during the 1600s were traced after the thumb’s shape, although it’s difficult find evidence for this theory. The invention of the hairspring marked a step-change in the technical evolution of the watch, and the later development of detached escapements enhanced precision further. These advances revealed transmission problems that had previously been masked by larger timing er...

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Hands On: Rolex Submariner Date Desk Clock Ref. 909010LN SJX Watches
Rolex Submariner Date Desk Clock Jul 23, 2026

Hands On: Rolex Submariner Date Desk Clock Ref. 909010LN

Late last year, Rolex unveiled its accessories line, comprised of a range of cufflinks and the Submariner Date Desk Clock ref. 909010LN. In the typical Rolex fashion, the new accessories are conservatively styled; the desk clock is essentially a Submariner face enlarged to 80 mm. But in typical Rolex fashion, the clock is impressively made. The Submariner desk clock is an impressive piece of desk-bound timekeeping. Execution is top class with flawless fit and finish, while the mechanics (or more accurately, electronics) are advanced: the quartz movement incorporates a 400-year perpetual calendar, and surprisingly, decorative finishing. Initial thoughts The Submariner desk clock is an impressive object, sizeable, heavy, and clearly well made. It has to be seen – and held – in person to understand the quality of make. Elements like the brushed steel case (that’s ironically not water resistant), engraved bezel insert, and decorated movement speak to the precision manufacturing and finishing. This clock is a beautifully-made industrial creation. That said, the design is a boring. It’s basically a Submariner face blown up to 80 mm. Fans of the design will be pleased as Rolex did replicate the details of the wristwatch artfully, right down to the engraved flange around the dial and tiny crown within “Swiss made”. Fortunately, the insides of the clock are more advanced than the design. The cal. 8335 displays the time and date, but the date is actually a secular calend...

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Introducing: The New Citizen Promaster Dive Hodinkee
Citizen Promaster Dive What We Jul 16, 2026

Introducing: The New Citizen Promaster Dive

What We Know It's summertime, which means it's perfect weather to spend some time near, in, or under the water. While I love a good hyper-overbuilt mechanical watch (and definitely want this one), I've come to realize that the best dive watches are probably the no-fuss, affordable ones. If I'm flying to the Bahamas and want to go on a quick dive, I'm going to grab a Citizen (oh wait, I did). With a bunch of new Citizen Eco-Drive divers (more like Eco-Dive, am I right?) rated to 200m, I figured it was time to share some great new picks. While four watches were just launched in Japan, the U.S. is getting three of them. There's a blue gradient dial with a dark blue stainless steel unidirectional bezel (my personal pick), a black dial with a black bezel, and a white dial with a black bezel and an orange seconds hand (and black printing, of course). That last one feels very James Stacey, if I had to guess. The watches are cased in a super-reasonable 40.6mm by 11.5mm stainless steel case with brushed surfaces and polished chamfers. Inside is the Eco-Drive Caliber E118, which has an accuracy of +/- 15 seconds per month and 12 months of power on a full light-powered charge. The watches are delivered on BENEBiOL straps, a plant-derived biomass urethane. All three options will be available on the Citizen website in the coming days and weeks as deliveries arrive in their US stock. The retail price is $450, so keep checking their shop to make sure you stay on top of when it's availabl...

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California Chronograph: J.N. Shapiro Unveils Infinity Series Radiant SJX Watches
Ming Jun 16, 2026

California Chronograph: J.N. Shapiro Unveils Infinity Series Radiant

California-based independent watchmaker J.N. Shapiro has unveiled the Infinity Series Radiant chronograph, the brand’s first complicated model available to the general public. Like the special order series released last year, the Radiant is built around a well-known La Joux-Perret monopusher calibre, but this time the watch features a tantalum case and choice of two dial configurations. Initial thoughts The Infinity Series is how it all started for J.N. Shapiro, and while the southern California-based watchmaker subsequently introduced the Resurgence — taking ‘made in America’ to the extreme — the Infinity Series makes use of third-party movements to make the brand’s inventive hand-turned guilloche dials more accessible. The Radiant chronograph takes after the 14-piece limited edition unveiled last year for the Boston-based ‘Escapement’ collector group. The Radiant is functionally identical, using the same La Joux-Perret cal. 5000 monopusher chronograph movement. But while the Escapement chronograph featured a movement that had been customised for fellow Alternative Horological Alliance (AHA) member Ming, the Radiant gets its own anthracite-coated livery complete with the brand’s ‘infinity weave’ logo. The movement itself has its own interesting backstory, but the handmade dials and weighty tantalum case do more to help justify the pricing of US$35,900. By the standards of mass market watchmaking this is a steep ask for a straightforward complication,...

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Introducing - The Arnold & Son HM London Skyline x The Limited Edition Monochrome
Arnold & Son HM London Skyline x Jun 12, 2026

Introducing - The Arnold & Son HM London Skyline x The Limited Edition

Arnold & Son, the brand founded in honour of the famous 18th-century English watchmaker John Arnold, translates his historical legacy into high-end Swiss watches powered by in-house movements – about 20 to date. Arnold & Son’s HM line is the brand’s more dress-oriented collection and is also powered by a powerful, ultra-thin, in-house calibre. A […]

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Moser’s Endeavour is a Complicated Chronograph SJX Watches
H. Moser & Cie expands Jun 1, 2026

Moser’s Endeavour is a Complicated Chronograph

H. Moser & Cie. expands its selection of chronographs with the Endeavour Flyback Chronograph Dual Time Date, adding convenient complications to the impressive chronograph calibre found in the Streamliner collection. Despite the presence of a chronograph and a second time zone display, the Endeavour Flyback could easily pass for a time-only watch at a glance thanks to its central minutes counter and discreet dual-time disc. Initial thoughts The central-minutes chronograph is an inherently appealing format. Not only does it reduce dial clutter by eliminating a sub-dial, but it improves legibility by allowing the elapsed minutes to be read on the same 60-minute scale the eye is accustomed to from reading the time. I’m also a fan of the AgenGraphe platform that underpins the HMC 730 movement. The movement architecture — which has now been around for almost a decade — reveals fresh thinking about how a horizontal clutch can work, and the visual layout is appropriately dynamic for a high-end watch with plenty of visible springs and levers, many of which are pleasingly thin in form. All that is to say the Endeavour Flyback has a lot going for it even before considering Moser’s minimalist aesthetic choices. As we’ve come to expect from the brand, the dial is sterile — lacking a brand logo or wordmark — and there’s a gradient fumé finish on the central disc that indicates the second time zone. These details are enough to mark the watch as a Moser product, which sp...

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Introducing: TAG Heuer Updates The Aquaracer Solargraph Professional And Debuts New 28mm Models Hodinkee
TAG Heuer Updates May 26, 2026

Introducing: TAG Heuer Updates The Aquaracer Solargraph Professional And Debuts New 28mm Models

What We Know The Aquaracer, first introduced in 2004, is the tough tool watch in the Tag Heuer lineup, and the Solargraph is one of the most recent extensions of the Aquaracer range, bringing quartz timekeeping and fuss-free solar power to the brand's generalist dive watch. Just in time for Summer (in this hemisphere), Tag Heuer has launched an extension of the Solargraph, offering new colorways and the option of a new, smaller case size.  In 2022, Tag Heuer began using La Joux-Perret's new solar-powered movements in some models that it labeled 'Solargraph' as part of an exclusive deal with the Swiss movement maker that saw the brand's owner, LVMH, later take a minority stake in LJP. Today, Tag Heuer is updating the Aquaracer line with four new 40mm models (spanning steel or titanium), as well as four 28mm-diameter steel-case versions for the first time. All the new models are powered by the Solargraph movement, underscoring the brand's commitment to new solar tech, which is also used in its relaunched Formula 1 watches. The new 40mm Aquaracer comes in both steel and titanium models and features an updated bezel with 'rider' tabs and grain-textured elements, as well as a sharper, finely brushed case construction with added fluted elements at 9 o'clock to better balance the crown guards at 6 o'clock. TAG says the handset has also been updated, and the bracelets are now easily interchangeable, with quick-release spring bar tabs, allowing for easy swapping to rubber or othe...

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Highlights: Striking Complications from Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet May 21, 2026

Highlights: Striking Complications from Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet at Christie’s Hong Kong

Two leading practitioners of fine watchmaking, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet face off at Christie’s upcoming Hong Kong auction, Important Watches: Featuring “Kronos: Titans of Time”, “The Eternity” and “The Chronicle” Collections. The catalogue features blue chip high complications such as the Sky Moon Tourbillon, as well as under-appreciated neo-vintage discoveries, and the most striking of this selection doesn’t even chime. Lot 2424 – Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5002P-001 While Patek Philippe’s Sky Moon Tourbillon started as a supporting act to the Star Caliber 2000, miniaturising the latter’s planisphere with moon passage and phases, its mindshare has far surpassed its larger sibling. It was Patek Philippe’s most complicated wristwatch when first launched, and the super-watch of the 2000s. Collectors entering the watch world during that time speak of it with the same nostalgia and reverence 2000s kids give to the Bugatti Veyron. The design was rather contemporary for early 2000s Patek Philippe, and looks nothing like its successor, the baroque ref. 6002. At 42 mm in diameter, it was also notably large — the ref. 5016 with which shares most of its movement, was only 36 mm in diameter. It was forward thinking in another way, selling an extremely expensive, astronomical complication as an off-the-rack product, continuing Philippe Stern’s “build it and they will come” attitude that began with the Calibre 89. Patek Philippe’...

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Hands On: Niton Prima SJX Watches
May 8, 2026

Hands On: Niton Prima

Recently revived Genevan haute horlogerie brand Niton jumps into the jumping hours market with the Prima — one of the more refined high-end examples of the industry’s latest favourite complication. It features a bespoke, shaped calibre that proudly carries the Poinçon de Genève — true to its inspiration — and is packed with creative choices and features. Initial thoughts Not long ago it seemed like 2025 would go down as the year of the jump hour, but the trend was evidently just getting started. The Niton Prima exemplifies this ongoing trend with surprising elegance and historical fidelity. As a rule of thumb, I view revival brands with a degree of scepticism; I would prefer people make a name for themselves rather than buying one. However, the Niton Prima shows a clear understanding of — and passion for — the source material, so I am satisfied this is not a mere cash-grab. It doesn’t hurt that the watch is excellent inside and out, and while expensive in absolute terms, it is fairly priced for what you get. The movement deserves special mention as the source of much of the appeal, being a true shaped movement — a very handsome one at that — and a competent timekeeper. It is finely finished with a plethora of interesting and clever features, including hidden screws for joining the bridges and mainplate, a small seconds hand that stops itself at 60 after the crown is pulled, and a sonnerie au passage to enhance the sound of the jump hour. Another point i...

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Vacheron Constantin’s Ultra-Thin Overseas Returns SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin s Ultra-Thin Overseas Returns Apr 13, 2026

Vacheron Constantin’s Ultra-Thin Overseas Returns

Following a belter of an anniversary year during which the brand launched, among other things, the world’s most complicated wristwatch and a quarter-ton astronomical clock, Vacheron Constantin (VC) kicks off Watches & Wonders with something more low-profile, both literally and figuratively - the Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin. While small in stature at just 7.35 mm thick, it’s what’s inside the counts - namely, an all-new micro-rotor calibre with 80 hours of power reserve and seemingly limitless potential. Initial thoughts The new Overseas Ultra-Thin is little different from the model that preceded it, though the ref. 2000V remained rare enough throughout its production run that the format still feels fresh. It also helps that despite the visual similarity, the ref. 2500V is a completely new watch inside and out, catapulting a model that arguably lagged behind its one obvious competitor into instant parity. The ref. 2500V is best understood from the inside out. Audemars Piguet replaced the well-loved historical cal. 2121 with its more modern cal. 7121 in 2022, and now it’s VC’s turn, being the last of the big three purveyors of mass-market fine watchmaking to replace its aging Jaeger-LeCoultre cal. 920-based movements with an in-house alternative. The reluctance to replace this venerable platform is understandable. What VC calls the cal. 1120 is one of the last movements of its generation still in use, and carries a historical weight missing from many moder...

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Ferdinand Berthoud, Inverted: The Chronomètre FB 2TV.1 SJX Watches
Chopard s haut de gamme Apr 3, 2026

Ferdinand Berthoud, Inverted: The Chronomètre FB 2TV.1

Ferdinand Berthoud (FB), Chopard’s haut de gamme sub-brand, introduces its first flying tourbillon just weeks before Watches & Wonders. The Mesure du Temps 1787 Chronomètre FB 2TV.1 is exceptional in both quality and price, presenting almost everything of interest on the dial side - chain and fusee included - along with hacking and zero-reset seconds. The dial-side spectacle will be the calling card of the new Mesure du Temps 1787 collection. Initial thoughts The revival of long-dead masters’ names to sell unrelated watches is a practice that invites scepticism - and often deserves it. The Ferdinand Berthoud brand, however, is a different matter. There is nothing cynical about it, and one suspects the man himself wouldn’t mind being associated with some of the finest mechanical watches being made today - in his home town, no less. A different name on the dial, Scheufele perhaps, might still feel more authentic, but that’s a minor quibble with what is otherwise an overwhelmingly high quality watch. The latest take on the brand’s chronometer-inspired formula adds one of my favourite features: a zero-reset seconds hand. Though I prefer the designs of the brand’s past projects, the FB 2TV.1 suggests the team at FB understands what the market wants, and the movement-as-a-dial aesthetic is hot right now. The flying tourbillon is new for the brand, in both technique and aesthetics. Until now the brand’s massive revolving regulators were secreted away on the...

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The 10 Best Gold Chronographs in 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold Feb 24, 2026

The 10 Best Gold Chronographs in 2026

Let's face it: a gold chronograph is not exactly the most subtle style of wristwatch you can sport. Combine the high complication, the complex multi-level dial, and the gleaming precious-metal execution of the case (and, in some instances, also the bracelet), and the result tends to be a prominent, weighty, and expensive timepiece that inevitably attracts attention. Unlike standard, three-handed gold dress watches, gold chronographs are not built to be shy, discreetly hiding their assets beneath a shirt cuff. All the more reason, then, to make sure that if you're bold enough to rock one of these watches, that the face it's presenting to the world is one that inspires awe and admiration. Here are 10 of our favorites from an elite lineup of respected watchmakers.  [toc-section heading="Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Frosted Gold Selfwinding Chronograph"] Price: $95,400, Case Size: 41mm, Case Height: 11mm, Lug Width: 23mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Automatic Audemars Piguet Caliber 4401 Audemars Piguet’s frosted white gold, used here for the 41mm case of a vibrant, blue-dialed chronograph within Audemars Piguet’s flagship Royal Oak collection, is achieved through a process of hammering the gold with a diamond-tipped tool to create tiny indentations - a process that dates back to ancient Florence. The dial’s surface is enhanced with the signature Royal Oak Grand Tapisserie texture and highlighted by contrasting golden-toned subdials at 3, 6,...

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Introducing - Spectacular New Editions of the Piaget Limelight Gala Precious Monochrome
Piaget Limelight Gala Precious Having Feb 24, 2026

Introducing - Spectacular New Editions of the Piaget Limelight Gala Precious

Having mastered the art of ultra-thin mechanical movements, Piaget made its foray into jewellery watches in the 1960s. Unveiled at the Basel Fair in 1969, Piaget’s 21st Century Collection showcased avant-garde jewellery watches, including textured gold cuffs with hardstone dials, powered by the brand’s ultra-thin 2mm manual-winding calibre 9P. In 1973, Piaget introduced the predecessor […]

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Meistersinger Introduces the Archao Worn & Wound
Meistersinger Introduces Feb 17, 2026

Meistersinger Introduces the Archao

The one handed watch is a curious thing. On the face of it, it seems illogical. On a mechanical watch, stripping away a more precise minute hand in favor of a single hour hand negates one of the things enthusiasts covet most: precision. Or, at least, the relative precision. Things like COSC certification and the hard work and ingenuity that go into making mechanical movements become secondary when you pull back sufficiently far from an ability to clock the time to the exact second (indeed, the COSC will not certify any watch without a seconds hand).  But removing that hand is additive, as well. It forces the designer of a watch to think very critically about how that hand is going to tell the time, and the thing that actually defines one handed watches is not so much the fact that they only have a single hand, but the way in which that hand interacts with any timing markers on the dial. There are different approaches, of course. Avant-garde designs might strip out markers altogether, so that a dial’s texture or material can be the singular focus of a piece. This, to me, feels like the most jewelry oriented option possible. Another approach, and the one most often favored by Meistersinger, a brand known primarily for their one handed watches, is to focus like a laser on readability at a glance, designing markers and indices that are large enough and graduated to a degree that makes it relatively easy to get the precise time at a glance. I often think about the time I spe...

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Grand Seiko’s Smallest High-End Quartz Models Yet SJX Watches
Grand Seiko s Smallest High-End Quartz Feb 12, 2026

Grand Seiko’s Smallest High-End Quartz Models Yet

Grand Seiko has installed its high-end quartz calibre 9F in a 33 mm stainless steel case with fan-favourite textured dials, making one of the most advanced analogue quartz movements available in the smallest and slimmest format to date. The compact proportions of the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm “Snowflake” SBGX359 and “Skyflake” SBGX361 are possible thanks to a new member of the 9F family: the cal. 9F51. Though smaller, the new calibre retains all the technical bells and whistles of this class-leading quartz platform. Ref. SBGX359 (Snowflake). Initial thoughts While Grand Seiko’s quartz models are generally known as good value propositions, with the cal. 9F in particular representing a lot of movement for the money, that has generally been less true of the brand’s smaller models. These maintain the brand’s standout case and dial work but with relatively pedestrian cal. 4J movements. Though above average in terms of quality and technology, the cal. 4J lacks the torque necessary to accommodate the exceptionally large and refined hands found on most Grand Seikos. Ref. SBGX361 (Skyflake). Given the brand’s recent emphasis on Spring Drive technology, seemingly at the expense of battery-powered quartz movements, that seemed unlikely to change. In this context, this duo is a pleasant surprise, with more likely to follow, and offers a no-compromise Grand Seiko experience in a smaller size without the high price tags of the ladies automatic line. A ...

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Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Feb 10, 2026

Hands On: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked

Audemars Piguet (AP) has updated the coveted Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked, which makes its debut on the next-generation perpetual calendar platform that debuted last year. The new calibre allows for individual adjustment of each calendar indication using just the crown – no stylus (or toothpick) necessary. The first outing for the skeletonised version of this class-leading perpetual calendar is in titanium, with mirror polished accents in scratch-resistant Palladium BMG and pops of rose gold on the dial and case back, though more colourways are sure to come in due time. Initial thoughts The latest generation of the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar is arguably AP’s strongest product. It is heir to the archetypal integrated bracelet perpetual calendar sports watch, which, until recently, was held back to some extent by what had become a dated movement. In fairness, the same can be said of its obvious competitors from Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. That changed in 2025 when the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar was upgraded with the AP’s latest perpetual calendar movement, a significant release befitting the brand’s 150th anniversary year. The calibre 7138 introduced individual correction of the date, day, month, and moon phase using only the crown, allowing for quick adjustment without tools and with greater flexibility, and support for more indications, than existing solutions. And while we already understood the movement’s clever functionality, it rema...

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Roaring Twenties Marque Niton is Born Again SJX Watches
Feb 5, 2026

Roaring Twenties Marque Niton is Born Again

A long defunct Geneva watchmaker, Niton has been revived and is getting off the ground with the Prima, a historically-inspired jump hour watch. With some serious tricks up its sleeve – the proprietary calibre is surprisingly excellent – the Prima might just be the right new-meets-old infusion the watch market needs.  Initial thoughts Bringing back defunct but once illustrious watch manufactures is not a sure thing, and Niton might be more challenging than most given the lack of name recognition. The brand, however, did have a glorious, if short, history. The introductory model of the recently revived brand is the Prima. While the watch takes its inspiration from pieces made in the 1930s, the overall impression is more evocative of retro-futuristic 1960s. Rounded typography, thick indices, and a concentric pattern on the central minutes disk all make for a look that’s equally comforting and refined.  Arguably the best surprise is the in-house NHS01 inside the Prima. A square movement developed in-house, the ambitious, hand-wound NHS01 integrates the jump hour complication with the in-line minutes disk and small seconds display, all while bearing the coveted Poinçon de Genève. Seeing a small independent brand earn the demanding hallmark for its first run of pieces is nothing short of amazing. Both versions of the Prima sit at under the CHF50,000 mark, which places the model in the upper echelons of pricy independent time-only watches. However, one might argue the P...

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Audemars Piguet Upgrades the Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Upgrades Feb 4, 2026

Audemars Piguet Upgrades the Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm

Audemars Piguet (AP) updates the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 38 mm with a new manufacture calibre, sapphire display back, while slightly tweaking the iconic design – and retaining the price of its predecessor. The new cal. 6401 comes with welcome quality-of-life improvements such as a longer power reserve and instantaneous date without tradeoffs in wearability, beat rate, or even cost, making this compact chronograph one of the most sensible and compelling offerings in the Royal Oak line. Initial Thoughts AP debuted the first Royal Oak chronograph in 1997 and it was powered by the Frederic Piguet cal. 1185, a landmark movement for automatic chronograph design. Now, nearly three decades later, AP is a true industrialised manufacture, and the cal. 1185 has been replaced with the new cal. 6401, a modern movement that with meaningful upgrades under the hood. This also comes with some minute tweaks to the dial and a crowd pleasing display case back, while the case and bracelet remain as excellent as always. Laudably, this comes without a significant price increase, with the new Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm in steel costing only 3.6% more than its predecessor. New Engine AP’s new cal. 6401 is a solidly-spec’ed movement despite being small and thin for a modern chronograph. It’s wide and taller than the Frederic Piguet cal. 1185 but only slightly. It is 27 mm in diameter (up from 26.2 mm) and 5.7 mm tall (up from 5.5 mm) though even with the addition of a sapphire ...

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Louis Vuitton Elevates the Escale Minute Repeater SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Elevates Jan 19, 2026

Louis Vuitton Elevates the Escale Minute Repeater

Louis Vuitton sharpens its haute horlogerie credentials with the Escale Minute Repeater, a chiming complication paired with a jump hour and retrograde minutes display. Built around La Fabrique du Temps’s proven minute repeater calibre, the watch trades the previous Escale minute repeater’s world time function for a cleaner, more focused dial dominated by grey flammé guilloché. The result puts Louis Vuitton in direct competition with established players in complicated watchmaking, and comes complete with a discreet repeater slide hidden within the signature trunk-inspired lugs. Initial thoughts On the back of a strong 2025, Louis Vuittion doubles down on haute horlogerie, now in a more traditional case than last year’s Tambour. While the brand still offers the quartz Tambour Street Diver for just a few thousand dollars, Louis Vuittion’s ambitions clearly lie in the high-end. After years of strategic acquisitions and investments, the brand has the industrial base to compete and the know-how to do things its own way. The Escale Minute Repeater is the embodiment of Louis Vuitton’s ambitions, and is competitive with other minute repeaters from established haute horlogerie brands thanks to its modern movement and tasteful details. In short, it shows the brand understands the tastes of the day, and, more importantly, how to deliver a compelling package that leans into Louis Vuitton’s unique legacy and brand DNA. Furthermore, the minute repeater is something of a s...

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Monochrome Turns to Habring² for the Seconde Morte SJX Watches
Dec 18, 2025

Monochrome Turns to Habring² for the Seconde Morte

The Monochrome Montre de Souscription 4 Seconde Morte (MdS4) is a limited-edition collaboration between the team at Monochrome Watches and Austrian independent Habring², built around the brand’s signature jumping seconds complication. Powered by the hand-wound A11S calibre, the watch reflects the marque’s focus on technically robust, thoughtfully refined movements and offers a straightforward value proposition. Limited to 33 individually numbered pieces and sold exclusively through a short souscription-style sales window, the MdS4 highlights both Habring²’s technical merit and Monochrome’s aesthetic sensibilities. Initial thoughts Richard and Maria Habring are outliers in the field of independent watchmaking. Among the sole guardians of the Austrian watchmaking tradition, the husband and wife team produce a range of deceptively technical (yet honestly priced) watches. This rare combination makes the brand’s watches appealing to many insiders like the team behind the Dutch website Monochrome Watches, that have just announced their latest 1930s-inspired collaboration. While the watch and its movement are the work of Habring², the team at Monochrome turned to designer and Time+Tide contributor Pietro Pilla for the Art Deco-inspired dial design. The discreet black dial features applied Roman numerals that alternate with delicate teardrop-shaped indexes, a choice that helps prevent the dial from looking too crowded. The printed railroad scale that rings the dial i...

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