Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

3,201 articles · 285 videos found · page 12 of 117

Our Predictions In The Ladies Complication Category Of The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Our Panel Is Unanimous! Quill & Pad
Sep 16, 2019

Our Predictions In The Ladies Complication Category Of The 2019 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG): Our Panel Is Unanimous!

With our second set of predictions we take a look at the Ladies Complication category, a surprisingly packed collection of timepieces for women with more than an added moon phase or power reserve. These are very clearly designed to be different, and while we are collectively pretty sure one already has the win in the bag, it will definitely be an interesting category for the judges this year. Our panel was unanimous in its selection of one very beautiful and cleverly complex timepiece.

SJX Podcast: Independent Highlights from Geneva SJX Watches
4 days ago

SJX Podcast: Independent Highlights from Geneva

During Watches & Wonders, all eyes are on the major brands exhibiting inside the cavernous Palexpo. Episode 38 of the SJX Podcast rounds up the highlights from the smaller fairs like AHCI and Time to Watches, and the independents exhibiting on their own around town. Among the standouts were Mathieu Cleguer, who debuted a novel escapement of his own design, Dominique Renaud who launched a 1 Hz balance, and Franc Vila, who seems to be entering a new era of creativity. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Introducing – The New Anton Suhanov Flamingo, A “Flaming Balance” Wristwatch Monochrome
Apr 7, 2026

Introducing – The New Anton Suhanov Flamingo, A “Flaming Balance” Wristwatch

Independent watchmaker Anton Suhanov, member of the AHCI, presents the Flamingo, a debut of his “flaming balance” concept in a wristwatch equipped with a fully in-house calibre. Known for complex clocks, including multi-axis tourbillons and the award-winning St Petersburg Easter Egg Tourbillon Clock (Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2025), but also experimenting with wristwatches with […]

COSC Upgrades Standards to Certify More Than Timekeeping SJX Watches
Rolex Feb 13, 2026

COSC Upgrades Standards to Certify More Than Timekeeping

Interesting news just out of Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), the venerable Swiss chronometer testing body, which has just announced a major revamp to its testing to honour the COSC’s standard’s 50th anniversary. Excellence Chronometer, COSC’s new and improved certification program, goes beyond the ISO 3159 norm that has defined its tests for decades. Instead of just testing movements, Excellence Chronometer will require completed, cased watches to run within -2/+4 seconds a day, as well as pass wear simulation and magnetism tests. Initial thoughts While COSC remains the primary chronometer testing body in Switzerland, thanks largely to Rolex, its protocols have been due for an update for some time now. With the rise of alternative and in-house precision testing programs, the standard chronometer certification can sometimes feel left behind. Rolex’s own Superlative Chronometer certification first requires a COSC certificate, but then makes sure the watches run at -2/+2 seconds per day after further in-house testing. The METAS Chronometer program also requires the standard COSC certificate, but guarantees a regulation of 0/+5 seconds per day and a great resistance to magnetic fields. Seeing that COSC slowly updates and imposes more stringent criteria is a good sign, but it may still not be good enough. With the rise of advanced internal certification programs, it looks like some brands submit their models to COSC testing just to make sure they can...

The New Ming 20.01 Series 5 Features the Brand’s Most Complex Dial Yet Worn & Wound
Ming Jun 23, 2025

The New Ming 20.01 Series 5 Features the Brand’s Most Complex Dial Yet

As we’ve discussed at length here recently, one of our favorite things about Ming is their ability to innovate across price points. Recent watches in the 37 series, like the Minimalist and Ghost, prove that thoughtful contemporary design and creative watchmaking and engineering do not have to approach five figures. But then, when the brand does cross that five figure mark, and creates something in the haute horlogery realm, we get things that are incredibly special and can kind of break your brain, making you wonder both how they did it and what is this anyway? That’s very much the vibe of last year’s solid gold 20.01 Series 3, which featured a fused borosilicate dial with 600 tiny holes cut into it that were then filled with lume (all on top of an AgenGraphe chronograph movement, naturally). At the time, I thought that watch was Ming’s most avant-garde creation, but the latest watch in the 20.01 Series might just top it. The centerpiece of the new 20.01 Series 5 is a science-fiction inspired dial that is laser milled from a single block of titanium. I was fortunate to be able to spend some time with this watch ahead of its release, and even though I had my chance to gaze at the dial, look at it under magnification, and consider it in all the ways we always evaluate something like this, I still have a hard time actually describing it. It is, effectively, a decorative sheet of titanium that has been cut to form a complex radial pattern emanating from the dial’s ce...

Interview – Andreas Wyss, CEO of the COSC, on the Need to Adapt and a “Super-COSC” Certification to Come Monochrome
May 28, 2025

Interview – Andreas Wyss, CEO of the COSC, on the Need to Adapt and a “Super-COSC” Certification to Come

If you own mechanical Swiss watches, one of them potentially came to you with a COSC chronometer certificate. But not everyone knows exactly what this certificate means. The COSC is the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres or the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. COSC certifies Swiss-made movements or watches as chronometers (not to be confused […]

Tissot Introduces an Affordable Skeleton Automatic SJX Watches
Tissot Introduces May 22, 2024

Tissot Introduces an Affordable Skeleton Automatic

Tissot added to the Chemin Des Tourelles Squelette collection of accessibly-priced skeleton watches. Sharing the same exact case design as last year’s updated model, the trio of new additions have open-worked dials that display the inner workings of the Powermatic 80 calibre. Both the styling and movement are no-frills, and matched with a price below US$1,000, making them a good option for the beginner enthusiast. Initial thoughts Tissot is known for affordable Swiss-made watches and the Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton is exactly that. The novelty of the watch lies in the open dial that reveals the skeleton movement. Although the calibre isn’t fancily executed, it is cleanly finished and provides visual detail that sets this apart from most similarly priced watches. The design is also enhanced by the fact that it doesn’t have a date, which gives the dial a clean, symmetrical appearance. Priced between US$895 and US$975, the Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton is a good value proposition, especially since skeleton watches are not common in this price segment. Entry-level skeleton While the sporty PRX collection is now its most high profile product, the brand overhauled the Chemin des Tourelles line last year. Named after the street where the Tissot headquarters are located, Chemin des Tourelles is made up of dress watches, with the skeleton model being the top-of-the-line. The Chemin des Tourelles Skeleton has a case that’s 39 mm in diameter and 11.2 mm thick, with a domed ...

First Look – The Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon de Genève” with a Plique-à-Jour Dial Monochrome
Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon Mar 6, 2024

First Look – The Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon “Poinçon de Genève” with a Plique-à-Jour Dial

In the past decade, the watch division of Louis Vuitton has been steadily expanding its foothold in haute horlogerie, a journey that commenced with acquiring movement specialist La Fabrique de Temps (LFT) about ten years ago. La Fabrique des Arts, another esteemed LV atelier within the LFT dedicated to curating metiers d’art, provided expertise and […]

Blancpain & Swatch Introduce the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms “Ocean of Storms” SJX Watches
Blancpain & Swatch Introduce Jan 10, 2024

Blancpain & Swatch Introduce the Bioceramic Scuba Fifty Fathoms “Ocean of Storms”

Just days a week into the new year, Blancpain and Swatch announce an all-black variation of the Scuba Fifty Fathoms, their affordable collaboration introduced last year. The Ocean of Storms retains all the distinctive features of the model, namely a 42.3 mm Bioceramic case containing the Sistem51 automatic movement fitted with a rotor bearing a nudibranch (a shell-less mollusc for those unfamiliar with esoteric marine creatures). Priced at US$400 as before, it will be available at select Swatch boutiques starting January 11, 2024. Initial thoughts When Swatch started teasing this new variant on social media, it seemed to be yet another one-off limited edition available for one day, like the MoonSwatch “Mission to Moonshine Gold” releases last year. However, as more details emerged, it became apparent that this was not the case as this will be part of the permanent collection, bringing the number of Scuba Fifty Fathoms models to an even six. At first glance, the Ocean of Storms bears a striking resemblance to last year’s Fifty Fathoms 70th Anniversary “Act 1”, a high-end watch that is an actual Blancpain, particularly with the date window and notched bezel. Nevertheless, adjustments to the design set it apart from its pricier cousins as well as its siblings in the Scuba line. It is clearly the most monochromatic and low-key of the range. Priced at US$400, the Ocean of Storms is priced the same as the other variants, retaining its fun and affordable appeal. However...

Breguet Navigates Tradition and Ambition with the Marine Tourbillon 5577 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Nov 2, 2023

Breguet Navigates Tradition and Ambition with the Marine Tourbillon 5577

In the realm of haute horlogerie, few names hold the same level of esteem and reverence as Breguet. The newly unveiled Breguet Marine Tourbillon 5577 is no doubt intended as a tribute to the brand’s visionary founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, by drawing inspiration from his deep ties to maritime navigation, astronomy, and the spirit of innovation.  Initial thoughts By introducing a tourbillon for the first time in the Marine collection, Breguet aims to leverage the prestige of the complication to enhance its sport watch offering. Like many other Breguet complications, the Marine tourbillon possesses a high level of quality, particularly in the sophisticated and impressively constructed movement that’s just 3 mm high, making its one of the thinnest tourbillon calibres on the market. The thinness gives the watch elegant proportions, despite the relatively wide case that’s 42.5 mm, as it stands well under 10 mm high. Besides its height, the cal. 581 is notable for having a decoration unique to this watch. The Geneva stripes are modified to feature engraved channels separating the stripes, creating the impression of a sailboat’s decking. However, the devoted Breguet purist might see the addition of a tourbillon to the Marine as a departure from tradition, likely driven by the ambition to compete with comparable sports watches like the Vacheron Constantin Overseas and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.  Abraham-Louis Breguet never incorporated a tourbillon into a marine chronom...

The new Speake-Marin Academic Rouge offers their entry design in a new hue Time+Tide
Speake-Marin Oct 5, 2023

The new Speake-Marin Academic Rouge offers their entry design in a new hue

Speake-Marin offers their entry-level Academic in a new Rouge configuration. The distinct red of the dial is achieved through 14 layers of Pantone 188C-coloured lacquer. Grade 5 titanium cases in two sizes, 38mm and 42mm, and neither is a limited edition. Dressier timepieces have been overshadowed in an era where sports watches reign supreme, an … ContinuedThe post The new Speake-Marin Academic Rouge offers their entry design in a new hue appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Tissot Revives a Funky Archive Favorite with Modern Re-Interpretation of the Sideral Worn & Wound
Tissot Revives Jun 5, 2023

Tissot Revives a Funky Archive Favorite with Modern Re-Interpretation of the Sideral

Before the bang-for-your-buck PRX Powermatic 80, the refined range of Chemins des Tourelles, as well as the brand’s stint as the official timekeeper of the National Basketball Association, there was a moment in time when Tissot decided to get experimental with their approach to watchmaking. It was 1969 when Tissot thrusted their brainchild into reality with the release of their funky Sideral diver (pronounced see-dee-rahl), sporting a multi-colored regatta timer display within the dial, an intuitive rubber strap fastening system, and for the first time ever, a monoblock case completely fabricated out of fiberglass. The Tissot Sideral has now officially made its return with all of its groovy glory with the addition of a couple of contemporary touches. 1969 Sideral S (left) Vs. 2023 Sideral (right) The Tissot Sideral 2023 retains its distinctive barrel shaped case and lug-less design that made the original yellow fiberglass-cased Sideral so eye-catching. But instead of using the same material as its predecessor, which has shown to brittle over time, the Sideral 2023 utilizes a case combination of forged carbon and stainless steel. The midcase represents the portion of the case made out of forged carbon, displaying its signature “swirl” pattern and simultaneously cutting several grams off of the total case weight without sacrificing a durable exterior. The bezel, which displays a dual-function with an elapsed and regatta timing scale, is made out of stainless steel, whi...

VIDEO: Speake-Marin’s Ripples Blue Jeans, Speake-Marin Ripples Date and Speake-Marin Academic Revolution
Speake-Marin Mar 27, 2023

VIDEO: Speake-Marin’s Ripples Blue Jeans, Speake-Marin Ripples Date and Speake-Marin Academic

Discover the new novelties of Speake-Marin together with Jeremiah Chan, Deputy Digital Editor of Revolution. Jeremiah describes the trademark design codes of this cult brand, and how the various features of the Speake-Marin Ripples Blue Jeans, Speake-Marin Ripples Date and Speake-Marin Academic are achieved through different intricate processes.

Chinese Artisans Team Up Under the Aegis of Celadon SJX Watches
Feb 17, 2022

Chinese Artisans Team Up Under the Aegis of Celadon

Having commissioned a series of double-crown, cloisonné world time wristwatches from Andersen Genève, Singaporean collector Benjamin Chee now turns to Chinese artisans for his latest collaborative project. The Celadon Haute Horlogerie Century is the work of AHCI member Lin Yong Hua and Xiong Songtao, a third-generation enameller who created the cloisonné dial. Initial thoughts The watchmakers are proficient at making – and marketing – métiers d’art, but Chinese watchmakers are fairly new entrants to the high-end of this field, making the Century an unusual offering. The Century is an entirely different animal from the low-end watches that are often associated with the made-in-China label. Both in terms of the dial and movement, the Century takes things to another level, while possessing a refined, clean style. The entire dial is cloisonné enamel comprised of an impressive amount of gold wire to form the intricate motif. In fact, the fine cloisonné work resembles brush strokes from afar. It’s certainly appears to be top class work in both complexity and quality. And the movement is comparable in quality, which is unsurprising since it was developed by Mr Lin, who is best known for his quirky, hand-made wristwatches. The finishing is excellent, as evidenced by the rounded bevelling on the three-quarter plate. But while the Century does well in intrinsic quality, it seems to lack identity. While the watch is well designed and finely made – especially con...

Obituary: Gilbert Albert, Jeweller and Watch Designer SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Oct 3, 2019

Obituary: Gilbert Albert, Jeweller and Watch Designer

Designer of some of the most striking wristwatches of the 1960s, jeweller Gilbert Albert (1930-2019), passed away in his hometown of Geneva on October 1 , 2019. He was 90. Son of a newspaper deliveryman, Albert trained as a jeweller at Geneva’s l’Ecole des Arts Industriels and was only in his mid 20s when he joined Patek Philippe in 1955 as a designer. In his seven years at the watchmaker, which was then led by Henri Stern, himself a trained jeweller, Albert was responsible for some of the most radical watch cases of the era. These strikingly asymmetrical timepieces, like the Asymétrie wristwatches and Ricochet pocket watches, are still incredible designs six decades on. Gilbert Albert. Photo – lenouvelliste.ch He then set up his own workshop in 1962, where he became known for the use of unusual materials like coral and meteorite, all installed in quirky, unique jewellery desirable enough that frequent fakes eventually emerged. Albert also designed watches and jewellery for other watchmakers, most notably Omega, where he created several collections, including the Maille d’Or and Arabesque d’Or, all characterised by a distinctive, almost organic style. With his success, Albert built a small but highly regarded jewellery business. He opened his first store in his hometown in 1973, sited on rue de la Corraterie, a street just outside the walls of Geneva’s Old Town. Ten years later that was followed by a boutique in Zurich. Albert’s boutique in Gen...

Keeping tradition alive at the Cartier Métiers d’Art Time+Tide
Cartier Métiers d’Art Editor’s note Aug 2, 2019

Keeping tradition alive at the Cartier Métiers d’Art

Editor’s note: Why is this unassuming looking farmhouse in the Swiss countryside so important to a brand as large as Cartier? Because it houses the workshop for Cartier’s Maison des Métiers d’Art, sanctuary to a set of artistic skills and techniques that are hundreds of years old. It is in this farmhouse that some of … ContinuedThe post Keeping tradition alive at the Cartier Métiers d’Art appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Hands On: Niton Prima SJX Watches
Yesterday

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...

Photo Report: The Sights, Watches, And Style Of Watches & Wonders 2026 Hodinkee
Ming experience Apr 24, 2026

Photo Report: The Sights, Watches, And Style Of Watches & Wonders 2026

Each year, as spring returns to the shores of Lake Geneva, bringing with it contrasting days of grey rainy dreariness and crisp, shimmering sunshine, a storm descends upon the picturesque canton. But this storm doesn't contain the aforementioned April showers; instead, it's thousands upon thousands of passionate professionals, journalists, retailers, brand representatives, and collectors, all congregating for that most celebrated of horological weeks: Watches & Wonders. For those who attend, it is a marathon of epic proportions, with days spent rushing from one appointment to the next with barely a moment to breathe and evenings spent either at fabulous dinners or hunched over laptops until the wee hours of the morning. It's a pace that gives you whiplash (and for those who work for the brands, be it in sales, PR, marketing, or otherwise, it is even more grueling). For everyone else following along at home with a love for watches, it is the Super Bowl, Christmas Morning, and the Emerald City at the end of the Yellow Brick Road, all rolled into one. Walking into the show for the first time is an overwhelming experience. The sheer scope and scale of the installations (to call them 'booths' deeply undersells the grandeur) are hard to understand. Each brand spends months, if not years, designing and building entire flagship boutiques within the halls of Palexpo, each trying to make an impact on the industry and communicate its themes, strategies, and identity for the coming ye...

Hands-on – The Otsuka Lotec No.8 Refines Jiro Katayama’s Industrial Language Monochrome
Otsuka Lotec Apr 24, 2026

Hands-on – The Otsuka Lotec No.8 Refines Jiro Katayama’s Industrial Language

We wouldn’t go as far as to say that there’s something fundamentally different about the way Jiro Katayama approaches watchmaking. After all, industrial design, be it cars, instruments, or machinery, has inspired and defined quite a few independents. Still, most start from horology and branch outward, yet the mind behind Otsuka Lotec comes directly from […]

Watches & Wonders: Tudor Updates the Black Bay Ceramic with a New Bracelet Worn & Wound
Tudor Updates Apr 21, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Tudor Updates the Black Bay Ceramic with a New Bracelet

“So many Tudors, so little time.” That could be a bumper sticker, a tattoo, and perhaps even the Watches & Wonders motto in almost any year the event takes place. One of the real challenges of the show, at least in the very first moments of it, is deciding which Tudor releases to focus on. As we’ve discussed many times, Tudor is one of the only brands that does not give press early access to news of their new releases. Each of the last few years, their official press release has hit while our team was on the shuttle from our hotel to Palexpo for the first day of the show (where we always meet with Tudor first thing in the morning). Part of those first few hours of Watches & Wonders always involves discussing and trying to predict which of their novelties are going to be of the greatest interest to our readers.  This year, it was pretty clear that the new Monarch was going to be the most discussed new Tudor release. It’s a brand new watch, after all, with a new case and bracelet design, and a new movement. Even if it went over like a lead balloon with the public, that’s clearly the most newsworthy release and the one to lead with. The Black Bay 54 in blue also felt like it would generate a lot of discussion. And we wouldn’t have suspected it at the time, but the Royal relaunch is actually pretty major as well – those watches are much better in person than we could have imagined from the press release, and they represent a substantial investment on Tudor’s p...