Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

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Worn & Wound

Ming 20.01 Series 5 Features 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...

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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 […]

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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 ...

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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 […]

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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...

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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...

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Revolution

Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Minute Repeater Oct 5, 2023

Unveiling the Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Minute Repeater with Alain Schiesser

Join Wei and Alain Schiesser, Co-founder of Le Cercle des Horlogers SA, as they delve into the extraordinary Jacob & Co Opera Godfather Minute Repeater. This exceptional timepiece is a part of the Opera Collection, where the realms of high watchmaking seamlessly blend with the enchanting world of music. The 49mm Opera timepiece stands as […]

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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.

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Revolution

Jacob & Co | Twin Turbo Sep 24, 2023

Unveiling the Jacob & Co | Twin Turbo and Twin Turbo Furious with Alain Schiesser

Join Wei and Alain Schiesser, Co-founder of Le Cercle des Horlogers SA, as they delve into the exquisite world of watchmaking, where the mastery of mechanics meets the passion for automobiles, exemplified by the awe-inspiring Twin Turbo and Twin Turbo Furious timepieces. At the heart of the Twin Turbo’s marvel lies not one but two […]

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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...

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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.

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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...

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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...

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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.

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Worn & Wound

Massena Lab Launch 6 days ago

Ming and Massena LAB Launch a Sequel to a Landmark LE: the 57.09 “Secret Honey”

If you were around the micro/indie watch world in 2021, you almost certainly remember the release of the first Ming collaboration with Massena LAB. It was a limited edition that sold out incredibly fast (as most Ming releases did in those early days) and was notable for a few things beyond what I think is still an objectively cool design. First, this release came at the height of pandemic drop culture, and the quick sell through angered many Instagram commenters and there was a memorable backlash toward both brands (though I recall Ming taking the brunt of it). You could even argue that this release marked a sort of inflection point, and we began to see brands (including Ming) take steps with future releases to be more fair minded about how pieces are allocated. Second, when these watches eventually did make it to owners, there were a handful of notable and widely reported QC/mechanical issues (which of course were resolved by the brands, but still, not the cherry-on-top anyone was hoping for). Was the launch a catastrophe? Not really. Examples of these watches still routinely sell for well over retail on the secondary market. They’re one of a handful of releases from this era that really mark a specific moment in time.  Ming and Massena are back with a second collaboration, at a time when both brands find themselves in a very different sort of situation. Which is just to say, there’s been a lot of growth in these last several years. When was the last time, for instan...

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SJX Watches

Blancpain Oct 14, 2026

Jaquet Droz Unveils Pièce Unique for TimeForArt

The Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Les Volumes du Temps is a unique watch created for the upcoming TimeForArt charity auction, penned by a student artist at the Académie de Meuron. Its dragging hour and minute discs depart from conventional hands, while the sculptural dial showcases the elaborate enamelling for which Jaquet Droz is known. Jaquet Droz CEO Alain Delamuraz (left) with Fiona Djukanovic (centre) Initial thoughts The Petite Heure Minute Les Volumes du Temps draws on Jaquet Droz’s expertise in métiers d’art, particularly grand feu enamel, to support a worthy cause. It differs from the brand’s familiar format primarily through its dial, designed by Fiona Djukanovic, a student at the Académie de Meuron in Neuchâtel. Its X-shaped composition reveals two apertures, one for the dragging hours and another for the dragging minutes. The display borrows its functionality from the Ophidian Hour introduced last year, with a module fitted to a variant of the familiar Jaquet Droz cal. JD2653. Both the hour and minute discs advance gradually, rather than jumping between numerals. The movement is a descendent of the Frédéric Piguet cal. 1150, a twin-barrel architecture that has provided good service to brands like Blancpain and Urban Jürgensen for nearly 40 years. Beyond this functional change, Ms Djukanovic’s design combines shades of blue with champlevé and flinqué enamel over hand engraving, emphasising the depth and volume of the dial’s architecture. Des...

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Worn & Wound

Ming more Oct 12, 2026

Toledano & Chan Dazzles with their Latest Release

Toledano & Chan has introduced their latest release, the B/1 Dazzle. Eagle eyed GPHG watchers might have gotten a small tease of this one when nominations were released a few months back (it’s fairly routine for brands to submit embargoed watches, and they’re often revealed before the official launch as part of the GPHG voting process), but now the cat is fully out of the bag. The Dazzle is actually a pair of watches, both using Toledano & Chan’s now familiar case architecture inspired by the former Whitney Museum building, designed by Marcel Breuer, and Brutalist forms and ideas more generally. Now with several distinct releases under their belt, it’s becoming more and more interesting to see how Toledano & Chan iterate on this platform. The Dazzle might be my personal favorite of the executions of this case design to date.  The idea for the Dazzle comes from camouflage used on battleships during the first World War. The so-called “dazzle” camouflage design was not meant to conceal, but to use complex geometry to confuse the enemy by disrupting proportion. The alternating black and white bars painted onto a ship that’s in constant motion would have been difficult for an adversary to pin down. The dazzle design language has been used in art and design for many years since, including on watches, but Toledano & Chan’s version plays with the idea in a few interesting ways that I haven’t seen before.  Like the most recent B/1 releases, this one is in titani...

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SJX Watches

Konstantin Chaykin Think Beyond Oct 6, 2026

Off the Cuff: Audemars Piguet and Konstantin Chaykin Think Beyond the Watch

Watchmakers regularly turn familiar design cues into accessories, but Audemars Piguet and Konstantin Chaykin have taken notably different approaches to the genre with their latest offerings. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Joaillerie Collection recasts the Royal Oak as an extensive range of elaborate jewellery, while Konstantin Chaykin’s Master of Days cufflinks incorporate a tiny mechanical calibre that provides a day-of-the-week display. Both draw on the design and manufacturing specialties of their makers, but at vastly different price points and with different audiences in mind. Both approaches, however, lend themselves to gift-giving, which might explain the timing of the releases in the lead up to the holiday season. Initial thoughts Some of the biggest names in series watchmaking dabble in accessories on the side. The most obvious is probably Rolex, which made headlines when it formally launched a line of cufflinks — and a desk clock — late last year. Patek Philippe, too, has a long history of making jewellery and accessories. Today the brand offers cufflinks that match the Golden Ellipse, Nautilus, and Cubitus, and jewellery that takes after the Aquanaut and the Twenty-4. Even smaller-scale independent watchmakers evidently see value in the category. F.P. Journe offers a set of cufflinks in a choice of platinum or 18 pink gold — to match the brand’s watches — as does Biver. Franck Muller goes even further, with a full collection of Crazy Hours-inspired ne...

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Worn & Wound

Ming Oct 3, 2026

Watches, Stories, & Gear: An Unusual Apple Watch Strap, A Colorful Storage Box, and A New Huckberry x Marathon Watch

Matty Extension-C Cables I am currently writing this week’s column from the comfort of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. As it stands, I’ll end 2026 with about two-month’s worth of hotel stays under my belt. And while the idea of room service and having someone else make the bed does have its perks, there is one constant I am noticing more and more the longer I’m on the road: my phone charger is either ineffectually short, or the outlet is too far away from the bed.  This can absolutely be chalked up as a minor inconvenience, but one that is annoying. But, lucky for me, one that can easily be fixed with the help of the Matty Extension-C Cable. Modeled after those classic chunky extension cords that populate parents’ garages and Christmas light bins alike, these ten-foot USB-C cables offer two very important things to me – style and functionality. Coming in three colors and starting at $25 (but cheaper if you bundle!), I think they’re perfect for anyone who travels and gets a little tired of the same ol’ same ol’ white cable from Apple.  Oh, and speaking of Christmas, they’d make a great stocking stuffer, if you ask me. Type 6 Strongbox Keeping with the vintage-utility theme in retro colors, the Type 6 Strongbox would go swimmingly on your desk set-up with one of the extension-c cables above. These compact boxes (measuring in at just 6.25”w x 4.25”d x 2”h) are the perfect size to store all that random junk that accumulates around the office.  Once you...

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SJX Watches

Bulgari unveiled Sep 25, 2026

Interview: Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani and Vianney Halter

At Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari unveiled its latest collaboration with an independent watchmaker, three years after a fateful meeting between Vianney Halter and Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Product Creation Executive Director at Bulgari. The Bulgari Octo Finissimo x Vianney Halter Both describe their encounter – seemingly improbable at first – as more natural than we might expect. It resulted in a watch they both describe as “half Octo, half Vianney”. Yet this was not simply a matter of grafting one aesthetic onto another; the collaboration went deeper. Two separate conversations bring the same themes into focus: human connection, constraint as a creative stimulus and, above all, the opportunity to learn from one another. Vianney Halter (left) with Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani. Image – Bulgari From Bulgari’s perspective, Mr Stigliani describes the Octo Finissimo as a model whose identity had become strong enough to withstand a much deeper transformation – and a manufacture challenged by the ideas of an independent watchmaker. Mr Halter, meanwhile, has long regarded collaboration as a means of moving beyond the boundaries and limitations of his own workshop – provided that the human relationship comes before the project. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Yannick Nardin (YN): Fabrizio, how did the idea of working with Vianney Halter come about? Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani (FBS): I’ve always been in love with the Antiqua. We went to see Vi...

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SJX Watches

Ferdinand Berthoud Sep 15, 2026

Hands On: Ferdinand Berthoud FB 3SPC.4-1

The slate of truly new releases from Geneva Watch Days was fairly limited, but among the many new variants of existing models, the Ferdinand Berthoud FB 3SPC.4-1 stood out for its lightweight and richly tactile ceramised titanium case and casual, almost sporty look. Initial thoughts Ferdinand Berthoud (FB) is no stranger to exotic case materials, having used ceramised titanium before (for the FB 1RES.4) as well as carburised stainless steel and bronze. But the FB 3SPC.4-1 is just the second FB 3SPC to come dressed in a non-precious metal case, and the first with a ceramised coating. The FB 3SPC arguably gives up some ground in the looks department, though this is subjective; many collectors find the exposed movement preferable to a conventional dial, since it makes it easier to appreciate the finishing without taking off the watch. That said, the design impacts legibility and some aspects of the layout seem counterintuitive, such as the upside-down orientation of the dial-side balance wheel. The FB 3SPC debuted in 2022 and remains the high-end brand’s entry level model, though with a retail price approaching US$200,000, it’s priced in line with complicated models from established brands. The value proposition of this time-only watch hinges on the appeal of the cylindrical hairspring — which while not unique in contemporary watchmaking is executed superbly — and the no-expense-spared approach to finishing that FB is known for. The pricing also reflects the low-volum...

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Time+Tide

Czapek returns Sep 9, 2026

Czapek returns to its Geneva roots with two very different shades of blue

Czapek celebrated its new flagship at Quai des Bergues 27 by releasing two limited editions during Geneva Watch Days 2026. The Quai des Bergues Midnight in Geneva pairs a 40.5mm steel case with a dark blue aventurine dial and Czapek’s seven-day, manually wound Calibre SXH1. The Place Vendôme Complicité Glacier Blue places its open-worked double-escapement … Continued

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Hodinkee

Breitling Universal Genève Sep 3, 2026

Introducing: The Gallet Flying Officer

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

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SJX Watches

Louis Vuitton Monterey Ceramic Returns Having Sep 3, 2026

The Louis Vuitton Monterey Ceramic Returns

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

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Monochrome

Louis Vuitton s elite watchmaking atelier Sep 2, 2026

First Look - The New Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian

The Gérald Genta brand was officially revived as an independent stand-alone marque by Louis Vuitton’s elite watchmaking atelier, La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), in 2023. With a focus on high-end complications in limited quantities, the spirit of legendary designer Gérald Genta (1931-2011) lives on. For Geneva Watch Days 2026, Gérald Genta releases a second iteration […]

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Hodinkee

Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport What Sep 2, 2026

Introducing: Zenith Chronomaster Solo Sport

What We Know Now in its sixth decade as one of the most famous movements in the industry, the El Primero remains at the heart of Zenith's offerings. To kick off Geneva Watch Days, Zenith is doing something slightly different, launching a Chronomaster Sport without a chronograph—the Chronomaster Solo Sport. The watch arrives in four variations: three with ceramic dials and bezels in black, white, and brown, plus a no-date option also in black. All four come in a 40mm stainless steel case with a ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel. The dial features hours, minutes, and seconds, with date added on three of the four references. Despite losing the chronograph, there's still a lot going on up top. The words "36,000 VpH" and "high frequency" alone take up two lines of the dial, and the subtle "shark tooth" minute track gives a nod to vintage Zenith references.  The dial itself is ceramic, built around a repeated 45° Z motif meant to evoke the rhythm and vibration of the movement underneath—rendered as a sunray finish on the white version and a polished surface on the black and brown versions. That same pattern carries over to the counterweight on the seconds hand. The El Primero 3620 powers the watch, derived from the El Primero 3600 chronograph movement and operating at 5 Hz, or 36,000 VpH, while retaining the star-shaped rotor. It's equipped with a silicon escapement and a stop-second mechanism for precise time-setting, and it offers a 60-hour power reserve. Also featur...

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Hodinkee

Oris Social Club Edition II Sep 2, 2026

Introducing: The Oris Social Club Edition II

What We Know As part of the brand's varied releases for Geneva Watch Days, Oris has announced the Social Club Edition II, a special creation sold exclusively online in partnership with the Oris Social Club. The group spans some 62 chapters all over the world, and the latest offering to the acolytes is a handsome expression of the Aquis Relief that incorporates a green nylon NATO-style strap.  Measuring in at 43.5mm, the Social Club Edition II builds upon the standard Aquis Relief by complementing the steel bezel design with a frosted silver finish for the dial. Look a bit closer, and you'll see that there is an easter egg for the date, too, as the first-of-the-month position will feature an image of Oris' mascot, the Oris Bear. Flip the watch over, and you'll find a custom caseback showing the Oris factory in Holstein and "OSC | INT" to mark the club's international membership.  The full specs are provided below, but the Oris Social Club Edition II is 13.1mm thick and 51mm lug to lug with 300 meters of water resistance protecting the Oris 733 movement within. The 733 is based on the Sellita SW 200-1 and is an automatic, Swiss-made movement that ticks at 4 Hz and offers a date, which, for this model, is at 6 o'clock.  Perhaps most interesting – or perhaps I just like NATO straps – Oris has elected to fit lug adapters to the Aquis' proprietary lugs to enable the use of a green NATO strap. The Oris Social Club Edition II is not limited and will be available in Septembe...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Gerald Genta Sep 2, 2026

Introducing: Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian

What We Know Today, at Geneva Watch Days, Gérald Genta has announced the latest version of its Geneva Minute Repeater. This new version of the watch, which was originally released around this time last year, swaps the black Onyx dial of that release for a novel dial in Golden Obsidian. Other details are largely unchanged, continuing the trend of the revived Gérald Genta expanding its lineup with caution and deliberation. As with last year's Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater, the Golden Obsidian uses the 40mm-wide, 9.6mm-thick yellow-gold version of the cushion-shaped Geneva case (as opposed to the 38mm version introduced earlier this year in the time-only models, which you can read about here). The protruding single-lug design, found on a handful of Genta watches from the later stages of his career (including the Credor Locomotive), means this watch wears pretty close to 40mm lug-to-lug. Inside the Geneva Minute Repeater is the in-house GG-002 movement, developed by La Fabrique du Temps. It's a 3 Hz movement with 80 hours of power reserve and an impressively loud minute repeater. It's a nice bit of watchmaking, and — as Mark intimated when he went hands-on with the Onyx-dialed version of this watch last year — it fits nicely into the lineage of Genta-designed minute repeaters. The big talking point with this year's Geneva Minute Repeater is the Golden Obsidian dial. Golden Obsidian — a material I had not encountered before this watch — is a volcanic glass that...

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D Deployant

Deployant

Louis Moinet | Hands-on Impression Louis Sep 1, 2026

Live from GWD26: 2 new releases from Louis Moinet | Hands-on Impression

Louis Moinet at the Pitstop cafe in the Quai des Bergues and got this hands-on with the two novelties: the Moon Meteor and the Stellarium Tourbillon.

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Hodinkee

Chopard L.U.C 1963 Heritage Regulator Sep 1, 2026

Introducing: Chopard L.U.C. 1963 Heritage Regulator And L.U.C 1963 Heritage Chronograph Limited Editions

What We Know While not a part of Geneva Watch Days (which starts this week), Chopard is preempting the show a bit with two new 25-piece limited editions in their L.U.C. line—the brand's in-house haute horlogerie division. The first up (and more expensive of the two) is the L.U.C. 1963 Heritage Regulator, a 40mm by 10.3mm watch in 18k ethical white gold with 30m water resistance. The dial—which conveys hours (in a subdial), regulator-style minutes, GMT, power reserve, running seconds, and date—is a sunburst-finished silver tone with blue-transferred numbers. The caseback showcases the manually wound, four-barrel (in series) L.U.C 98.02-L movement layout that delivers a massive 9 days of power (part of the Chopard Quattro technology). This kind of high-power-reserve movement has become pretty normalized for Chopard and, because of that, I don't think it gets the appreciation it deserves. The movement, running at 4Hz, is also fantastically finished and features a Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, plus COSC accuracy certification. As mentioned, the L.U.C. 1963 Heritage Regulator is limited to 25 pieces and is now available, retailing for $50,900. On the sportier end of things is the 42mm by 11.48mm 1963 Heritage Chronograph cased in Lucent Steel. It features a deep blue sunburst-polished, galvanic-treated dial, an eggshell-colored printed dial, and Rhodium-plated white gold hands for the hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, and 30-minute and 12-hour counters. The wa...

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