Results for Oyster Case

Bring a Loupe: A '70s Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, A Moonphase from IWC X Porsche Design, And A Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deepsea

Another week, another round of watches from the web worth knowing about.

Bring a Loupe: The Curious Case Of The Amagnetic Patek Philippe 2509 Coming Up For Sale At Christie’s

An attractive Ref. 2509 gets a closer look.

Bring a Loupe: A 1960s Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 1002, An Abercrombie & Fitch Solunar, And An Omega Chronostop

Your weekly dose of vintage watch finds from around the web has arrived.

Bring a Loupe: A 1966 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 1013, A Wittnauer Professional Ref. 242T, And A Cartier 'Guillotine' Ref. 1200

Your weekly round-up of the watches you should know about for sale on the web.

Invicta Bolt Review (Rainbow Case 25552): Quality Checking a Bad Design

What are we dealing with here? Despite the bad design, is there actual quality here? Is the Invicta Bolt constructed well? Or not?

Bring a Loupe: A 1970 Heuer Skipper Ref. 7754, A 1955 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref. 6567, And A 1942 Audemars Piguet Chronograph

This week's round-up from around the web ... and an auction house.

Insights: Secrets of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak dial and case factory

We visit the Audemars Piguet manufacture in Le Brassus and find out how they make the petit tapisserie on the dial and the work done to make the bezel of the AP Royal Oak.

Spot the Watch: The curious case of Henri Moser, the Khan of Khivan and a gift pocket watch

The story of Henri Moser and how he was given a pocket watch by the Syed Muhammad Rahim, the Khan of Khivan, and the surprise discovery that the watch was actually made by the family firm.

New Release: IWC’s first Ceratanium watch case

IWC celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Aquatimer with the debut of Ceratanium in the Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Edition.

The Collector’s View: A Case of Curiosity and a Seiko 5 - My First Watch

Why even bother even wearing a watch these days? There must be more convenient ways to tell the time than to wear an watch? I got curious...and a Seiko 5.

Rivkah - The 3D Printed Watch: Case Design

... Read more

Watch Case Sizes vs Lug-to-Lug - A Lesson from HYT’s H-Zero

On The Case

90 Years of the Oyster: The Indomitable Crown

Born in 1905, Rolex has become the gold standard in wristwatches. Mention the leading companies in the industry and Rolex is always in the top three, if not steadfastly in the number one position. Rolex didn’t get to this lofty perch without industry-leading innovation and unparalleled excellence.

The case of the lost and found Omega Seamaster

The incredible story of how an Omega Seamaster, helrloom from Grandad, was lost at sea and found! With photographs of the real watch, and narrative.

SIHH 2016: new case metal for Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision

The Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Vision, now available in red gold. 

For The Real Cartier Man, A Chronograph In A Square Case, Is The Only Way To Go.

The existence of the Tank MC Chronograph, that we will be discussing here, came under a cloud of rumours at SIHH, yet had not been officially introduced. Instead some prototypes had been shipped to boutiques world wide, bringing them under the immediate attention, and surprise, of Cartier connoisseurs world wide. The watches will however only […]

How A Vintage Case Inspires A Unique Complication; Parmigiani Ovale Pantographe

Parmigiani is known for their refreshingly contemporary watches, and that is quite extraordinary for a brand that finds its roots in restoration. Long before Michel Parmigiani founded the brand that bears his name, he was already known as an expert in the field of “Horological Restauration”. It is more often than not also the historic […]

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, The Strange Case of IWC Schaffhausen’s SIHH 2013’s Ingenieur.

If you have read Jack Forster’s brilliant report on this year’s IWC Ingenieur collection unveiled at SIHH 2013, you must be as excited as I am. Personally, Visiting the surreal IWC booth itself was an unforgettable experience. with one Formula 1 car at one side of the booth floor and a racing car engine on another. With IWC Ingenieur watches being displayed on pumping engine […]

RCO Paul Newman Daytona Goes Unsold at Christie’s Rolex Afternoon

A Rolex Paul Newman Daytona ref. 6362 with the RCO or “Oyster Sotto” dial goes unsold at Christie’s 2017 Rolex Afternoon sale after missing the lot’s lower estimate.

Marathon’s Military Dive Watch Goes Titanium for the First Time

Marathon and Watches of Espionage team up for a limited Titanium SAR with a Grade 5 titanium case and an upgraded 65-hour automatic movement.

Introducing: Oris' Big Crown Pointer Date Goes Small With A New 29mm Version

What We Know Why am I, the tallest editor in Hodinkee history, so weirdly excited about the smallest Oris release in recent memory? It's questions like this that don't have easy answers, but we've landed here all the same, with all 6'7" of me slightly giddy at the release of a new Big Crown Pointer Date in a 29mm case. Okay, more than slightly. I love a good pointer date, but I never considered that the smaller-wristed among us (some of them maybe ladies) would be well served by a tiny little version of Oris' long-running icon. Well, I'm glad Oris decided to make it happen. With a stainless steel case measuring 29mm by 11.4mm and a miniature 35.5mm lug-to-lug, the watch's proportions look so wildly normal that you could be fooled into thinking it is like any other previously released version. Which is a good thing. Nothing wonky or distorted, just the fluted bezel and big crown (now tapered for comfort and to be more ornate), with a slightly more daintily printed dial with a mix of printed numerals and dots (to keep from overloading a small dial with print), reworked hands (without the contrast date pointer), and dials with a mix of central sunburst and outer grained finishing. The watches come with a black dial and silver hands, or a pinky rose-toned dial and orangey-rose hands. Inside the case is an Oris 534 movement, with a 25.6mm diameter and automatic winding, beating at 4Hz and with a 42-hour power reserve. Yes, the power reserve is a bit—well—reserved, but it's ...

Studio Underd0g’s First Limited Edition 02SERIES Gen2 Goes on Sale for Just Nine Hours Tomorrow, and It Has a Full-Lume Dial

The field watch has long provided a blank canvas for creative – or in many cases not so creative – designs. Leave it to a brand like Studio Underd0g to take a timeless classic and give it a fresh and decidedly fun spin. That’s exactly what the brand did in 2023 with the launch of its 02SERIES. The line recently got a glow up with Gen2, which notably introduced a more streamlined case – down to a 37mm diameter from the original 37.5mm and down to 11.5mm thickness from the original 12mm. In addition, the new Gen2 collection got an upgraded movement from the Sellita SW210-1 to the Sellita SW200-2 M, which in turn upped the power reserve from 42 hours to 63 hours. Still, the biggest departure we see from the run of the mill field watch is the use of color – a trait Studio Underd0g has become known for – with four shades: Red L0lly, Pink Lem0nade, Steffany Blue, and Nightshade. Now, for the first time, a limited color run comes to the Gen2 series – this is the Special Edition 02SERIES Mantis. For this limited edition, we don’t just get a bright new green colorway by day – we get one that glows bright green by night. Yup, that’s right – it’s a full-lume dial. Thanks to a generous application of X1 GL C3 Super-LumiNova (a whopping seven layers to be exact), the daytime green ombre transforms into a single, uniform glow once the light fades. Here, at the base, you have that well-refined case design of the new Gen2 makeup. The dial gets a pleasing green colo...

Tutima goes titanium with the new Flieger T5

Tutima adds to their famed Flieger collection with the new Flieger T5, now in grade 5 titanium, 38.5mm diameter case, with the strong pilot's watch DNA.

Hands-On: Vario’s Navi Collection Goes International

As I expand my knowledge of microbrands, I was super excited to receive a sample from Vario, a Singapore-based company that’s been going strong for a decade. The brand’s latest offering builds on its Navi collection, which first joined Vario’s catalog in 2021. The line holds firm to its nautical roots with its sleek and refined interpretation of a porthole throughout the case and dial along with its compass and anchor hands and sailor-cap crown. Over the past five years, the Navi has taken a few forms, from the inaugural jump-hour to special editions like the Popeye and Vario’s collaboration with Watch Enthusiasts India (WEI). In 2024, we saw the introduction of a single-hand version, offering a slow-time display with an Engine Order Telegraph (EOT) 12-section dial in which each of the 12 sections is broken down into 15-minute intervals for a general reading of the time rather than one to the exact minute. Now, Vario builds on this design with five new colorways and, for the first time, new languages. With this extension of the Navi collection, Vario is taking the line into international waters starting regionally with Chapter One: Europe. The foundation of the models remains the same as what we saw in the original and now sold-out single hand version. The case is rendered in 316L stainless steel and executed in highly wearable proportions at 38mm in diameter and 11mm in thickness. The lugs strike a good balance of geometry and curvature that allows the model to si...

Mido Multifort 8 One Crown Goes Fully Black in PVD

Mido has added a full-black version to the Multifort 8 One Crown range for summer 2026. Reference M055.507.37.051.00 takes the angular case and simple three-hand layout of the existing model and gives almost every exterior part a black finish. The result is much darker than the steel versions, but the polished hands, raised hour markers and white date display keep it easy to read. This is not just a new dial colour. Mido has applied black PVD to the 316L stainless-steel case, bezel, crown and pin buckle, then paired the watch with a fitted black rubber strap. It changes the character of the Multifort 8 One Crown without changing the practical dimensions or the Caliber 80 automatic movement that made the original model interesting. The black PVD coating still allows the brushed and polished case surfaces to stand apart. From two crowns to one The Multifort name dates back to 1934, when Mido used it for a watch designed around automatic winding, water resistance, resistance to magnetism and protection against shocks. The current Multifort 8 family carries that practical idea into a much more modern shape. The first Multifort 8 design used two crowns, including one to operate an internal rotating bezel. The One Crown removes that extra control and the internal timing scale. That gives the dial more room, reduces visual clutter and makes the case slimmer. It also turns the watch into a straightforward hours-minutes-seconds model with a date window, which will make more sense f...

Mido Multifort TV Big Date Goes Rose-Gold PVD With a Midnight-Blue Dial

Mido has given the Multifort TV Big Date one of its warmest and most assertive makeovers yet. Reference M049.526.33.041.00 combines a deep blue dial with a rose-gold-colour case and bracelet, turning the familiar television-shaped sports watch into something considerably dressier without sacrificing its everyday specifications. It is not a limited edition, but it is a distinctive new option for anyone who likes the proportions and large date of the modern Multifort TV and wants more visual impact than the steel and rubber versions. The blue dial and rose-gold-colour PVD exterior give the Multifort TV Big Date a much richer character. A 1970s Shape, Reworked for 2026 The Multifort name reaches back to 1934, but the shape that matters here appeared in 1973, when Mido introduced its first watch with a television-style case. The company revived that idea for the modern Multifort TV Big Date in 2023. Its rounded-square outline, broad bezel and integrated-looking bracelet architecture immediately separate it from the endless supply of conventional round sports watches. This version does not change the successful formula. Instead, Mido uses colour and finishing to shift its personality. The 316L stainless-steel case receives a rose-gold-colour PVD coating, as does the matching steel bracelet. It is important to be clear that this is coated steel rather than solid gold, which keeps the price and practicality within the usual Multifort territory. Brushed surfaces control the shine,...

First Look - The TAG Heuer Monaco Steve McQueen Finally Goes In-House

For about a decade, the classic blue dial TAG Heuer Monaco Calibre 11, also known as the “Steve McQueen” edition, has been one of the most recognisable chronographs. The square case, the vivid blue dial, the left-hand crown and the bi-compax layout are burned into our collective memory. Yet, while the Monaco series was used […]

Mermont’s La Parfaite Goes Platinum

Startup independent brand Mermont has just made its public debut with the heavyweight La Parfaite, translating as “perfect one” in French. Assembled and adjusted by independent watchmaker Nicolas Delaloye, La Parfaite is among the most affordable platinum watches on the market, despite its contemporary case size and upscale construction. Initial thoughts At first glance, Mermont’s debut watch could pass for a handsome, stainless steel Breguet Souscription homage, probably priced accordingly. However, La Parfaite is not stainless steel, it is (mostly) platinum – and surprisingly affordable. Sebastien Bey-Haut, a watch and photography enthusiast, founded the brand, enlisting none other than Nicolas Delaloye, a Genevan watchmaker and AHCI member, to bring it to life. Though less commercially successful than some of his peers, Mr Delaloye is a respected independent watchmaker who spent eight years with the Patek Philippe Museum. Mr Delaloye personally polishes the single hour hand, performs final adjustment, and cases up the watches. It’s unusual for an upstart brand to debut with a precious metal watch, but that’s exactly what Mermont has done. But that hasn’t stopped the brand from focusing on the value proposition, pricing the La Parfaite well below industry norms for a platinum watch, especially a full size mechanical watch. Priced at CHF10,998 before taxes, La Parfaite is a full 38 mm in diameter and certainly among the least expensive mechanical platinum wa...

The Urwerk UR-230 Goes Dark

Urwerk’s latest satellite-display creation, the UR-230 Black Star, builds on more than two decades of the brand redefining the wandering hours complication. A concept first teased in the Harry Winston Opus 5 and later perfected in the UR-210, the retrograde-satellite display has become synonymous with Urwerk’s identity, and the Black Star demonstrates how far the idea has come. With a lightweight fibreglass-reinforced ceramic case, the Black Star is a 35-piece limited edition that looks to be the final instalment of the UR-230 series. Initial thoughts Urwerk didn’t invent the wandering hours display, but the brand deserves credit for dragging the complication into modernity in the late 1990s. While the brand has dabbled in watches with conventional hands, it’s still the satellite time display that carries the essence of Urwerk’s DNA. The UR-230 traces its roots back to the 2012 launch of the UR-210, which introduced the retrograde frame that travels with the satellite cube for hours. The concept for a retrograde hand paired with wandering hours dates back even further, to the 2005 launch of the Harry Winston Opus 5, which was also designed by Urwerk. While the concept has subsequently been elaborated with the UR-150 Scorpion, the UR-230 still looks strikingly advanced even after all these years. The latest black-and-yellow livery seems to be the flavour of the day, closely matching the brand’s recent collaboration with Ulysse Nardin. The signature detail of the...