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 · 298 videos found · page 22 of 117

A. Lange & Söhne’s Saxonia Annual Calendar Returns SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Apr 14, 2026

A. Lange & Söhne’s Saxonia Annual Calendar Returns

A. Lange & Söhne has introduced the Saxonia Annual Calendar, the brand’s most compact annual calendar to date. Available in 18k white or pink gold, the Saxonia Annual Calendar plays to the strengths of Germany’s foremost watchmaker, combining a compact 36 mm case with an intuitive and legible ‘outsize date’ design reminiscent of the brand’s famed perpetual calendars. The new cal. L207.1 hints at future developments while incorporating refined details such as gold chatons around the going train jewels - a finishing touch that has been absent from the brand’s ‘entry-level’ automatic movements until now. Initial thoughts There’s been a palpable trend toward smaller watches in recent years - Lange’s 34 mm 1815 released last year was a major hit, and it seems like there’s more of a focus on dimensions and thickness than at any other time in the past decade or so. In this context, the Saxonia Annual Calendar should be well-received. At just 36 mm in diameter and under 10 mm thick, the watch is compact even by the standards of time-only watches. In fact, it’s the most compact annual calendar yet from Lange, and the small size of the dial makes the big date format especially convenient for those, like myself, who have trouble reading pointer dates at arm’s length. In fact, I’d argue the enhanced legibility and differentiated design of the big date makes the Saxonia Annual Calendar competitive with more complicated (but equally compact) perpetual ca...

First Look – The 1960s Marina Militare-Inspired Panerai Luminor PAM01731 and Luminor Destro PAM01732 Monochrome
Panerai Luminor PAM01731 Apr 14, 2026

First Look – The 1960s Marina Militare-Inspired Panerai Luminor PAM01731 and Luminor Destro PAM01732

It’s a big year for Panerai’s iconic Luminor, the rugged, luminous top-secret underwater ally developed for Italy’s Marina Militare in the 1950s, which surfaced for civilians in 1993. As a purveyor of precision instruments to the Italian Navy from 1900, Giuseppe Panerai amassed a wealth of experience in the development of specialised underwater equipment, prompting […]

Introducing – The new, Surprisingly Modern Patek Philippe Celestial 6105G Monochrome
Patek Philippe Celestial 6105G Apr 13, 2026

Introducing – The new, Surprisingly Modern Patek Philippe Celestial 6105G

On the occasion of Watches and Wonders 2026, Patek Philippe unveils a new astronomical complication with the reference 6105G-001, standing out with its surprisingly modern design. Derived from the Celestial, it features a multi-layered dial with several stacked discs that rotate independently to display the night sky with the apparent movement of the stars as […]

Introducing: Grand Seiko’s 38mm 62GS SBGH376 “Sakura-Wakaba” And 37mm Evolution 9 SLGB006 “Ice Forest At Dawn” Fratello
Grand Seiko s 38mm 62GS SBGH376 Apr 13, 2026

Introducing: Grand Seiko’s 38mm 62GS SBGH376 “Sakura-Wakaba” And 37mm Evolution 9 SLGB006 “Ice Forest At Dawn”

The only sense of nature you can experience when spending days on end in Geneva’s Palexpo event center is by handling Grand Seiko novelties. Yes, we sometimes joke about the plethora of nature-inspired dial designs that the Japanese brand releases. Still, they’re most welcome during Watches and Wonders. After a couple of steamy sessions in […] Visit Introducing: Grand Seiko’s 38mm 62GS SBGH376 “Sakura-Wakaba” And 37mm Evolution 9 SLGB006 “Ice Forest At Dawn” to read the full article.

Watches & Wonders: Hands-On with IWC’s Pilot Venturer Vertical Drive, a New Kind of Space Watch Worn & Wound
IWC s Pilot Venturer Vertical Apr 13, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Hands-On with IWC’s Pilot Venturer Vertical Drive, a New Kind of Space Watch

Space is having a huge moment right now, and if you’re at all like me, you’ve been transported to a time in your youth when you were soaking up anything space exploration related as much as the sun. Well, IWC is going to keep space at the forefront of everyone’s mind here at Watches & Wonders as they’ve just released their Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive, their first watch engineered and certified for spaceflight.  I actually got to see this watch back in February while I was out in Los Angeles with IWC at Vast’s headquarters. Vast is the company building what is set to become the first commercial space station, Haven-1. And that context matters, because this isn’t just a “space-inspired” watch. The Venturer Vertical Drive was designed for actual use in orbit, and it’s already been certified for flight in partnership with Vast.  Historically, space watches have basically just been modified aviation watches, but IWC took a different approach here. Instead of adapting something that already existed, they started from a much simpler question: what does a watch actually need to do in space? The answer led to a few decisions that feel genuinely new, starting with the most obvious one - there’s no crown. From an outsider’s perspective, this feels almost like a flex (and it kinda is). But the way that IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr explained it during our live presentation was that in a zero-gravity environment, as astronauts are moving through tight spac...

Watches & Wonders: Zenith Expands the Chronomaster Sport Line with New Skeleton References, Plus a Two-Tone Version with MOP Dial, and a New Micro-Adjustable Clasp Worn & Wound
Zenith Expands Apr 13, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Zenith Expands the Chronomaster Sport Line with New Skeleton References, Plus a Two-Tone Version with MOP Dial, and a New Micro-Adjustable Clasp

Zenith has released five new references under the Chronomaster Sport umbrella, most notably with four skeletonized versions of the design, as well as a dressier two-tone option. To understand the new skeletonized editions, it’s probably best to start at the beginning. When Zenith introduced the El Primero in 1969, it launched what is widely regarded as the world’s first automatic, integrated high-frequency chronograph caliber, a movement that has remained central to the brand’s identity ever since. The Chronomaster collection has long carried that legacy forward, and with this new series of skeletonized watches, Zenith brings that movement further to the forefront. All of the skeleton models run on the El Primero 3600SK, the openworked version of Zenith’s high-frequency automatic chronograph. Like the standard El Primero 3600, it beats at 5 Hz, which allows the central chronograph hand to complete one full rotation every 10 seconds and display 1/10th of a second directly off the bezel. The movement also offers a 60-hour power reserve, while the open dial and caseback give a clear view of the column wheel, horizontal clutch, and star-shaped rotor. All come in the now familiar 41mm Chronomaster Sport case. In regards to the design of the Chronomaster Sport Skeleton models, the biggest visual shift comes from the opened-up dial. The collection includes two stainless steel versions: one with a black ceramic bezel and the signature grey, anthracite, and blue tri-color c...

Sylvain Pinaud Returns with 30-Second Tourbillon SJX Watches
Apr 12, 2026

Sylvain Pinaud Returns with 30-Second Tourbillon

With wind in his sails following the successful Origine series, independent watchmaker Sylvain Pinaud returns with his most ambitious project yet, the succinctly named Tourbillon. The watch looks and feels a lot like its time-only predecessor, but the movement is in fact completely different, with twin mainspring barrels and a fast-rotating 30-second tourbillon. The Tourbillon in platinum with a white agate dial. Initial thoughts Appetite remains strong for high-end time-only watches, but the leading independents are increasingly leaving simplicity behind and treating their collectors to additional complications. Mr Pinaud’s Tourbillon exemplifies this shift. Despite the greater complexity of its movement, the Tourbillon is no larger than the simpler Origine. In fact, it’s about 1 mm smaller in diameter. That’s impressive considering it fits an extra mainspring barrel and adds a zero-reset seconds functionality to its namesake tourbillon. This latter functionality - specifically its heart cam - is on full display through an opening in the running seconds sub-dial at nine o’clock. But its the 30-second tourbillon that gives the watch its name, and which warrants special scrutiny. Fast-rotating tourbillons - which rotate more quickly than once per minute - are quite rare. They require more energy and greater care in assembly, since they almost invariably use lighter components. In the case of the Tourbillon, the slender three-armed cage is made of titanium, r...

Introducing: The Chronoswiss Neo Digiteur Chronos Fratello
Chronoswiss Apr 10, 2026

Introducing: The Chronoswiss Neo Digiteur Chronos

There’s no denying that Chronoswiss has undergone a renaissance over the past few years. New designs and movements have revitalized a brand that many of us at Fratello have always enjoyed. Yet, there are still models in the catalog that remind us of the marque’s earlier days. One such example is the Neo Digiteur, an […] Visit Introducing: The Chronoswiss Neo Digiteur Chronos to read the full article.

SJX Podcast: A New Era for Independent Watchmaking SJX Watches
Ressence which has just unveiled Apr 10, 2026

SJX Podcast: A New Era for Independent Watchmaking

It’s been a promising year for independent watchmaking, and Watches & Wonders hasn’t even taken place yet. On episode 35 of the SJX Podcast, SJX and Brandon discuss Rexhep Rexhepi’s first in-house chronograph bearing his own name. What Mr Rexhepi does, others often imitate, so it’s worth thinking about how the launch of this traditional-yet-novel chronograph will shape the future of the category. The conversation also turns to Ressence, which has just unveiled the Type 11 with its own in-house movement, and has done so at a fair price. Russian AHCI-member Anton Suhanov also joins the ranks of indies with their own calibres, installing a 15+ mm luminous balance wheel in his third wristwatch. And that’s not the only Russian watch boasting unusual specs - Konstantin Chaykin revealed the series production version of his ThinKing, the thinnest watch ever at just 1.65 mm thick, complete with double ‘mystery’ displays. New names also made their debuts recently, including Stéphane Pierre and Mathieu Cleguer, who has come up with a novel double-wheel escapement of his own design. These makers are illustrative of a broader trend in independent watchmaking, namely the engineer-led brand. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Hands-On: The New Porsche Design Chronograph 1 All Titanium Numbered Edition Fratello
Porsche Design Chronograph 1 All Titanium Apr 9, 2026

Hands-On: The New Porsche Design Chronograph 1 All Titanium Numbered Edition

The Chronograph 1 is Porsche Design’s champion by some margin. In fact, you could probably make a case for it as a candidate for the top 100 most influential watches of all time. Why? Well, for starters, launched in 1972, it was the first all-black watch, which started a lasting trend. Second, the design language, […] Visit Hands-On: The New Porsche Design Chronograph 1 All Titanium Numbered Edition to read the full article.

In Depth: Laboratoire de Précision SJX Watches
Omega Constellation Observatory we were Apr 9, 2026

In Depth: Laboratoire de Précision

Alongside the launch of the Omega Constellation Observatory, we were among the first members of the public granted access to the Swatch Group’s Laboratoire de Précision (LP), a new independent chronometer testing institute with facilities in Omega’s native Biel/Bienne and Villeret. The new organisation does not redefine chronometer norms, but it has developed a new acoustic certification process that is more automated and provides client brands with a richer performance data set - a unique capability that has implications beyond mere certification. Laboratoire de Précision. Image – Omega Initial thoughts The debut of the Constellation Observatory, the first watch certified by LP and the first-ever two-handed Master Chronometer, was greeted with a mixed feedback from both collectors and the press. Some found the choice to launch a chronometer without a seconds hand heretical, viewing it as a gimmick to promote LP’s new testing process. The Omega Constellation Observatory is the first watch to complete chronometer certification at LP. Regardless of how one feels about the two-handed aspect of the watch - I found the design balanced and appealing, even if the concept is a bit quirky - the launch placed a renewed focus on the way official chronometers are tested and certified. Many were confused by the claimed novelty of acoustic testing, given the universal presence of Witschi machines on watchmakers’ benches. Indeed, the method is not new. What is new is t...

Universal Geneve is Back – Here’s the New Polerouter Worn & Wound
Universal Genève Apr 8, 2026

Universal Geneve is Back – Here’s the New Polerouter

While the watch industry braces for Watches & Wonders next week and anticipates a flurry of new releases to discuss that will take us through the next several months of watch discourse, today is actually the day that many collectors and enthusiasts have been waiting for for years: the debut of new watches from Universal Geneve. When it was announced that the brand would be formally relaunched by Georges Kern back in December of 2023, speculation began immediately as to what we would eventually see. Little tidbits have come out in dribs and drabs over the last two years, but today the watch community finally gets a look at what Universal Geneve will be in the modern era, at least to start.  A few things are very apparent from the outset. This is a big swing on the part of Kern and others steering the ship at Universal. They could have gone small, and introduced a one or two references to reintroduce the brand to the community slowly, but instead they’ve come out o the gate with nearly 40 SKUs, with prices ranging from a relatively modest $14,000 all the way up to $320,000 for an elaborate jewelry focused Cabriolet (and that’s the only elaborate, jewelry focused piece). The other thing that’s clear is that the launch feels focused on the Polerouter, a Gerald Genta design that is likely the most well known watch under the broader Universal Geneve banner. It got the reference book treatment a few years back, and, once upon a time, was one of the most frequently recommen...

Going Back To The Beginning With The Makina Uriel_VII Fratello
Apr 8, 2026

Going Back To The Beginning With The Makina Uriel_VII

Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of reviewing three watches from Makina. The young Filipino brand has quickly demonstrated a wide range of offerings. What ties the different models together is their combination of industrial, almost futuristic design that still features a good injection of classic watchmaking elegance. With the new Makina […] Visit Going Back To The Beginning With The Makina Uriel_VII to read the full article.

Introducing – Chinese Indie Watchmaker Qian GuoBiao Presents the new AB-05 Skylight Series Monochrome
Apr 8, 2026

Introducing – Chinese Indie Watchmaker Qian GuoBiao Presents the new AB-05 Skylight Series

Over the past few years, Qian GuoBiao, an independent watchmaker working in Dongguan, China, known as “the tourbillon doctor“, has established a quite disciplined design language, shaped by his background in the restoration and application of traditional hand-finishing. His earlier watches focused on clarity, proportion and the display of mechanics, incorporating visible balances without resorting […]

In Depth: The Horological Evolution of Jacob & Co. SJX Watches
Casio n Apr 8, 2026

In Depth: The Horological Evolution of Jacob & Co.

Since “Jacob and Jeweller” made its first foray into fine watchmaking two decades ago, Jacob & Co. has positioned itself as a master of maximalism in all its forms, both bejewelled and technical, with some of the brands’s most audacious creations free of gem-setting entirely. The story of Jacob & Co.’s rise as an independent watchmaker features a celebrated cast of constructors. While other brands focused on vertical integration, Jacob & Co. opted to become a patron of promising complication specialists and independent watchmakers, funding their visions while challenging them with its own. Now, 20 years on, Jacob & Co. has evolved into a major player in the ultra-high end watchmaking segment, and is one of the fastest growing brands in an otherwise downbeat market; according to the brand, its 2025 watch sales were close to CHF300 million at retail. The brand’s obvious success is due to both its astute commercial instincts, founder Jacob Arabo’s inimitable personality, and also its ability to bring technically demanding movements to market and iterate on them with remarkable regularity. The gongs of a minute repeating Astronomia, one of the line’s many flankers. Few brands have managed to build credibility in both jewellry and watchmaking simultaneously. On the occasion of the brand’s 40th anniversary, it’s worth looking at how Jacob & Co. has succeeded where others have failed. Chapter 1: The Quenttin Jacob & Co.’s first 20 years were somewhat quiet on...

Introducing – Ressence Unveils the Type 11 Powered by its First Proprietary Movement Monochrome
Ressence Unveils Apr 7, 2026

Introducing – Ressence Unveils the Type 11 Powered by its First Proprietary Movement

Since its founding in 2010 in Antwerp by Belgian industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, indie brand Ressence has positioned itself as a design-led watch studio that literally rethinks how time is displayed on the wrist. Animated by Ressence’s Orbital Convex System (ROCS), time circles around the dial like planets orbiting the Sun, using highly graphic and […]

Ressence Debuts the Type 11, with the All New In-House RW-01 Movement Worn & Wound
Ressence Debuts Apr 7, 2026

Ressence Debuts the Type 11, with the All New In-House RW-01 Movement

For as long as we’ve talked about Ressence, part of the discussion has always been about how clever they are for producing such an ingenious and unique system for time telling, all built on top of a standard, off-the-shelf ETA movement. Their patented ROCS module, which displays the time via a series of rotating discs rather than traditional hands, is a complicated piece of engineering that has always lived alongside a caliber that is rather ordinary. For me, and many others, this was always part of the charm of a Ressence watch, and underscored the idea that watchmaking is a broad discipline and that with some creativity even a simple ETA movement can be turned into something extraordinary.  That changes a little today with the introduction of the Ressence Type 11, featuring the all new RW-01 movement, the first in-house designed Ressence movement. Designed specifically to power the ROCS, the RW-01 is an integrated, automatic caliber that appears to be an improvement in just about every way over previous movements found in Ressence watches.  First and perhaps most notably, this movement has a 60 hour power reserve, which can be monitored on the dial via ceramic micro balls. For years, Ressence watches have featured power reserves that topped out at slightly less than the ETA movements they were based on due to the demands of running the ROCS module. But the RW-01 was designed from the ground up to work with ROCS, eliminating many of the compromises made with previous ...

Industry News – Kross Studio Rebranded to Marco Tedeschi, Unveils the MT1.1 Tourbillon 7 Jours Monochrome
Apr 7, 2026

Industry News – Kross Studio Rebranded to Marco Tedeschi, Unveils the MT1.1 Tourbillon 7 Jours

Over the past years, Kross Studio has emerged as an intriguing player in independent watchmaking. Founded just before the pandemic, the company has grown, gaining visibility through a series of collaborations inspired by pop culture – a deliberate departure from traditional watchmaking narratives – while at the same time demonstrating genuine technical credibility. Behind the […]

Anton Suhanov Returns with the Flamingo SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey s watches Apr 7, 2026

Anton Suhanov Returns with the Flamingo

Russian independent watchmaker and ACHI member Anton Suhanov returns with his third wristwatch, the dynamic Flamingo. Featuring Mr Suhanov’s first in-house movement, the Flamingo positions its massive balance wheel dial-side, and has a few other tricks up its sleeve as well.  Initial thoughts Anton Suhanov made a name for himself for his inventive clocks, but more recently has turned his attention toward the more lucrative wristwatch market. Mr Suhanov’s first two wristwatches were modular constructions piggybacked on stock movements. Despite this common approach, his modifications were transformative, making his movements feel more personal and “in-house” than some truly in-house movements that are more traditional in concept. This evident commitment to the craft quickly gained Mr Suhanov a good reputation.    After about four years of development, Mr Suhanov has unveiled a calibre he can truly call his own, the cal. Su26.1L. He built the movement from scratch, which gave him complete freedom both in terms of design and functionality. The result is a movement that possesses a number of unique and charming traits, both technical and aesthetic in nature.  While the design of the Flamingo as a whole is deeply original (especially the use of non-functional ruby pallets for the hands), some elements on the dial side remind me of similar features of Greubel Forsey’s watches. For example, the two small sub-dials - a 24-hour indicator and small seconds - are rem...

Albishorn Introduces their Latest “Imaginary Vintage” Watch, the Thundergraph Khumbu Worn & Wound
Apr 6, 2026

Albishorn Introduces their Latest “Imaginary Vintage” Watch, the Thundergraph Khumbu

Last week, Albishorn unveiled the latest in their ongoing series of “Imaginary Vintage” watches, the Thundergraph Kumbu. Founded by Sébastien Chaulmontet nearly two years ago, Albishorn is a high concept indie focused on a very specific strain of vintage watch inspiration. The watches that make up the Albishorn collection not only take their design cues from vintage watches, they are conceived as that never existed, but could have, and provide, as Chaumontet puts it, “a missing link” between the past and present. That centers each new watch on the idea of storytelling, and Albishorn has created elaborate imaginary backstories for each of their watches released to this point. (You can find our previous coverage of the brand here). The new watch from Albishorn, the Thundergraph Khumbu, is a new take on last year’s Thundergraph Himalaya, a chronograph conceived for alpine exploration. The idea here essentially was that on a climb, an alpinist would need easy legibility and the benefit of a rotating bezel to time ascent phases. The oversized crown and bezel, and monopusher chronograph execution, are also intended as design nods that would benefit a climber in difficult terrain (of course, these are straightforward tool watch design codes that could be applied to any number of situations – but that’s where the storytelling piece kicks in).  For the new Thundergraph Khumbu, Albishorn has introduced a green dial, which the brand says is inspired by the landscapes ...

Hands-On With The Impressive Casio Edifice EFK-110 Series - A Welcome Evolution Of The EFK-100 Fratello
Casio Edifice EFK-110 Series - Apr 5, 2026

Hands-On With The Impressive Casio Edifice EFK-110 Series - A Welcome Evolution Of The EFK-100

It’s been just roughly six months since Casio released the Edifice EFK-100, which received widespread critical acclaim as the brand’s first line of mechanical watches. As you will understand, then, we were quite surprised to see these new Edifice EFK-110 models land on our desks. At first glance, you would think that nothing has changed. […] Visit Hands-On With The Impressive Casio Edifice EFK-110 Series - A Welcome Evolution Of The EFK-100 to read the full article.

Watches, Stories, & Gear: New Bags from Peak Design, a Documentary on a Brooklyn Based Calligraphy Artist, and a Baltic Review from the Archives Worn & Wound
Accutron Apr 4, 2026

Watches, Stories, & Gear: New Bags from Peak Design, a Documentary on a Brooklyn Based Calligraphy Artist, and a Baltic Review from the Archives

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Four New Bags from Peak Design  Peak Design recently funded their latest Kickstarter campaign for four new travel bags, though it might be more accurate to say they obliterated their initial goal of $100,000, as over $2 million has been raised to this point. Peak Design is one of our favorite bag and accessory brands, and their latest offerings are all travel oriented, and offer something for everyone. There’s the Travel Backpack 2-in-1, the Travel Crossbody 3L, the Travel Backpack 20L, and the Travel Weekender 25L. Operating under the philosophy that no two trips are the same, Peak has created four separate carry solutions for specific travel circumstances, rather than trying to create a catch-all, one bag for everything solution that might make a ton of compromises. You can learn more about the new bags at their Kickstarter page right here. The Fine Line Documentary  If you came to our recent event with Accutron and Esterbrook, you may have met Mohammed, aka @thebrooklynscribe, a calligraphy artist based in, you guessed it, Brooklyn. It just so happens that only days after our event, a new short documentary on Mohammed premired on YouTube. You can watch The Fine ...

Recap: An Analog Evening with Accutron, Esterbrook, and The Brooklyn Scribe at the Windup Watch Shop Showroom Worn & Wound
Accutron Esterbrook Apr 3, 2026

Recap: An Analog Evening with Accutron, Esterbrook, and The Brooklyn Scribe at the Windup Watch Shop Showroom

Last Thursday evening, the Windup Watch Shop’s Brooklyn Showroom played host to a packed house for a special event celebrating the intersection of watchmaking and writing instruments, with Accutron and Esterbrook taking center stage. Envisioned as an intimate opportunity to go hands-on with Accutron’s latest Spaceview 314 collection, the event quickly evolved into a lively, tactile experience that blended horology, craftsmanship, and a shared appreciation for design heritage. Guests filtered in throughout the evening, filling the space with energy as conversations sparked over Accutron’s open-work dials, Tuning Fork technology, and the parallels between both timekeeping and writing instruments. Accutron’s team was on hand to walk attendees through the technical and aesthetic nuances of the Spaceview 314, offering a closer look at the brand’s continued evolution of its Tuning Fork movement technology. American writing instrument maker, Esterbrook, unveiled a new fountain pen inspired by Accutron’s signature Spaceview design language, creating a compelling collab between the two brands-one rooted in time, the other in communication, but both strong examples of personal expression. But what truly elevated the evening was the addition of live, custom calligraphy by The Brooklyn Scribe. Throughout the night, guests were invited to commission personalized pieces, turning names, phrases, and moments into beautifully rendered works of art. The presence of hand letter...