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Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

3,466 articles · 32 videos found · page 22 of 117

The Lightweight Casio F-91WF Watch on Cloth-Strap WatchRider
Casio F-91WF Watch Aug 7, 2026

The Lightweight Casio F-91WF Watch on Cloth-Strap

The Casio F-91W does not need a complicated introduction. It is one of the simplest digital watches you can buy and one of the easiest to recognise. The new F-91WF collection keeps that familiar formula but changes the part that has the greatest effect on comfort and character: the strap. Instead of the usual resin band, each watch comes with a lightweight cloth strap made from recycled PET. There are three models in the collection. The F-91WF-1A is black, the F-91WF-2A is navy blue and the F-91WF-3A is olive green. The case colour is matched to the strap on each version, so none of them looks like an ordinary F-91W with a random replacement strap. They feel like a complete collection with three clear personalities. Why the F-91WF is more than a strap change The cloth strap is the main news but it is not only a visual detail. Casio describes it as lightweight, comfortable, resistant to scratches and resistant to stains. It should also feel less rigid than a resin strap, especially during hot weather or when the watch is worn for a full day. Its recycled PET material gives the range a practical environmental benefit without changing the affordable and uncomplicated nature of the F-91W. The strap fits wrists from 145 to 215mm. That broad range matters because the case itself is very compact. It measures 38.2mm from top to bottom, 35.2mm across and only 8.5mm thick. Each version weighs just 21 grams. On the wrist it should almost disappear, which remains one of the strongest ...

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Hands-On: Laps Leaps into New Territory with the Arche, their First Mechanical Model Worn & Wound
Aug 6, 2026

Hands-On: Laps Leaps into New Territory with the Arche, their First Mechanical Model

What started as a fashion watch brand a decade ago is making a leap into more traditional watchmaking territory. Laps has introduced its first mechanical model, the Arche as part of a new Studio Series. The collection consists of four iterations, two with simple textured dials and two that take on one of classic watchmaking’s key artforms: enamel. The dial is arguably the main focus of nearly all watches. It conveys the most pertinent information and serves as the aesthetic centerpiece. When French designer and art collector Antonin Mercie created Laps in 2016, he took the emphasis on the dial a step further – this would not just be the core focus of the watches but the core focus of the brand. Examples of watches from the Laps “Signature” collection The base of the original Editions models varies slightly but overall carries a vintage aesthetic hailing from the funky eras of 70s and 80s watchmaking. Both the Prima and the Signature cases are rectangular, with the former being slightly smaller and squarer at 28mm by 23mm and the latter slightly larger and more rectangular at 35mm by 26mm. Each is topped off with the option of a leather strap or bracelet whose design is aligned with the retro theme, mimicking a stretch bracelet in texture but presented in a traditional manner with a buckle closure. Powering the models in the Editions series are straightforward, time-only quartz movements. All of this lays the foundation for the star of the show – the dials – whi...

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Timex 1976 Lexington Reissue Inspired Is a Sharp $149 Steel Cartier Tank Alternative WatchRider
Cartier Tank Alternative Timex has Aug 6, 2026

Timex 1976 Lexington Reissue Inspired Is a Sharp $149 Steel Cartier Tank Alternative

Timex has taken the 1976 Lexington Reissue Inspired in the direction I wanted most: away from gold tone and into polished steel. The new TW2Y88200 keeps the compact rectangular shape, vertically brushed silver dial and Roman numerals of the earlier model, then adds metallic blue hands for a little contrast. It is currently listed as a $149 pre-order in the United States, which puts it firmly in the part of the market where a good design matters more than a prestigious logo. A rectangular watch with the right instincts I am a fan of rectangular watches because they make even a simple time-only watch feel considered. A round case can hide lazy proportions. A rectangle cannot. Every line is visible: the width, the length, the dial margins, the shape of the numerals and the relationship between case and strap. That is why the Cartier Tank remains such a powerful reference point, and why an affordable watch needs more than Roman numerals to feel convincing. Timex’s silver dial, blue hands and Roman numerals look clean. This Timex is not trying to be a counterfeit Tank. It earns its place as a nice alternative because it uses the same broad language of a slim rectangular case, an orderly dial and a leather strap, then keeps a personality of its own. If you enjoy this corner of watch design, I have also ranked the Cartier Tank alternatives that have stayed in my collection. The Lexington belongs in that conversation because it offers a clean steel option at a price that makes o...

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Hands-On: The Parmigiani Fleurier 30th Anniversary Carillon Tourbillon Hodinkee
Parmigiani Fleurier 30th Anniversary Carillon Tourbillon Aug 6, 2026

Hands-On: The Parmigiani Fleurier 30th Anniversary Carillon Tourbillon

Parmigiani Fleurier is a brand that has long embodied the idea of quiet luxury — or "private luxury," as Parmigiani CEO Guido Terrini asserts — frankly, sometimes to a fault. Many of its models pair spectacular watchmaking with a radically simplified design language, and the unique execution of a mechanical chronograph in the brand's Tonda Chronograph Mystérieux earlier this spring quite literally hides its mechanical extravagance as part of the complication. We'll have more on the Chronograph Mystérieux soon, but there's another watch launched this year that also feels unmistakably Parmigiani in execution—the Carillon Tourbillon 30th Anniversary in white gold. To celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary this year, Parmigiani Fleurier launched a trio of limited-edition Toric models at Watches and Wonders, featuring hand-hammered gold dials. The Toric Petite Seconde in platinum, a Toric Quantième Perpétuel in rose gold, and a Toric Chronographe Rattrapante in platinum all got the new dial treatment. Then, a few months after the show, Parmigiani dropped this whopper of a watch. Let's get the not-so-fun part out of the way first—the Carillon Tourbillon 30th Anniversary is limited to 5 pieces, and priced at CHF 490,000. To most collectors, it might be an unobtainium watch in so many aspects, but that doesn't stop this thing from being an absolute joy to see in person. At a glance, the overall silhouette of the Carillon Tourbillon fits into the classic Parmigiani play...

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Introducing - The Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 Diver Resurfaces with the Option of a Date Monochrome
Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 Diver Resurfaces Aug 5, 2026

Introducing - The Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 Diver Resurfaces with the Option of a Date

Baltic Watches, the French indie brand founded by Etienne Malec in 2017, has transcended its status as a microbrand in less than ten years. Designed in Paris and powered by reliable, outsourced movements assembled in Besançon, France, Baltic’s success can be attributed to its retro-flavoured watches coupled with accessible prices. The flagship Aquascaphe Classic, a […]

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Owner’s Review: the Ōtsuka Lōtec No. 8 Worn & Wound
Breguet numerals outperform another? But Aug 3, 2026

Owner’s Review: the Ōtsuka Lōtec No. 8

I occasionally have a hard time understanding why some brands are so popular. It’s not that they don’t deserve to do well, but I see brands that don’t seem to be doing anything much different from their peers, let alone special, yet are many times more hyped. Why does one Calatrava-esque watch with Breguet numerals outperform another? But with Ōtsuka Lōtec, I get it. In fact, I don’t just get it, I’ve fallen for it. Then again, Ōtsuka Lōtec isn’t like any other brand. Jiro Katayama, the brand’s founder and lead designer/watchmaker, works from a different playbook. Where other brands pursue finishing and neoclassical elegance, he seeks beauty in the raw and industrial. Inspired by analog machines, measuring instruments, gauges, and the industrial design of the pre-digital age, there is something rough and unintentional (though completely intentional) about his watches. Considering he taught himself watchmaking in a workshop nestled in Tokyo, there is a certain logic to this aesthetic. It’s not born in the farm-strewn hills of Jura, but rather in one of the densest cities in the world. Nor is his education from a lineage of tradition. You won’t find perlage or anglage; surfaces are typically raw, brushed metal, and rarely painted, with only the occasional red highlight. While potentially a love-it-or-leave-it aesthetic, it has resonated deeply with the watch community, touching on a pure joy of mechanics. But, there is more to it as well, as his watches...

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Louis Erard Partners with Brilliant Earth on the Jeweler’s First Watch Collection Worn & Wound
Louis Erard Partners Aug 3, 2026

Louis Erard Partners with Brilliant Earth on the Jeweler’s First Watch Collection

Louis Erard has been making collaborative watches for years. In fact, you can pretty easily point to limited edition collaborations as a venture that has sustained the brand over the last several years, and made them newly relevant to a broad spectrum of enthusiasts and collectors. Their collaborations tend to follow a familiar, tried and true format. For the most part, they work with established, often higher end, independent watchmakers, and graft the design signatures of those watchmakers onto various Louis Erard platforms, most often their Regulator. The list of collaborators at this point is extensive, with names like Chaykin, Kudoke, and Vianney Halter contributing to Louis Erard’s ongoing project. Their latest, though, is a little different. The Solstice Collection, a line unveiled last month with Brilliant Earth, represents a new approach, and takes Louis Erard’s name off the dial entirely.  Brilliant Earth is a jewelry brand founded in 2005 that has gained traction for their commitment to transparency in the sourcing of their precious metals and stones. Their public face is one focused on sustainability, and are known to use recycled precious metals as well as lab grown diamonds in their engagement rings and other jewelry. The Solstice Collection represents their first watch line.  The Solstice Collection consists of two watches, Summer and Winter. They are built on Louis Erard’s La Petite Seconde platform, and feature 39mm stainless steel cases and run on...

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Talking Watches: With Michael Friedman - Former Head Of Complications At Audemars Piguet And Founder Of Pattern Recognition Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Aug 3, 2026

Talking Watches: With Michael Friedman - Former Head Of Complications At Audemars Piguet And Founder Of Pattern Recognition

There are a handful of people in the watch industry whose fingerprints are on nearly every era of watchmaking and enthusiasm, and Michael Friedman is one of them. He's been the kid in the archives of the National Watch and Clock Museum, the specialist at Christie's fielding calls from Eric Clapton, the American who moved to Switzerland to become Audemars Piguet's Head of Complications, and, as of this year, the founder of his own independent watch company. Somewhere in between, he became the answer to a trivia question about a Kendrick Lamar lyric. Friedman will tell you none of that was the plan. Instead, it's the result of a decades-long fascination with why humans decided time was worth decorating in the first place, and he's spent every job since trying to answer that question from a different angle. That fascination started at Clark University in the 1990s, not in a watchmaking program but in a psychology class, where a professor named Bernie Kaplan got Friedman thinking about pattern recognition. From there he wandered into time theory: how different cultures measured it, ordered it, gave it meaning. The throughline he kept coming back to was that objects built to track time, like water clocks, obelisks, and wristwatches, have always been embellished, regardless of what they were worth. That idea, that timekeeping and decoration are inseparable, has quietly run underneath everything Friedman has done since, from advising Clapton on vintage Patek Philippe and Rolex at...

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Casio Adds Dark Blue and Grey to Its Bluetooth ABL-100 Vintage Line WatchRider
Casio Adds Dark Blue Aug 2, 2026

Casio Adds Dark Blue and Grey to Its Bluetooth ABL-100 Vintage Line

Casio has officially added two fresh colours to its connected ABL-100 Vintage line. The ABL-100WE-2A arrives with a dark-blue dial surround, while the ABL-100WE-7A takes the quieter route in grey. Casio’s European pages label the pair as August 2026 releases, and both are already available through the brand’s Spanish online shop. The important point is that the colours are new; the watch and its technology are familiar. New Colours, Familiar Hardware The dark-blue ABL-100WE-2A brings a little more contrast around the positive LCD display, but it remains restrained rather than loud. The grey ABL-100WE-7A blends more closely with the silver-tone case and bracelet. Neither version is trying to reinvent Casio’s rectangular digital formula. They simply make the connected ABL-100 easier to match with different clothes, which is often all a good colour update needs to do. The ABL-100WE-2A introduces a dark-blue dial surround. Image: Casio. The chrome-plated resin case measures 41.6 mm long, 37.9 mm wide and only 8.2 mm thick. Weight is 60 grams, including the stainless-steel multi-row bracelet and adjustable clasp. A resin crystal covers the display. Those compact proportions should sit easily on my 6.5-inch wrist, although I have not handled either watch. Casio describes the model simply as water resistant, without advertising a swimming depth, so this is one retro accessory I would not volunteer for pool duty. A Step Counter Wearing Vintage Clothes An accelerometer record...

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Hands-On: The Laps Arche Collection Hodinkee
Baltic but Jul 31, 2026

Hands-On: The Laps Arche Collection

Over the last ten years, Paris has emerged as a leading city worldwide in microbrand-style watchmaking—led by Serica and Baltic—but a lesser-known brand is making a case for entry into that conversation, and that brand is Laps. Founded in 2015 by Antonin Mercier, Laps built its name on graphic dials that were hand-assembled in limited editions using unconventional materials like wood, tobacco leaf, exotic skins, and archival prints. With its latest release, the brand steps away from the loud, design-forward quartz pieces that made its name and into something more restrained—an automatic watch built with subtle and balanced style. Paris is obviously known for its major fashion houses, institutions that have stood for centuries, but I come from a world of menswear, and especially over the last few years there's been a wave of smaller, standalone shops popping up alongside those institutions—Husbands, Rubirosa, De Bonne Facture, among others—and I'd argue the same divide is playing out in watches. Complementing the stalwarts are names like Baltic and Serica, and with their new Arche line, I think Laps can now enter that conversation too. Form and function always stay top of mind for me, and sometimes I struggle with watches that skew too far in one direction or the other. Perhaps like a pendulum, my own taste sways from one side to the other from time to time, but its natural resting point is the middle—which is exactly where the brand's latest release, the Arche,...

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Baltic Adds a Date to the Aquascaphe MK2 Without Making It Thicker WatchRider
Baltic Adds Jul 31, 2026

Baltic Adds a Date to the Aquascaphe MK2 Without Making It Thicker

The Baltic Aquascaphe MK2 is getting its first date display. This is not a replacement for the clean no-date model and it is not a limited edition. Instead, Baltic has added “Date” as a new choice across the existing MK2 range, giving buyers a useful complication without changing the case size or thickness. That distinction matters because the Aquascaphe MK2 itself is not new. Baltic introduced the second-generation model in September 2025. The news at the end of July 2026 is that customers can now order it with a date window, with deliveries scheduled for the end of August. The date is available with all four current dial colours and both case sizes. The blue and green versions have glossy dials, while the grey and warm silver models use a more textured, grained finish. Baltic does not list separate traditional reference numbers for every combination; diameter, date and strap are selected when configuring the watch. A date window that respects the dial Adding a date to a carefully balanced dive-watch dial can easily create a mess. Baltic has taken the safer route by placing the window at six o’clock, directly above the 30-minute bezel marker. The frame is finely bevelled and the date disc is matched to the dial colour, so the display looks like part of the design rather than a white rectangle added at the last moment. The placement also preserves the vertical balance created by the applied Arabic 12. It replaces the round six o’clock marker, but it does not push t...

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Bring a Loupe: A Wittnauer 235T, A Cleto Munari "Sotsy," A Blancpain Technisub, And An Eberhard Contograf Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Day Date Moonphase almost Jul 31, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Wittnauer 235T, A Cleto Munari "Sotsy," A Blancpain Technisub, And An Eberhard Contograf

You hanging in there, Baller? It feels like it's been a hard bit, or at least it is with the folks I check in with. I hope that, despite whatever's frustrating you and causing grief—from stubbed toes to wildfires and their attendant smoke to your team not making enough moves at the trade deadline—you're getting by. And congrats, obviously, to all the Sixers fans. Strays Photo courtesy of Huntington Company. Perhaps, like me, you were unaware that in 1967 Bulova made an Accutron Astronaut in 18k gold, and if that sounds like fun, Goodwill's got one that's on an 18k JP Champion bracelet to boot. The good folks at Huntington Company have a bit of a left of the dial watch this week, this Sarcar triple date with moonphase, and a fun game to play is to imagine what it'd be priced at with a different name on the dial. If you're bored by watches that are too quiet, or you're interested in truly unhinged complications, here's a Boegli which features a music box that plays a bit of Mozart's "The Magic Flute." For those who missed their shot on the Louis Erard x Kudoke Regulator from a few years ago, here's a very very nice blue one, and if you'd prefer a different blue watch, this Rolex Oysterquartz Datejust is almost certainly not from 2005, as the listing says (it's got a tritium dial, for one, plus the reference 17000 ceased production in 2001), but it certainly looks in great shape. Finally, here's a phenomenally pretty gold Audemars Piguet Day Date Moonphase (almost certain...

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TAG Heuer Introduces a New Glassbox Carrera in Partnership with Team Ikuzawa and Bamford Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Introduces Jul 31, 2026

TAG Heuer Introduces a New Glassbox Carrera in Partnership with Team Ikuzawa and Bamford

TAG Heuer has released a new three-way collaboration and a sequel of sorts in their new Carrera Chronograph made in partnership with Team Ikuzawa with a design assist from Bamford. Team Ikuzawa is a legendary Japanese motorsport team founded by driver Tetsu Ikuzawa and continues today under the stewardship of his daughter Mai Ikuzawa as an all encompassing motorsport, design, fashion, and luxury brand. And Bamford is, of course, Bamford, founded by George Bamford and well known for being a pioneer in high end luxury watch modding and now making watches under their own name, and frequently collaborating as a design partner for the likes of G-SHOCK, Zenith, and countless others.  The new Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa release seen here follows a 2023 Carrera release with a similar look, but offered on the prior Carrera platform. Here, all parties involved benefit from the new Glassbox case design, which includes a 39mm case and a gorgeous vintage style “glassbox” crystal that accentuates and magnifies the dial’s perimeter and offers a ton of visual interest at odd angles. We’ve covered these watches pretty extensively and are big fans of the case proportions and the approach TAG Heuer is taking here. They seem to please both the mass market and the enthusiast crowd, which is a vanishingly rare trick for a large brand like TAG Heuer to pull off.  For this release, TAG, Team Ikuzawa, and Bamford have leaned into the red and white colorway most associated with the...

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Introducing - Mido’s Multifort 8 One Crown is Back in Black PVD Monochrome
Mido s Multifort 8 One Jul 31, 2026

Introducing - Mido’s Multifort 8 One Crown is Back in Black PVD

Founded in Switzerland in 1918 by George Schaeren, Mido is currently positioned as an entry-to-mid-level Swatch Group brand, prized for offering exceptional value and robust build quality. Placing more emphasis on bolder design, Mido has sparked interest for its accomplished remakes of golden oldies like the Multifort TV Big Date and the Decompression Timer and […]

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The Citizen’s Latest Gets Indigo Washi Paper Dial SJX Watches
Grand Seiko s cal 9F movement Jul 31, 2026

The Citizen’s Latest Gets Indigo Washi Paper Dial

Next month Citizen’s The Citizen collection brings a new look to its exceedingly accurate high-end quartz watches. Still accurate to five seconds a year, or better, with a perpetual calendar and scratch-resistant titanium case, this limited edition introduces an indigo-dyed washi paper dial, produced using traditional craft methods. Initial thoughts Citizen’s The Citizen collection, which celebrated 30 years of questionable naming just last year, remains somewhat obscure even amongst watch enthusiasts. That’s unfortunate, as it has nothing to do with the quality of the watches, which are excellent and often handsome. And while the line now includes mechanical watches, high-end quartz is where The Citizen really shines. No two examples are the same. Though frequently compared to Grand Seiko’s cal. 9F movement family, I would argue The Citizen’s A0 line of solar quartz movements are of a different breed, more comparable to Seiko’s cal. 3X Astron movements or even Casio’s high-end G-Shocks. These share solar charging, a perpetual calendar, and a power-save made that pauses the hands to save energy when the watch is not in use. However, The Citizen’s aesthetic differs widely from those of the Astron and G-Shock, favouring the sharply reserved style that has defined chronometry-focused Japanese watchmaking for decades. The other key difference is autonomy. Unlike Astrons and G-Shocks, which can vary by as much as 15 seconds per month without network synchronisat...

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Introducing: The Ming 37.06 Royal Selangor Limited Edition Hodinkee
Ming 37.06 Royal Selangor Limited Jul 30, 2026

Introducing: The Ming 37.06 Royal Selangor Limited Edition

What We Know A funky new dial is probably the least surprising thing to come from Ming these days, but somehow, the new Ming 37.06 Royal Selangor still feels like a compelling play on the brand's two-hander 37-series design. This time around, Ming doubles down on its Malaysian roots for a collaboration with Malaysian pewter brand Royal Selangor. What we get is a dramatically hammered pewter dial, made by Royal Selangor in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The grooves and scales of the hammering are quite exaggerated for the size of the dial, which offers an uninterrupted surface for the hammering without any printing or applied markers. With this expansive, highly textured dial, Ming's usage of the top sapphire crystal as an alternative place for dial markings is very useful, with the underside of the top sapphire crystal engraved and infilled with Super-LumiNova X1 for a luminescent track with hour markers and Ming's logo at the top that floats above the hammered pewter surface. It's complemented by the distinctive blued 37-series handset, also coated with a generous amount of Super-LumiNova. The luster of the dial is framed by the more demure look of a fully-brushed grade-2 titanium case, with a diameter of 38mm, a thickness of 11.05mm, and a compact lug-to-lug of 44.73mm. Engraved on the periphery of the exhibition caseback is Ming and Royal Selangor branding, and through the sapphire crystal, the automatic Sellita for MING SW300.M1 is seen in full view. Yes, on paper the movemen...

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Hands On: Rolex Day-Date 40 Jubilee Gold SJX Watches
Rolex Day-Date 40 Jubilee Gold Jul 30, 2026

Hands On: Rolex Day-Date 40 Jubilee Gold

Twenty twenty-six has been a milestone year for Rolex, which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its signature Oyster case with several commemorative models. While not as innovative as the enamel-dialled Daytona or as surprising as the revised Yacht-Master II, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 dresses the brand’s flagship time-only watch in a new proprietary gold alloy dubbed “Jubilee” gold and an aventurine stone dial. Initial thoughts Stone dials are everywhere, but as usual Rolex has found a way to stand out by using an unusual mineral. Most brands today source the same few varieties of stone — especially malachite and tiger’s eye — from the same few suppliers, resulting in stone-dialled watches that tend to resemble one another. But with its unusual aventurine dial and muted Jubilee gold case and bracelet, there’s no mistaking the Day-Date 40 for anything else. And this is also actually aventurine stone, rather than the more commonly used and less expensive aventurine glass. The exotic dial and proprietary alloy give the new Day-Date 40 a look that is both distinctive yet coherent with the rest of the collection. Many key Rolex models are perpetually out of stock, underscoring the brand’s commitment to value. While it might seem disingenuous to describe a US$65,700 time-only watch as a good value, the Day-Date 40 in Jubilee gold makes a case for itself. In a perfect world with on-demand availability, this would be a strong value proposition. The A. L...

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The Business of Watches Podcast: Christie's Remi Guillemin On The Fundamental Shifts In The Auction Market Driving Record Prices Hodinkee
F.P. Journe Jul 29, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Christie's Remi Guillemin On The Fundamental Shifts In The Auction Market Driving Record Prices

This week on The Business of Watches, we take stock at the halfway point of the year for watch auctions. Remi Guillemin, Christie's head of watches for the Americas, Europe and Middle East, gives us his take on what's driving the interest of the top watch collectors these days. It's a pivotal time, with the watch auction market setting record sales results at most of the top auction houses despite global economic challenges and geopolitical tensions and conflicts.  Remi Guillemin at the rostrum in Geneva.Photo courtesy Christie's  The last time the market was this hot was in the post-COVID era of 2021 and 2022. Guillemin believes this time is different, and he tells us why references from F.P. Journe and Cartier, and (surprise!) pocket watches, are driving the market these days and how that's a fundamental shift from the hype watch driven boom post-pandemic. He also shows us some of the watches in his personal collection and reveals the grail he's still chasing.  There's plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Be sure to leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes 0:36 Remi Guillemin (Christie's website - scroll for bio) 1:00 Auctions: The Five Result...

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Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39: Did Tudor Just Fix the Chronograph’s Biggest Flaw? WatchRider
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 Jul 28, 2026

Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39: Did Tudor Just Fix the Chronograph’s Biggest Flaw?

For years, the watch-collecting corners of the internet have echoed with the same tragic lament: “The Tudor Black Bay Chrono is too big! It’s too thick! The sides are too flat!” Honestly, the complaining always cracks me up. I wear the 41mm Black Bay Chrono regularly, and as a woman who supposedly falls into the “needs a smaller watch” demographic, I’ve never once felt like I was lugging around a grandfather clock on my wrist. I think the 41mm wears beautifully. But apparently, enough guys shed tears in the comments sections over those few extra millimeters that Tudor finally decided to pass out the tissues and downsize.  Let’s talk about the yellow elephant in the room. Enter the Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 (M79310N-0001). If you’re going to shrink a watch, you might as well make it loud enough that people still notice it. Tudor absolutely nailed the visual impact here. The watch has quickly earned the “Bumblebee” nickname thanks to its vibrant matte yellow dial heavily contrasted by two black snailed sub-counters. Complete with Tudor’s signature lumed Snowflake hands, a domed sapphire crystal, and a black anodized aluminum tachymeter bezel, it walks a perfect line between vintage motorsport heritage and modern swagger. While I will defend the bold, chunky stance of the 41mm all day long, I have to give credit where credit is due, the engineering on the 39mm case is undeniably impressive. Tudor didn’t just shave 2mm off the width; they completely ...

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Hands On: Singer Reimagined DualTrack SJX Watches
Singer Jul 28, 2026

Hands On: Singer Reimagined DualTrack

Having made its name with auto-racing central chronographs, Singer Reimagined recently debuted its first-ever GMT, the DualTrack. Retaining the aesthetic established by Singer’s chronographs, the DualTrack is a straightforward “caller” dual-time watch with a local time display and independent 24-hour ring. On the back, however, the DualTrack reveals its party trick: a manual wind movement with four visible barrels that combine for six days of power reserve. Developed by an unnamed specialist (that is probably Chronode), the ST5001 has four mainsprings spread out across the movement with the balance hoisted above them, making for an unusual construction and layout. Initial thoughts I like Singer’s original proposition of racing-inspired central chronographs, which are true to the brand’s origins as an offshoot of the cult Porsche 911 mod specialist, Singer Vehicle Design. The Track 1 chronograph was a good debut concept backed by an innovative movement. The DualTrack is similar, but simpler, more affordable, and also more practical. The DualTrack still has the retro-inspired, cushion-shaped case that’s approximately the same as that on the chronograph, making it a little chunky, but the size feels appropriate for a sports watch. It also feels good on the wrist; in contrast, the smaller Caballero with the same base movement feels too small. But instead of a central chronograph, the DualTrack has a pair of useful features: a second time zone and a long power reser...

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Citizen Tsuyosa Shore Time Slip Limited Edition Goes Black and Gold WatchRider
Citizen Tsuyosa Shore Time Slip Jul 24, 2026

Citizen Tsuyosa Shore Time Slip Limited Edition Goes Black and Gold

Citizen has added a limited-edition chapter to the sportier side of the Tsuyosa family. Reference NJ0238-57E is officially called the Tsuyosa Shore, but its textured gradient-black dial, warm gold-coloured accents and steel bracelet give it a noticeably more vintage character than the bright colours usually associated with the collection. A darker Tsuyosa Shore The theme is “Time Slip,” Citizen’s description of a design intended to feel as though it has travelled back from another era. The black dial has a grainy surface rather than a flat glossy finish, while the gold-coloured hands, applied hour markers and bezel scale add warmth without using artificial patina. A cyclops magnifier sits over the date at three o’clock, and the broad markers keep the watch easy to read. This is not simply a standard Tsuyosa with a different dial. The 40 mm stainless-steel case carries a 120-click, unidirectional rotating bezel, making the Shore look closer to a compact retro sports watch. Citizen specifies a thickness of 12.5 mm and a weight of 149 grams. The three-link steel bracelet uses a push-button triple-fold clasp and fits wrists from 142 to 206 mm. Built for everyday water use A sapphire crystal protects the dial, and both the hands and hour markers are luminous. Water resistance is rated at 10 bar, or 100 metres, so swimming and normal water-side use are within its remit. It should not be mistaken for a professional ISO-certified dive watch, but the rotating bezel, strong ...

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Hands On: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux SJX Watches
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux Jul 22, 2026

Hands On: Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux

Parmigiani Fleurier (PF) continues its exploration of “mysterious complications” with the Tonda PF Chronographe Mystérieux, a fully functional and surprisingly legible chronograph that is indistinguishable from a normal three-hand watch — until it isn’t. Pressing the conveniently placed chronograph monopusher summons a chronograph on demand, fully equipped with central minutes and hour totalisers, which disappears just as easily. Despite being one of the most ambitious chronographs on the market, it is priced relatively accessibly, at least in steel. Initial thoughts At first glance, the Chronographe Mystérieux is nearly indistinguishable from a normal three-hand watch, unless you spot the pair of rose gold hands secreted under the mean time hands. Depressing the chronograph button at eight o’clock causes these, along with the sweep seconds hand, to fly back to zero and being timing intervals up to 12 hours. The concept is not unlike that of the Maurice Lacroix Memoire 1, little-known halo piece that debuted in 2007 for EUR300,000. The Chronographe Mystérieux would work the same way without its hour and minutes hands, but their presence ensures the user can still read the time when the chronograph is running. The result is a highly legible dial, enhanced with an almost excessively fine grain d’orge guilloché that, like the undersized 18k gold hour markers, gets out of the way of the hands. At launch, PF offers two variants of the Chronographe Mystérieux ...

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Worn & Wound has Acquired Lorier - Let’s Talk About Why, and What This Means for Lorier’s Future Worn & Wound
Ming demand Jul 20, 2026

Worn & Wound has Acquired Lorier - Let’s Talk About Why, and What This Means for Lorier’s Future

We have some exciting news to share. Worn & Wound has acquired Lorier. Lauren and Lorenzo Ortega, Lorier’s founders, will remain partial owners of the business and retain creative stewardship of the brand, with Lorenzo serving as Creative Director. The goal of this partnership is to unlock Lorier’s full potential, freeing Lauren and Lorenzo to do what they love most: designing great products and engaging with the Lorier community. In turn, Lorier gains access to Worn & Wound’s infrastructure of customer service, fulfillment, product procurement, logistics, and more. Together, we’ll scale operations to meet the overwhelming demand for Lorier. This will take time. There’s significant pent-up demand for Lorier’s core line, and in one week we’ll be unveiling updated versions of some of the brand’s most popular models: the Hyperion, Hydra, Falcon, and Astra. We’ll be honest, we expect this run to sell quickly. But, rest assured, we’ll reinvest to increase production runs, rerelease other core models, and develop new lines. Until now, Lorier was run solely by the Ortegas. They poured everything into it, building a remarkable brand and an even more remarkable community. But as demand for Lorier grew, Lauren and Lorenzo hit a crossroads. With their capacity tapped out, they either needed to find the right partner to help them scale or consider options for exiting the company. Thankfully, they chose the former. We’re honored to be entrusted with Lorier’s ong...

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Hands-On: The Vacheron Constantin 'Twin Beat' Perpetual Calendar Returns Hodinkee
Vacheron Constantin Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar Jul 20, 2026

Hands-On: The Vacheron Constantin 'Twin Beat' Perpetual Calendar Returns

When Vacheron Constantin announced the original Twin-Beat at SIHH in 2019, I wasn't in the watch space in the same way I am now. I was also focused on a much different price point—the one I shop in, not the one that I've since become fascinated by. So I missed it. A lot of people did, it seems. I don't think this watch, as interesting as it is/was as a first release, was made in particularly large numbers, and for over a year, I heard rumblings about the eventual return of the Twin-Beat. Well, it's here. It's improved. And yes, in the metal, it's both entertaining and impressive. But what is it? Essentially, the watch leverages two balances that beat at different rates to provide either 4 days of power reserve running at 5Hz or 70 days in standby mode at 1.2Hz. Oh, and it's a perpetual calendar as well. We covered the technical aspects back in 2019, so this will focus more on the watch as a revived model. The technical is the key here, but the form factor is impressive as well. A perpetual calendar, with dual balances, measuring 42mm and 12.3mm thick, it's hefty because of the platinum case, but it wears quite well despite the technicality. Vacheron has a tendency to make some impressively complicated watches and, unfortunately, make them quite large in the process. This would never have been a problem in the old days (especially for brands like Patek, which dominated this high-end, integrated complication space), but then again, the specifications of the old days don't ...

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