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Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

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Photo Report: Pitti Uomo Summer 2026 Hodinkee
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Jul 2, 2026

Photo Report: Pitti Uomo Summer 2026

Pitti Uomo, Florence's biannual fashion week and perhaps the world's foremost gathering of stylish men, arrived this year amid an epic heatwave. Thousands of designers, buyers, and guests made the pilgrimage anyway—sleeves rolled, shorts short, shirts linen. Hodinkee was there to document what they were wearing on their wrists. Rolex Sea-Dweller. A few trends worth noting: the "vacation watch" has arrived as a legitimate category. Quirky, colorful, and valued less for their specs than for the memories attached to them. Panerais, meanwhile, are making a quiet resurgence in their home city. Steel Rolexes and Omegas remain ubiquitous, as they have been for the past two years. But the men of Pitti Uomo are increasingly hunting smaller, more obscure, and frankly more interesting pieces. A vintage Jaeger wristwatch was the highlight for me personally. Enjoy! Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 116520.  Vintage Piaget. Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Monoface Small Seconds. Panerai Luminor Power Reserve Automatic. Noah x Timex Lighthouse Watch. Rolex Bubbleback. Emilie Hawtin, founder of women's tailoring brand Clementina, with her Rolex Lady Datejust. Swatch Gent. Rolex Explorer. Baltic Tricompax Tour Auto. Longines Spirit Zulu Time. Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570. Benrus Type II. Darte x Praesidus X-1. A Longines Heritage 1945 that was inspired by a watch that Ben Clymer used to own. Q Timex Vintage Hodinkee Limited Edition. Emporio Armani Sinfonia. Cartier Santos. Cartier Tank Mus...

Introducing: The Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve In Light Blue Hodinkee
Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Jul 2, 2026

Introducing: The Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve In Light Blue

What We Know Today, Longines follows up its 2024 release of the Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve with a new colorway, adding a light blue opaline dial to the mix. Yes, this one's just a new dial color, but it offers a completely different feel from the three previous models in the very conservative shades of cream, grey, and black. The Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve serves as an homage to a 1959 model from the brand with the same kind of power reserve indication, but you can bet that they weren't doing light blue in this watch back in the day. The hue on the front is a refreshing change, but the styling on the dial otherwise remains the same, with a sector dial framing the unique power reserve indicator right in the center. What makes it interesting is that the power reserve isn't just displayed by a rotating pointer, but rather by a dance between the two discs of the power-reserve hours track and the inner pointer.  This means that, depending on how you've wound the watch, the positioning of the pointer from full to empty may not always be the same on the dial. This certainly makes for a less intuitive setup, though in all fairness, this piece of information is probably secondary compared to the time and date, for things you'd need at a glance. A date window sits at twelve o'clock, nicely framed in an appliqué, and is accompanied by applied hour markers throughout. The case is well-proportioned for a wide range of wrist sizes, although rather tall for a ...

Introducing the Temporal Works Series A “Rambler” Worn & Wound
Jul 1, 2026

Introducing the Temporal Works Series A “Rambler”

Temporal Works, the brand brought to you by Armoury founder Mark Cho and the Armoury’s creative director Elliot Hammer, is only about six months removed from their first release at the end of last year. Today, they’ve unveiled the next watch in their Series A collection, dubbed the Rambler. It’s a slight tweak on the simple idea that defined the Series A in the first place. According to Cho, he thought of that watch as something that should be as straightforward and effortlessly elegant as a well tailored navy blazer. If that first batch of Series A watches could be thought of as trading in a somewhat elevated level of refinement, the new Series A Rambler takes a similar approach but with a more rugged perspective.  The new Rambler takes a more tool watch forward approach than its predecessor in a few key ways. First, the case has been finished with a bead blasting process and forgoes the polishing of the original Series A, making it immediately more of a casual, toned down piece. Matte dials in “Black Sesame” and “Red Bean” feel both classic and kind of earthy, with handset designs borrowed from historic pilot watches. It’s a tasteful, sector dial with the brand’s logo appearing at the 4:00 position, and no additional text to speak of. Straps are also appropriately casual, with the black dial pairing with an olive canvas strap, and the red dial one in gray Alcantara.  The Series A Rambler is sized at 37mm in diameter and 45mm from lug to lug. It’s 10...

Watching Movies: Hamilton Outfits Two Central Characters In Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day' Hodinkee
Hamilton Outfits Two Central Characters Jul 1, 2026

Watching Movies: Hamilton Outfits Two Central Characters In Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day'

We're in the thick of summer now, and with it comes days at the beach, ice cream trucks, and perhaps even a trip to the movies for the summer blockbuster, which this year is Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day. The film opened to $44 million domestically and has climbed to $195 million after three weeks in theaters. Hamilton has used the occasion to continue its nearly century-long tradition of working with filmmakers, outfitting two of the film's central characters with watches of their own. Disclosure Day follows a race between those trying to reveal a long-hidden truth and the forces working to keep it buried. In the film, Josh O'Connor's Dr. Daniel Kellner wears a Khaki Field Mechanical, while Noah Scanlon, another central character, is played by Colin Firth and wears a Jazzmaster Open Heart. Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm. Why We're Watching Disclosure Day marks the first time Hamilton has placed a watch in a film directed by Spielberg—he produced, but didn't direct, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which means this is new ground for a relationship that's typically run through Christopher Nolan. Notably, there likely isn't a watch to be found in Nolan's highly anticipated The Odyssey. Josh O'Connor in Disclosure Day. Photo courtesy of Hamilton. That history with Nolan is worth dwelling on, because it's arguably the high point of Hamilton's film work. Interstellar gave us "The Murph," the Hamilton Pilot's Watch worn by Matthew McConaughey's Cooper across de...

Review: the Makina Andras II Worn & Wound
Jun 30, 2026

Review: the Makina Andras II

I love it when a little sub-genre in watches emerges as an area of near obsession. I’m sure some of my fellow hyper fixated readers know exactly what I’m talking about. This happens in other areas of our lives as well, and it might be easier to identify across more mainstream interests. For example, there was that month during the pandemic where I decided, quite compulsively, to watch and rewatch every David Fincher film, plus his many commercials (this one is perfect) and music videos, in chronological order. I also spent years, on and off, but always with real intention, collecting the first pressing of every Tom Waits album. You get the idea – it’s the collector’s mentality, zeroed in on something hyper specific.  And so it is with square and rectangular watches, as of late. But not just square and rectangular watches. I’m talking about square and rectangular watches that break free of the confines of the dress watch style most often associated with this classic case shape. Over the last few years, there have been more than a handful of watches with 90 degree angles that aspire to sportiness, and I’m finding myself more and more drawn to them. That, indeed, was what drew me to the Makina Andras II seen here, a watch that plays with genre expectations in a really fun way from a brand that has, as should be obvious from these photos, a completely unique point of view and design language.  Before diving into the Andras, let’s calibrate around some other n...

In Partnership - Gatherings: The Porsche Way Of Swiss Watchmaking Comes To Watches Of Switzerland SoHo Hodinkee
Porsche Design s new watch manufacture Jun 30, 2026

In Partnership - Gatherings: The Porsche Way Of Swiss Watchmaking Comes To Watches Of Switzerland SoHo

Hot on the heels of the opening of Porsche Design's new watch manufacture in Grenchen, Switzerland, Hodinkee and Watches of Switzerland (the exclusive authorized watch retailer of Porsche Design in the U.S.), hosted an evening with the brand here in New York City. The night served as a perfect window for local collectors to explore Porsche Design's approach to watchmaking, including the latest watches and an impressive selection of heritage timepieces from the brand. After some time spent mingling and socializing along a bay of new and vintage Porsche 911s parked on Greene Street, attention turned to the conversation between Hodinkee Editor TanTan Wang and Porsche Design Brand Ambassador (and actor) Orlando Bloom. In a wide-ranging discussion, TanTan and Orlando discussed the history of Porsche Design watches, highlights from their shared visit to the brand's newly opened Swiss Manufacture, and speculation about what's to come from the iconic design house. Housed at the base of the Jura Mountains, in the former home of Eterna Watches, the new headquarters of Porsche Design Timepieces represents a clear example of "The Porsche Way" of watchmaking. Since Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche expanded his design philosophy from cars into the large Porsche Design lifestyle brand in the 1970s, the new factory allows the brand to further its extraordinary level of technological innovation and intelligent design. A watchmaker from the newly opened Swiss Manufacture showcased the ...

First Look - The New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue Monochrome
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Jun 30, 2026

First Look - The New Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Sport Chronograph Ultra-Cermet Mineral Blue

Designed as a “weekend watch for a Parmigiani customer” and comprising the time-and-date Automatic and Chronograph lines, with both date and no-date configurations in exciting colour combinations, the Tonda PF Sport collection (introduced in 2023) added an Ultra-Cermet model in 2025, bringing something genuinely new to high-end watchmaking. With it, Parmigiani Fleurier became the first […]

Hands-On With A. Lange & Sohne’s 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Pink Gold WatchAdvice
A. Lange & Sohne s 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Jun 29, 2026

Hands-On With A. Lange & Sohne’s 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar Pink Gold

A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar brings together high complications, vintage-inspired design and a stunning pink-gold dial in one deeply romantic expression of haute horlogerie! What We Love Traditional pocket watch inspired vintage case design Pink gold dial suits this model perfectly and captures it in the best light Two romantic high-complications of rattrapante and perpetual calendar are showcased beautifully What We Don’t No lume for low-light legibility The case thickness may be large for some This classic pocket-watch inspired design may not be practical for daily wear Overall Rating: 9.4 / 10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar is one of those timepieces that immediately reminds you why the Saxon manufacture is held in such high regard. It brings together so much of what makes German watchmaking special, but does so in a way that leaves you genuinely in awe. I recently did a video on this watch, sharing my thoughts on what makes it so special, and my opinion still has not changed: this is easily one of my top three favourite models from the brand. But enough of me drooling over it, let’s get into what makes this timepiece so remarkable. The A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Perpetual Calendar was first introduced in 2013 as a milestone in Lange’s modern chronograph history. As the name suggests, the timepiece brings together a rat...

D1 Milano and Artist Peter Tarka Collaborate on an “Impossible” Watch Design Worn & Wound
Ming watch brands may have Jun 29, 2026

D1 Milano and Artist Peter Tarka Collaborate on an “Impossible” Watch Design

Thoughts and attitudes toward Kickstarter funded watch projects have shifted pretty dramatically over the years. It used to be incredibly common for microbrands to break on Kickstarter with community funded projects, and indeed some of our favorite brands trace their roots to a Kickstarter campaign. But as the saying goes, one bad apple spoils the bunch, and a very small percentage of opportunists, hype artists, or some combination thereof among the larger group of up and coming watch brands may have helped to contribute to an environment where skepticism about the motives of a brand prevailed over enthusiasm. There are still cool projects on Kickstarter, but it’s no longer the dedicated proving ground it once was, and it has increasingly become a platform for established brands to introduce products that might not fit into their normal catalog or release cycle.  And that’s how we find an unlikely Kickstarter campaign from the Italian brand D1 Milano. They’ve been around since 2013, so they’re hardly new to the watch enthusiast stage, yet find themselves on Kickstarter with a project that is a little outside their usual scope. The Impossible Watch is a collaboration with 3D artist Peter Tarka, and based on a retro-futuristic 3D composition by the artist that is being framed as “technically impossible in its original form.”  I’ll be honest here and say that I’m not sure how “impossible” this idea ever really could have been, as the watch itself is, whe...

Watches, Stories, & Gear: the Complete Kubrick, the Honda Element Returns, and a Coat for Book Lovers Worn & Wound
Jun 27, 2026

Watches, Stories, & Gear: the Complete Kubrick, the Honda Element Returns, and a Coat for Book Lovers

“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. The Complete Kubrick I think an unspoken goal for many writers (myself included) is to one day have one’s surname become an adjective. For me, with a novel and nearly a decade of bylines trailing behind me, I sometimes wonder what “Braleyan” could be described as – my guess would be something wildly pretentious and with only a loose understanding of how a credit score works.  And so, for the time being at least, I leave the eponymous adjectives to those only slightly more well-known artists and thinkers who have come before me. Here are some examples:  The current times we live in are Orwellian I have a Pavlovian reaction to put in the CVC on my credit card whenever Nordstrom has a sale. The stare my pug-mix has on his face when I don’t wake up to give him his breakfast can only be described as Kubrickian. That one is my personal favourite, Kubrickian. I use it regularly to describe a variety of situations, being one of the few shorthands I have that perfectly sums up the very specific feeling of being unsettled, in a strange, slightly sterile environment (I am, of course, talking about any time I visit a Buc-ees).  And luckily for me, I will soon be able ...

The Power of Color: A New Dial Shade Joins the echo/neutra Rivanera Collection Worn & Wound
Cartier Heuer Omega Jun 26, 2026

The Power of Color: A New Dial Shade Joins the echo/neutra Rivanera Collection

I got my start in the watch industry in the pre-owned and vintage arena. With that entry point, the foundation of my horological knowledge was based largely in the traditional sector (think the big three, Cartier, Heuer, Omega, and the like). As my career path has led me to watch journalism, my appetite has expanded exponentially, but I have to confess: more traditional brands are still my safe space if you will. In my years contributing to Worn & Wound, I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone in the most rewarding way – discovering a vast world of watchmaking beyond traditional brands that regularly energizes and surprises me. So, once again, a brand came across my virtual desk that was new to me despite being a staple at Worn & Wound: echo/neutra. As I scrolled through the stories on the site, I landed on one by Zach Kazan from 2024 detailing the launch of the collection that’s expanding today, the Rivanera, and I immediately noticed his sentiments on the element of surprise, “those moments of surprise, seeing or reading about a watch that you didn’t expect or couldn’t have conceived of.”Just like his first impressions of the echo/neutra Rivanera collection two years back, I too am surprised by how instantly drawn I was to this model in its latest incarnation. Today, the Ros’Antico joins the lineup, bringing both a liveliness and a softness to the collection with a simple touch of color. The surprises continue with how profoundly color can ignite a new pe...

Brew Introduces the Metric Copper, their Latest Manually Wound Watch Worn & Wound
Brew Introduces Jun 25, 2026

Brew Introduces the Metric Copper, their Latest Manually Wound Watch

Is there a brand that more completely blurs the line between the definition of “microbrand” and “independent brand” than Brew? It depends, of course, on how you define each term. If a brand needs to exist in the haute horlogerie space and craft movements or other components from scratch in an artisanal way to be considered “independent,” then Brew will probably never qualify under those terms. But if your criteria is an intentional, well defined point of view on watchmaking with a clear, instantly recognizable design language, all executed according to the singular creative vision of the brand’s founder, Brew easily fits. I’ve never been one to see microbrand as a pejorative or diminishing label, but in Brew’s case I might argue that it doesn’t necessarily reflect the brand’s growth over the last decade, and the widespread recognition and popularity they’ve found outside of the enthusiast space.  Importantly, Brew continues to find interesting ways to iterate on the themes established since the brand’s founding by Jonathan Ferrer, the founder and designer behind the brand. It would be easy for Brew to simply pump out new colorways for successful models, but instead they’ve taken steps (sometimes, admittedly, slower than some collectors and enthusiasts would like) to gradually expand what people think of when they consider what Brew actually is. To that end, their latest watch is a new version of their manually wound Metric (with a Swiss movemen...

Introducing: The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate (Now In 38mm) Hodinkee
Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate Now Jun 25, 2026

Introducing: The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate (Now In 38mm)

What We Know Today, Blancpain has downsized its ultra-thin Villeret Ultraplate dress watch, with new options in 38mm for greater wearability. The previous 40mm options of the 'Golden Hour' series, which I covered last October, remain, but the 38mm options are going to be much more appealing all around as proper dress watches. The case still remains incredibly thin, especially for a self-winding watch, at 8.35mm, but the 38mm downsizing now offers a short 43.35mm lug-to-lug measurement for small wrists and those who prefer the more traditional proportion of how a dress watch should look on the wrist. Here, four options are presented within these new measurements: three with stainless steel cases, and one in 18K red gold. The dial design continues the visual update introduced last October in the Villeret series, with simplified Roman numerals, the applied "JB" logo at 12 o'clock (standing for Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, who the brand credits as the founder), slim but still lumed leaf hands, and a skeletonized rotor. In stainless steel, there are three dial colors available. Salmon is a first for the Villeret collection, with a copper-hued dial paired with anthracite-coated 18K gold numerals. My favorite of the lineup, the Villeret Ultraplate featuring a warm champagne-hued dial with 18K yellow gold numerals set within a steel case with a green nubuck strap, will be offered as a boutique exclusive. More classic pairings of white gold numerals in a steel case and red gold numeral...

Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 Refresh Arrives - with Tapered Quick-Adjust Bracelets SJX Watches
Grand Seiko s Evolution 9 Refresh Jun 25, 2026

Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 Refresh Arrives - with Tapered Quick-Adjust Bracelets

The much-anticipated refresh of Grand Seiko’s Evolution 9 line has arrived with new bracelets for six existing dials, as well as a newcomer and a mid-sized version of the fan favorite Lake Suwa. This brings much improved bracelets to Grand Seiko’s upmarket (and very successful) Evolution 9 line, fueling Seiko’s global ambitions for its flagship luxury brand. Moonlit Lake Suwa (SLGB007) Initial thoughts If the UFA Ushio Diver launched earlier this year proved anything, it’s that Grand Seiko is listening to its customers, and those customers want slim watches, case back power reserve indicators, better bracelets, and a tool-less quick adjust clasp. The Evolution 9 line, launched six years ago in 2020, met half of these requirements, being let down by only the bracelet. With this refresh, the Evolution 9 becomes an even more competitive, and compelling, collection. Grand Seiko’s in-house quick-adjust clasp. Image – Seiko Watch Corporation Unfortunately, the changes also come with a significant movement downgrade for the Spring Drive models, replacing the extended power reserve cal. 9RA2 with the simplified cal. 9RB2. That said, the UFA designation will be seen as a significant upgrade to all but the nerdiest collectors, making it a coup for Grand Seiko as the new movement adds value for the customer while presumably being less expensive to manufacture. Cal, 9RB2. Image – Seiko Watch Corporation But before you run out to buy one of the five-day Spring Drive watch...

Grand Seiko Announces a Major Refresh for the Evolution 9 Collection Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Announces Jun 24, 2026

Grand Seiko Announces a Major Refresh for the Evolution 9 Collection

Grand Seiko has announced a major refresh in their Evolution 9 collection across multiple metals and movements, and incorporating enthusiast favorite dial designs. A total of nine new watches have been announced as part of the update, and together they serve as what appears to be a new standard for Grand Seiko’s flagship collection. There’s a lot to chew on here, and depending on what interests you about Grand Seiko (or where you feel they have shortcomings) a number of different aspects of this update might be what draws you in. Everything they’ve announced, though, represents tangible improvement over what came before.  First, the news that many enthusiasts will probably zero in on immediately: Grand Seiko’s micro-adjustable clasp now appears to be standard. After introducing it last year in a limited fashion, there were plenty of gripes about backwards compatibility and options for the future. The message here seems to be that the more heavily tapered bracelet with micro-adjustment built into the clasp will be a regular feature across Evolution 9 watches. Importantly, for these releases, that applies to both 37mm and 40mm references.  Grand Seiko is also standardizing their premium alloys in steel and titanium in the Evolution 9 collection. Of the new watches introduced this week, the seven in steel are all in Grand Seiko’s Ever-Brilliant Steel alloy, which has a more lustrous shine and shows off Grand Seiko’s finishing more dramatically than standard stee...

Auctions: French Soccer Legend Zinédine Zidane Talks Watches And Why He's Offering His First Cartier To A Special Charity Sale Hodinkee
Cartier Jun 24, 2026

Auctions: French Soccer Legend Zinédine Zidane Talks Watches And Why He's Offering His First Cartier To A Special Charity Sale

Zinédine Zidane is football (soccer) royalty in France. Having played for his home country in the World Cup three times, he led Les Bleus to victory in 1998 and made the final in 2006, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.  Photo credit: Alex Teuscher Before becoming a manager coach at Real Madrid, Zidane, known as 'Zizou', also had a prestigious career in professional soccer as an attacking midfielder at a host of European clubs, including Juventus. Widely regarded as one of the best players in history, he rose to prominence early in his career in the French Ligue 1 at FC Girondins de Bordeaux. And it was in Bordeaux that Zidane bought his first proper watch, a Cartier Pasha. Now that watch will be sold at a charity auction for ELA International as part of the Watches For ELA auction by Christie's on November 9 in Geneva. Zidane has been a supporter of ELA International - the European Leukodystrophies Association - for a quarter century. The non-profit organization is dedicated to defeating leukodystrophies—rare, genetic diseases that destroy the central nervous system. They fund medical research, support affected families, raise public awareness, and advocate for universal newborn screening. With the 2026 World Cup in full swing and on North American soil, we asked Zidane about his passion for watches, his support for ELA International, and why this Cartier has special meaning for the French soccer legend.   Zidane's Cartier Pasha.Photo credit: Al...

Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet Join Watches & Wonders 2027 Worn & Wound
Breitling Universal Genève Jun 23, 2026

Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet Join Watches & Wonders 2027

As the summer begins, next year’s Watches & Wonders (and the larger trade show agenda) is beginning to take shape. News broke this morning that Watches & Wonders will be adding several new brands to their show, which is slated for April 5-11 in Geneva, and will once again be held at Palexpo. The big story is that House of Brands, the new group fronted by Georges Kern including Breitling, Universal Geneve, and Gallet, will have space at Watches & Wonders 2027. Breitling has never participated in Watches & Wonders, but for as long as the show has existed, the brand has held parallel events in Geneva or events timed just before the show itself. Now they will be in the thick of it, along with their two sibling brands in a newly formed luxury group, each sitting at different ends of the market. We covered Universal Geneve’s return here. Gallet, to this point, has not made any announcements as far as products or availability, but they are expected to sit at a price point a tier below Breitling.  The Breitling news comes a week after the surprise announcement of an entirely new show to be held in Basel next year. The new fair, Basilia, is set to debut in April and is a product of MCH Group and Informa Markets. According to a press release, Basilia expects to attract more than 400 exhibitors, including “manufacturers, designers, brands, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and sourcing specialists from around the world.” No word yet on any specific brands that have signed...

Chanel’s Chessboard is a Modern Métiers d’Art Masterpiece SJX Watches
Cartier made such items Jun 23, 2026

Chanel’s Chessboard is a Modern Métiers d’Art Masterpiece

Chanel christened its watch collection for the year “Coco Game”, a theme that informs the pixellated video game motifs found on some watches and also the flagship creation that is the endgame as such things go. The Chessboard is self descriptive, but it is much more than an 8×8 board with 32 chess pieces. A one-off creation that is already sold, the Chessboard is impressive by the numbers alone: 1.5 kg of gold, 110 carats of diamonds, and a retail price of over US$4 million. But where is the watch you might ask? There are two: each of the queens is actually a pendant watch with a tiny dial on its base, and the set is delivered with a single chain for the winner to wear a pendant watch. The queen takes the form of Coco Chanel dressed in the brand’s signature tweed suit Initial thoughts I’ve always been a fan of Chanel’s impossibly extravagant objet d’art, which in past years have ranged from a musical automaton clock to a planetarium-clock. This year’s one-off creation trumps them all in scale, complexity, decoration, and of course price. In tangible terms, the Chessboard is clearly a trophy for the home or office, or a game board for a wealthy chess fan. Ridiculously lavish board games and toys have a long history — jewellers like Faberge and Cartier made such items in times past. In fact, some of Faberge’s fabled Imperial Easter Eggs contained surprises that were actually tiny toys. The Chessboard, however, is distinctively 21st century in both material...

Hands On: Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Annual Calendar SJX Watches
Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Annual Calendar Twenty Jun 22, 2026

Hands On: Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Annual Calendar

Twenty years since the original Venus’s debut, Dutch independent Christiaan van der Klaauw (CVDK) upgrades the concept with the Venus Annual Calendar featuring a stellar automatic movement and an austere new “astronomical” dial. The Annual Calendar supplements the more traditional Venus Zodiac, which shares the same 38 mm case and upgraded base calibre. Initial thoughts The next generation of CVDK’s Venus comes in two flavours that act as foils to each other, pitched by the brand as representing astronomy and astrology. While the Zodiac variant is a familiar blue aventurine glass affair, much like the original Venus launched back in 2006, the instrument-like white Annual Calendar version is new to the Venus family. Western sun-sign astrology divides the sky into 30° slices, each named after a constellation such as Virgo or Scorpio, with whichever slice the sun occupies being the current sign. CVDK’s planetariums normally include both an annual calendar and the 12 signs of the zodiac, so dropping the latter might seem like a loss for an astronomical watch. The duo would make an ideal set, but are currently only solid individually. However, these popular sun-signs do not match the actual locations nor sizes of the constellations. For example, the slice marked ︎ for Cancer actually contains the Gemini constellation, while Sagittarius (︎) accommodates Sagittarius and Scorpio. In some ways, the zodiacs were just bloat, and separating the two makes both watches st...

Watches, Stories, & Gear: the Criterion Cinema Pop Up, a Record Setting Flop, and the World’s Highest Rolex Boutique Worn & Wound
Rolex Boutique “Watches Stories Jun 20, 2026

Watches, Stories, & Gear: the Criterion Cinema Pop Up, a Record Setting Flop, and the World’s Highest Rolex Boutique

“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. The Biggest Box Office Flop Of All Time Look, I’m not one to take pleasure in another person’s failure. Lord knows I’ve had my fair share of them (for example: I once sold timeshares after dropping out of law school – go ahead and laugh, my schadenfreude-inclined readers). But even still, when it comes to a flop this massive…well, brother, even I’m going to take notice. According to SlashFilm, the biggest flop in Hollywood title now belongs to Desert Warrior, Rupert Wyatt’s historical action epic starring Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley, and Sharlto Copley. The film reportedly cost $150 million to make and earned just $742,066 worldwide, bringing back roughly 0.5% of its production budget in theaters. With very little post-theatrical marketing, I doubt this will get any big wins anytime soon. The best Wyatt et al. can hope for is a few royalty checks coming from those big $5 DVD bins at Wal-Mart, if you ask me. The Transformers: The Movie Getting Theatrical Re-Release I wasn’t big into cars growing up (surprise, surprise), but I was big into animals. Because of this, the only Transformers I liked was the short-lived Beast Wars from 1996, when ...

Ulysse Nardin Debuts a New Generation of Freak X Worn & Wound
Ulysse Nardin Debuts Jun 19, 2026

Ulysse Nardin Debuts a New Generation of Freak X

One of the more interesting phenomenons in higher end watches is taking a bold, brash, complex design and deciding to make it simpler and more streamlined. You could argue that this goes against the whole point of such a design, but of course it’s a way for a brand to draw additional, perhaps less adventurous, customers. It also makes for a watch that is more approachable from a financial perspective as well, which is an additional added benefit if you’re trying to grow your customer base of exotic watch buyers used to six figure Super Watches.  The Freak X is maybe my favorite example of this. It begs the impossible question: what is a more sedate Freak, exactly, and why would we want one? I’m a huge Freak fan. It’s importance in the avant-garde and independent watchmaking world simply cannot be underestimated. But, I think we all have to admit, it’s a tough watch to get your arms around in its traditional Freak form. It’s crownless, dial-less, hand-less, and is that rare watch that truly does need a bit of an explainer to the uninitiated. It’s not immediately intuitive. The Freak X attempts to solve this by cloaking the Freak in the guise of a normal watch, at least to the extent that’s even possible.  Ulysse Nardin has just introduced a new generation of the Freak X, coinciding with the Freak’s 25th anniversary. It’s a complement of sorts to the Super Freak, the freakiest Freak ever, unveiled earlier this year at Watches & Wonders. The new Freak X ...

Photo Report: The 2026 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este With A. Lange & Söhne Hodinkee
A. Lange & Sohne Jun 18, 2026

Photo Report: The 2026 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este With A. Lange & Söhne

"It's hard to think of anywhere else on the planet that combines scenic beauty, history, and automotive culture as harmoniously as the Villa d'Este on Lake Como." That's the official program's own description of the Concorso d'Eleganza at Villa d'Este, and after spending a weekend on the shores of Lake Como in the company of A. Lange & Söhne, I'm struggling to beat that. Concorso d'Eleganza, Villa d'Este The Concorso dates back to 1929, and while it paused during the war, it returned in the 1990s and has since become one of the most significant automotive gatherings on earth, with the BMW Group taking on title sponsorship in 2001. Every May, it spreads across Villa d'Este and the neighboring Villa Erba, with pre-war coachwork, Italian icons, and concept cars arranged throughout the terraced gardens and lakeside promenade of what was once a 16th-century cardinal's home. The new Lange Cabaret Tourbillon in Honeygold This edition of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este was of particular note for A. Lange & Söhne, as it marked the 15th year that the brand had been a partner, and the brand coincided the event with the announcement of the Honeygold Cabaret Tourbillon. TanTan is your man to learn everything you need to know about that watch here (although I will add that the return of the Cabaret, not only in Honeygold but also with a hacking tourbillon, is a real sight to behold) The connection between Lange and the Concorso runs far deeper than a hospitality tent, as CEO Wilh...

Introducing: Citizen's New "The Citizen" And Attesa Recrystalized Titanium Limited Edition Eco-Drives Hodinkee
Citizen s New Jun 17, 2026

Introducing: Citizen's New "The Citizen" And Attesa Recrystalized Titanium Limited Edition Eco-Drives

What We Know Citizen recently announced two new limited-edition models as part of its celebration of the 50th Anniversary of its light-powered Eco-Drive movements. For those not in the know, Eco-Drive relies on any light source—not just solar—to power the movement and build a pretty impressive power reserve (in most cases). That adage holds true for the watches that they released most recently. Let's start with the one that will probably resonate the most with our audience: the new limited-edition version of "The Citizen." Limited to only 400 pieces, the watch features a relatively classic case design, measuring 40mm by 12.2mm, with the brand's proprietary Super Titanium case treated with Duratect Platinum. This is capped by what the brand calls its deep indigo-blue Tosa washi paper dial, with gold-colored (not true gold) accents on the applied indices and date surround. Washi paper, a special type of Japanese mulberry paper, was hand-dyed using natural lye fermentation to create a deep indigo color while preserving the paper's texture. More specifically, the color, called Kachi-iro, is a deep shade of indigo that is traditionally considered lucky because it is pronounced in the same way as the word for "victory color." Inside the case is the Cal. A060 Eco-Drive movement. When fully powered up, it has 18 months of power when in power-save mode. In addition to hours, minutes, and seconds (and hands and indices with lume), the movement has a clever perpetual calendar set...

Ulysse Nardin Debuts Freak X Second Generation SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Debuts Freak X Second Jun 17, 2026

Ulysse Nardin Debuts Freak X Second Generation

The second-generation Ulysse Nardin (UN) Freak X proves that good things can come in small(er) packages, with an all-new micro-rotor calibre powering the Freak’s signature ‘flying carousel’ architecture. The new movement debuts in a smaller 41 mm steel case with an interchangeable strap system. Initial thoughts There’s a lot to like about the updated Freak X. It retains the wandering tourbillon-style architecture that UN describes as a flying carousel, powered by an all-new micro-rotor calibre that’s been upgraded with the brand’s DiamonSil escapement package. It’s also noticeably smaller than the outgoing model, while boasting superior water resistance thanks in part to the collection’s first screw-down crown. Strap options have been expanded thanks to an interchangeable strap system that includes a stainless steel bracelet. These upgrades come with a modest increase to retail pricing, which starts at US$41,200 — essentially the same price as one of the special edition versions of the first-generation Freak X. Some will mourn the ‘downgrade’ from titanium to steel, but that’s a relatively minor issue given the reduced case size, and furthermore the release of titanium options in the future seems all but guaranteed. Smaller but better When the Freak debuted 25 years ago, it shocked the industry with its novel construction, which integrated the entire going train and escapement into an enormous minutes hand. The Freak X keeps the overall look mostly ...

J.N. Shapiro Introduces the Radiant, a Monopusher Chronograph and an Expansion of their Infinity Series Worn & Wound
Bremont Jun 16, 2026

J.N. Shapiro Introduces the Radiant, a Monopusher Chronograph and an Expansion of their Infinity Series

It’s easy to think of J.N. Shapiro as a brand largely focused on a style of watchmaking from an earlier generation. But that’s a trap. While the design language is rooted in classicism and J.N. Shapiro prides itself on the highest level execution of traditional guilloche, the brand has also been open to experimenting with materials in a way that many other contemporary indies have embraced to great success in recent years. Their new watch, the Radiant, enters the Infinity Series with a host of exotic materials at its core, and the watch serves as a reminder that while J.N. Shapiro is capable of doing things in an old school way, and might lean into that at times, the brand is not opposed to taking a modern perspective on some of these old fashioned ideas.  J.N. Shapiro’s Southern California manufacture sits at the heart of the American aerospace industry, and that connection serves as a loose inspiration for the Radiant, a new monopusher chronograph that is a bit of a sequel to their first chrono, released just last year in a very small run for Escapement, a Boston area collector’s group. Watches that are linked to aerospace are nothing new, but usually watches in this genre are conceived as fit for an astronaut, or something along those lines (there’s been a glut of space-travel oriented watches just this year, from IWC, Bremont, and others). J.N. Shapiro takes a different approach, focusing on materials that are closely tied to the industry and have unique app...

Hands-On Review With The TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph WatchAdvice
TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph TAG Heuer’s Jun 13, 2026

Hands-On Review With The TAG Heuer Monaco Evergraph

TAG Heuer’s Monaco Evergraph may just be the best Monaco yet. A redesigned case, a new look dial, and of course, the new TH80 movement. We took it for a spin to see how it stacks up. What We Love: The new innovative TH80 movement Refined case makes for a better wearing experience Overall look is sporty and modern What We Don’t: The new clasp doesn’t allow for an exact fit on the wrist The watch does wear larger on the wrist visually, so check the sizing if you have smaller wrists The lack of versatility due to the Monaco design. it is a sports watch through and through Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 When TAG Heuer unveiled the Monaco Evergraph at Watches & Wonders 2026, it immediately became one of the show’s most talked-about releases. Why? Because it housed a completely new chronograph movement developed over several years by TAG Heuer Lab in collaboration with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. The Monaco itself is no stranger to innovation. Since its debut in 1969 as one of the world’s first automatic chronographs and one of the first waterproof square-cased watches, it has always had a special place in TAG Heuer’s collection. The design has never been universally loved, but that’s arguably part of its appeal. More than half a century later, it remains one of the most recognisable watch designs in the industry. Steve McQueen made the Monaco famous in Le Mans, but it wasn’t an instant hit,...

Industry News: Ronda Returns to Mechanical Movements with the Impressive R01 Worn & Wound
Seiko Jun 12, 2026

Industry News: Ronda Returns to Mechanical Movements with the Impressive R01

Typically, not a lot happens in the world of third-party mechanical watch movements. The ETA2824 reigned supreme for decades until Swatch Group stopped openly supplying them, giving way primarily to Sellita, Soprod, and La Joux Perret on the Swiss side, and Miyota and Seiko on the Japanese side. For the most part, the catalogs of those brands stayed relatively unchanged for many years, but now, it appears that there’s a bit of an arms race happening. The days of 42-hour power reserves are over, and brands are now vying for features and specifications once limited to more expensive calibers; to that end, there have been a series of interesting events/releases. First, the COSC announced the creation of the “Excellence Chronometer” standard with a -2/+4 accuracy standard among other considerations. Sellita launched the SW200-2 Power + movements with 65-hour reserves, new gear trains, and other improvements. The CEO of La Joux Perret spoke about the upcoming G-200 caliber, which will feature a 72-hour reserve and antimagnetic properties, on the Hodinkee podcast. And this week, a very exciting new automatic was announced by a surprising source: Ronda. The R150 launched in 2016 Ronda is a well-known Swiss manufacturer that was founded in 1946. Over their 80 years of existence, they have specialized in many things, from component manufacturing to ebauchés and full mechanical movements to, beginning in the 1970s, quartz calibers, which is what they are best known for today....

First Look - The Longines Master Collection Gets a Complete Overhaul Monochrome
Longines Master Collection Gets Jun 11, 2026

First Look - The Longines Master Collection Gets a Complete Overhaul

Since 2005, the Longines Master Collection has been the brand’s flagship line of traditional mechanical watchmaking. While the collection includes more complex models such as chronographs, moon phases and GMTs, the core, conservative Master Collection mainly comprises time-only models. The latest news from the winged hourglass brand is the release of the new, fully redesigned […]