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Results for AHCI (Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants)

3,202 articles · 303 videos found · page 27 of 117

Audemars Piguet Upgrades the Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Upgrades Feb 4, 2026

Audemars Piguet Upgrades the Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm

Audemars Piguet (AP) updates the Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph 38 mm with a new manufacture calibre, sapphire display back, while slightly tweaking the iconic design – and retaining the price of its predecessor. The new cal. 6401 comes with welcome quality-of-life improvements such as a longer power reserve and instantaneous date without tradeoffs in wearability, beat rate, or even cost, making this compact chronograph one of the most sensible and compelling offerings in the Royal Oak line. Initial Thoughts AP debuted the first Royal Oak chronograph in 1997 and it was powered by the Frederic Piguet cal. 1185, a landmark movement for automatic chronograph design. Now, nearly three decades later, AP is a true industrialised manufacture, and the cal. 1185 has been replaced with the new cal. 6401, a modern movement that with meaningful upgrades under the hood. This also comes with some minute tweaks to the dial and a crowd pleasing display case back, while the case and bracelet remain as excellent as always. Laudably, this comes without a significant price increase, with the new Royal Oak Chronograph 38 mm in steel costing only 3.6% more than its predecessor. New Engine AP’s new cal. 6401 is a solidly-spec’ed movement despite being small and thin for a modern chronograph. It’s wide and taller than the Frederic Piguet cal. 1185 but only slightly. It is 27 mm in diameter (up from 26.2 mm) and 5.7 mm tall (up from 5.5 mm) though even with the addition of a sapphire ...

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The Dawn of Heuer Dive Watches: How A House of Chronographs Saved Itself By Embracing The Depths Worn & Wound
Piaget Feb 3, 2026

The Dawn of Heuer Dive Watches: How A House of Chronographs Saved Itself By Embracing The Depths

Few other watchmakers enjoyed as much success and cachet as Heuer, especially during the fervent 1960s and 1970s. Not only had it launched one of the world’s first automatic chronographs, but it pushed the envelope on modern design with midcentury-cool chronographs like the uniquely square Monaco. Heuer was riding high on the glamor of Grand Prix: the Heuer shield was as indelible to the backdrops of Monza and Le Mans as Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren themselves as the official timekeeper of Formula One.  But, inevitably, the quartz revolution came for Heuer. Jack Heuer was the third-generation CEO of the company that bore his name, and he had been a savvy marketer, personally hawking chronographs to drivers like Jo Siffert and Nikki Lauda. By the 1980s, however, he found himself backed into a corner, and in 1982, he was forced to sell the company to Piaget and Lemania-a humiliating low point in his life, as he recounted in his autobiography.  Yet, before he departed, he gave Heuer one saving grace. In 1979, he commissioned Heuer’s first dive watch, the Professional Series. At a trade show Jack had overheard a brief conversation about the unreliability of existing dive watches, and he aimed to emulate Rolex’s success with the Submariner and Sea-Dweller. (Incidentally, Rolex owned half of Heuer’s stock market shares, and nearly took over the company around this time.)  Photo by Blake Rong Heuer had spent the decade building an electronic timing division, which b...

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Introducing – The New Designs of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronographs in Ceramic and Titanium Monochrome
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Feb 3, 2026

Introducing – The New Designs of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronographs in Ceramic and Titanium

Since its debut in 1993, the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore has served as the brand´s most expressive, aggressive, and experimental platform. Bigger, bolder and much more muscular than the original Royal Oak, the Offshore lived up to its “Beast” nickname, while becoming a showcase for material innovation and colour exploration. The 2021 redesign marked […]

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Introducing OraOrea by Zach Starr Weiss Worn & Wound
Jan 30, 2026

Introducing OraOrea by Zach Starr Weiss

Hey, this is Zach Weiss, co-founder of Worn & Wound. As I’m sure you know, I am very into watches. I have been wearing them since a young age; they sparked my interest in design, leading me to pursue a degree in the topic, and, of course, to eventually co-found Worn & Wound in 2011. Since 2011, that interest has turned into an obsession (and career) that permeates my waking, and sometimes dreaming, life. Now, after nearly 15 years in the industry learning about, writing about, talking about, and designing watches, I’m ready to do what I’ve always dreamed of: launch a watch brand of my own. Dear readers, friends, and colleagues, it is with the utmost excitement that I announce the launch of an independent watch brand I created: The journey to get to this point began in late 2023. Over the years, I’ve designed countless watches that have gone unseen; created in my free time, drawn up on my computer. Some were just loose sketches that took an evening; others were fully fleshed-out concepts formed over months or longer. With my 40th birthday just over the horizon, I took stock of where I was in life and decided it was time to put theory into practice. The first challenge was a name. After a process of losing sleep, endless perusing of thesauruses, deep soul-searching, generating list after list – and legal fees – I landed on OraOrea (pronounced aura-aurEEya). The inspiration for the name was a genuine experience. On a late afternoon walk, working on names in my hea...

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Introducing the G-SHOCK MRGB2000KT3A “Kobayashi Masao” Worn & Wound
Jan 29, 2026

Introducing the G-SHOCK MRGB2000KT3A “Kobayashi Masao”

I’ll be honest and say it right off the bat: the G-SHOCK MRGB2000KT3A is not for me. Still, I am just one person in an endless ocean of watch enthusiasts, so I’ll try to take a look at the MRGB2000KT3A through the eyes of someone it is for. After all, I am not immune to the allure of a G-SHOCK; I’ve owned several, and they’ll always have a place in my heart as one of the first watch brands that I really loved. So, with my new persona adopted, let’s dive into the newest-and most limited-model in the MRG-B2000 series. The first notable thing about the MRGB2000KT3A is the name attached to it. Kobayashi Masao, a master metalsmith and engraver from Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, has lent his craft to the watch in a big way, etching a phoenix on the bezel. Perhaps I am making that sound rather tame, though; to clarify, the phoenix peeks out from the left side of the bezel, with flames mirroring its position on the right side. The engraving’s dramatic persona is based on the phoenix design on the tsuba iron guard-a fitting between a Japanese sword’s hilt and the blade-of Kobayashi Masao’s MR-G katana, making a connection between the watch and the artist’s own line of work. The deep-layer hardened titanium bezel wears a distinctive blue-green kurogane-iro (“iron color”) shade, thanks to a green DLC coating and brown Arc Ion Plating (AIP). Stippling further texturizes the bezel, and four emerald-capped screws sit at the 1, 5, 7, and 11 o’clock positions. No...

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Monochrome Monopusher: The Montre de Souscription 5 by Angelus SJX Watches
Angelus Jan 29, 2026

Monochrome Monopusher: The Montre de Souscription 5 by Angelus

On the heels of its sold-out collaboration with Habring² back in December, Monochrome is back with a vintage-oriented monopusher chronograph in collaboration with Angelus. The Montre de Souscription 5 Angelus Chronographe Tachymètre (MdS5) is a subtle riff on the brand’s Chronographe Télémètre, which walked away with the Chronograph Prize at least year’s Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). Initial thoughts I had the chance to see the MdS5 on the wrist of Monochrome founder Frank Geelen during Dubai Watch Week, and the watch makes a statement with its compact proportions. In fact, it could almost pass for a vintage watch. While historical reissues are made in abundance, they are often unnecessarily up-sized to suit modern tastes. At just 37 mm, the MdS5 has a tidy footprint on the wrist, and the 9.25 mm case height makes for a low profile. Interestingly, the watch could actually be a little smaller, given the compact proportions of the La Joux-Perret A5000, a manually wound monopusher chronograph movement descended from a construction first developed at THA by independent watchmaking royalty, including François-Paul Journe, Denis Flageollet, and Vianney Halter. This lineage gives the movement cachet, though the La Joux-Perret movement is in reality a distant relation of the THA (and Jaquet) original. As a souscription series, as many as 20 pieces of the MdS5 will be made, assuming enough demand, with a non-refundable deposit due up front. The watch goes o...

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Mermont’s La Parfaite Goes Platinum SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Museum Mr Delaloye personally Jan 28, 2026

Mermont’s La Parfaite Goes Platinum

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

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First Look – The Atelier Wen Millesime 2025 Perception with Pietersite Dial Monochrome
Atelier Wen Jan 28, 2026

First Look – The Atelier Wen Millesime 2025 Perception with Pietersite Dial

Since its founding, Atelier Wen has positioned itself as a link between contemporary watchmaking and Chinese cultural heritage. Created by Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron, the brand has steadily built its own design identity, drawing from architecture, traditional crafts and modern manufacturing. The Perception collection, its integrated-bracelet sports watch, has become the core expression.  Introduced […]

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Hands-On: The New Atelier Wen Millésime Perception Xuán Fratello
Atelier Wen Jan 28, 2026

Hands-On: The New Atelier Wen Millésime Perception Xuán

Today, we go hands-on with a watch from one of my favorite small brands. Atelier Wen rarely misses a beat with its releases, and the new Millésime Perception Xuán is no exception. As we’ll see, it uses a familiar platform but trades engraving for stoneworking. Plus, for those who struggle with the idea of a […] Visit Hands-On: The New Atelier Wen Millésime Perception Xuán to read the full article.

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Face Value: Why Painting on Watch Dials is Art SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin s Masterpiece Jan 27, 2026

Face Value: Why Painting on Watch Dials is Art

Fine watches have pulled double duty as decorative objects since before the invention of the hairspring in 1675. In this sense, one could almost argue that watches have been linked to art since before they were even watches in the modern sense. This relationship emerged early in part because both types of objects were made primarily for the same clientele: wealthy elite in Europe and elsewhere. Though art and watches exist for different reasons, they are both often created with eternity in mind. The noble materials and timeless designs of many fine watches, especially those of the quality that would normally be paired with a work of art, also help justify the painstaking (and costly) work of artisanal decoration, which can, in some cases, take more than a year for a single work of miniature art. Introduction to miniature painting Of all the forms of decoration that have been applied to watches, miniature paintings are an especially important genre. Historically, these miniature masterpieces have been produced primarily in enamel, though acrylic paint is increasingly used today. Much has been written about the art of miniature painting, and it would not be an exaggeration to call it a dying art, since the number of living practitioners seems to have rarely exceeded half a dozen at any given time over the past century. Vacheron Constantin’s Masterpiece on Your Wrist programme is a partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York that allows customers to commissi...

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Audemars Piguet Inaugurates Arc Manufacture in Le Brassus SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Inaugurates Arc Manufacture Jan 26, 2026

Audemars Piguet Inaugurates Arc Manufacture in Le Brassus

Audemars Piguet (AP) has formally inaugurated the Arc Manufacture in its historical home of Le Brassus. Designed by de Giuli & Portier of Geneva, the 23,700-square metre building will accommodate 700 employees under one roof - a number that would have been almost unheard of in the days of the historical établissage system. It connects to, and partially wraps around, the existing Manufacture des Forges, which was completed in 2008 and housed around 300 employees - an impressive figure for its time. The expanded manufacture should ultimately help boost production, especially considering it was designed with Industry 4.0 in mind. In other words, it’s a smart factory. This includes a Goods-to-Person (GTP) automated sort and retrieval system which uses 66 robots to pick the needed components, which are then delivered by robotic shuttle. While such systems are already used by high-volume luxury watch brands like Rolex and Omega, few haute horlogerie brands have the volumes to justify such an investment. According to AP, the GTP system saves an average of 15 seconds per operation. But more than scale, the new manufacture should deliver higher quality of product – namely superior reliability and less defects – across AP’s offerings. Like other new manufactures of its type, the Arc is extremely energy efficient as well thanks to 321 metres of electrochromic glass, which can automatically change opacity to regulate the amount of light, and heat, allowed in. The building...

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SJX Podcast: Perfectly Impractical SJX Watches
Jan 26, 2026

SJX Podcast: Perfectly Impractical

Episode 27 of the SJX Podcast opens the archives to find the most impractical and illegible watches that somehow still manage to be worthwhile despite the triumph of form over function. It’s a difficult formula to get right, and the landscape of fine watchmaking is littered with examples of watches that sacrificed too much at the altar of fashion. But those that strike the right balance are especially memorable. SJX and Brandon also discuss a couple of emerging independents from as far afield as Japan and Finland. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.    

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Fears Unveils their Limited Edition Release for British Watchmakers’ Day Worn & Wound
Fears Jan 23, 2026

Fears Unveils their Limited Edition Release for British Watchmakers’ Day

For the third year in a row, Fears will introduce a limited edition watch to be sold exclusively at British Watchmakers’ Day, which this year occurs on March 7. It continues a theme established in 2024 of using 925 Sterling Silver for the case material, a flourish that feels special and, somehow, quintessentially British. This year’s limited edition piece, the Brunswick 40 1846 Edition, debuts a new case design as well as a special lacquer dial made just for this year’s LE. It’s also an anniversary piece, as this year marks the 180th anniversary of brand founder Edwin Fear opening his first watchmaking workshop in Bristol in 1846.  This Brunswick 40 case is polished on all sides, taking full advantage of the natural lustre of 925 sterling silver. It’s also engraved with the initials of Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, the brand’s managing director, which is a nod to a tradition started with the first silver pocket watch made by Edwin Fear. Additionally, like previous British Watchmakers’ Day editions in silver, the crown is set with a single diamond to note that the case is constructed from a precious metal.  Diving into the specs, it’s worth noting that the case of this Brunswick 40 is very slightly thinner than the standard issue version. Per the spec sheet, this LE measures in at 11.1mm tall, while the typical Brunswick 40 is 11.9mm in height. That difference, you won’t be surprised to learn, likely comes down to the use of a manually wound movement in this...

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A Quick Look at the TAG Heuer Carrera Seafarer Worn & Wound
Louis Vuitton Jan 22, 2026

A Quick Look at the TAG Heuer Carrera Seafarer

LVMH Watch Week has become the first of the blast waves of new releases we can expect every year. Siloed to one group, it leans toward the high end. Actually, very high end, with the most eye-catching releases relegated to Daniel Roth, Gerald Genta, and the eponymous Louis Vuitton, the latter of which actually had the most intriguing releases of them all. “Über collector” brands the lot; there’s plenty to appreciate, especially as they lean into haute-indie aesthetics. Yet, the lack of accessibility for us mere mortals takes a bit of the fun out of it. LVMH is not exactly known as an “approachable” luxury mega-conglomerate, but at least with Zenith and TAG Heuer in its portfolio, it has some brands that lean toward enthusiasts. After spending an afternoon with Hublot, Zenith, and TAG Heuer, getting to see a sample of novelties (it was pretty clear that all are holding back for Watches & Wonders), the watch that left the strongest impression a day later was TAG’s Carrera Seafarer. A follow-up to their 2024 Hodinkee collaboration, the major differences are the new color, which is exquisite, the “beads of rice” bracelet, and widespread availability. Having never encountered the Hodinkee collab in the metal, getting to try the Seafarer on for the first time left an impression. IMAGE COURTESY OF ANALOG/SHIFT For those unfamiliar with the Seafarer’s heritage, here’s a tl;dr: they were a line of chronographs that included a unique additional complication, a t...

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First Look – The Oris Aquis Date Yangtze Jiangtun Limited Edition Monochrome
Oris Aquis Date Yangtze Jiangtun Jan 22, 2026

First Look – The Oris Aquis Date Yangtze Jiangtun Limited Edition

The Oris Aquis Date collection made a splash in 2011 as a new generation of dive watches catering to professional divers and landlubbers looking for a resilient sports watch. Characterised by its competent diving credentials and robust architecture, the Aquis Date represents Oris’ more technical, contemporary side, compared to the vintage-inspired Divers Sixty-Five line. Redesigned over […]

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Grand Seiko Brings Shibuya to Singapore SJX Watches
Grand Seiko Brings Shibuya Jan 22, 2026

Grand Seiko Brings Shibuya to Singapore

Grand Seiko’s flagship boutique in Singapore is host to Tokyo Time, an event designed to bring the vibrancy of Tokyo into the heart of Singapore. Thematically, the event focuses on the people of the world’s largest city experiencing the flow of time. As explained by Ida Idris-Low, Managing Director of Grand Seiko APAC, “Tokyo is defined by a beautiful intricacy – eight distinct districts moving in tandem, each with its own culture and cadence”. Ref. SLGH0055 White Birch in Kagurazaka. Image – Seiko Watch Corp / Gregory Harris In order to capture this, the brand enlisted New Zealand-based photographer Gregory Harris to shoot each watch in situ. The pop-up seeks to connect eight Grand Seiko watches to eight parts of Tokyo. For example, Mr Harris shot the Tentagraph ref. SLGC001 in Toyosu, a man-made island home to the world’s largest wholesale fish market. The Icefall ref. SBGH347 was paired with Roppongi, known for its museums by day and clubs by night. Ginza’s champion is the Evolution 9 U.F.A. Ice Forest ref. SLGB003 – Grand Seiko’s most significant launch of last year. Ref. SBGW301 in Daikanyama. Image – Seiko Watch Corp / Gregory Harris Hosted by Grand Seiko, Tokyo Time takes place from January 16-29 at the brand’s Marina Bay Sands boutique. The exhibition is free and open to the public without registration. For more information visit the dedicated page on Grand-Seiko.com.  

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Zenith Updates References Across the Defy Skyline Collection Worn & Wound
Zenith Updates References Across Jan 21, 2026

Zenith Updates References Across the Defy Skyline Collection

Earlier this week we brought you news of the latest in Zenith’s ongoing Revival series, but the big news for the brand coming out of LVMH Watch Week is a big expansion of the contemporary Defy collection at all levels. As a certified Defy-head, this move has my full support. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Defy has long been my favorite sports watch line, full stop. I’m a huge fan of the way the modern Defy combines a funky, avant-garde design sensibility with real sports watch chops (these watches are truly built like tanks, and have been since the 1960s). The latest Defys to enter the collection span the breadth of Zenith’s range as a watchmaker, from the simple and straightforward to the highly exotic.  We’ll start with the simple. The Defy Skyline 36 has a pair of new variants, with silver dials joining previously issued versions in blue, ice blue, green, and pink. You can have your silver dialed Defy Skyline 36 with or without a diamond set bezel. As with earlier versions of the Defy Skyline in this size, the option for a diamond bezel reveals that Zenith hopes to market these watches to the women’s market, but 36mm is actually a great size for an integrated bracelet sports watch for just about anyone. Watches in this style tend to wear a little bigger than their dimensions would suggest, and there’s something inherently appealing and comfortable about a watch like this that’s a little undersized, anyway. Like other Defy Skylines, thi...

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Hublot Introduces the Big Bang Original Unico Worn & Wound
Hublot Introduces Jan 20, 2026

Hublot Introduces the Big Bang Original Unico

Sometimes an anniversary release isn’t actually released for the anniversary itself. Case in point: the new Big Bag Original Unico from Hublot. Last year, as readers will likely remember, Hublot focused on the 20th anniversary of the Big Bang, which launched in 2005 and began something of a wild ride for Hublot among watch aficionados with what would become their signature product. The Big Bang Original Unico is dressed in the clothes of an anniversary piece but comes one year later, and according to Hublot represents a return to the origins of the Big Bang. Fair enough!  The conceit here is that the Big Bang Original Unico “carries the Big Bang legacy into the next era” and features a variety of both mechanical as well as aesthetic upgrades. For one, the case now sits at 43mm, a middle ground between the 41mm and 44mm case sizes of past references. Case lines have been slightly softened for better ergonomics and wearability, as well as a more organic look overall. The lugs are a little more curved, and there’s now a beveled edge that lends a little hint of refinement to a piece that, frankly, has not frequently been associated with that concept. This feels like a less aggressive, slightly more subdued version of Hublot’s Big Bang chrono. My personal preferences when it comes to Hublot veer toward the more extravagant and avant-garde, but as we’ve seen with other LVMH Watch Week releases this year, it feels like a time for these brands to play to a wider audie...

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Louis Vuitton Flexes their Watchmaking Skills with a Flurry of LVMH Watch Week Novelties Worn & Wound
Louis Vuitton Flexes their Watchmaking Skills Jan 20, 2026

Louis Vuitton Flexes their Watchmaking Skills with a Flurry of LVMH Watch Week Novelties

Fashion houses are often only as strong as consumers’ nostalgia for their heyday. As more time passes between a brand’s peak and its current incarnation, the connection to what it once represented can become increasingly tenuous. In some cases, that link barely holds at all. Balenciaga is a perfect example of a brand that leaned so heavily on its laurels that it fell on its ass. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with Louis Vuitton. The maison’s durability has come from its ability to evolve without losing sight of what made it relevant in the first place. Marc Jacobs is often credited with bringing Louis Vuitton into a modern context when he launched its first ready-to-wear collection in 1998, but the throughline has always been consistent: an emphasis on craftsmanship, materials, and design rooted in the principles established by Louis Vuitton in 1854. That same approach is clearly evident at this year’s LVMH Watch Week, where each release shows that the label is heavily invested in expanding Louis Vuitton’s legacy of craftsmanship into everything under the label’s umbrella. First up, we have the Escale Worldtime, which returns this year in a platinum case with a dial ring featuring 24 hand-painted city flags, each impressively applied at La Fabrique du Temps, the watch manufacture owned by Louis Vuitton that has been the catalyst for much of the brand’s advancement in watchmaking under their own name in recent years. If you are more interested in the Flying...

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SJX Podcast: Best of LVMH Watch Week SJX Watches
Richard Mille than Jan 20, 2026

SJX Podcast: Best of LVMH Watch Week

Episode 26 of the SJX Podcast breaks down the best releases from LVMH Watch Week, which saw the return of the hand-painted Escale Worldtime. The slate of releases also includes a surprising new men’s watch from Tiffany & Co. powered by the Zenith El Primero, and the first all-new model from the modern era of Daniel Roth. Things are looking up for TAG Heuer as well, which launched a regular production version of the Seafarer with vintage-leaning ‘Intrepid Teal’ accents, and a new top-of-the-line Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph that has more in common with the likes of Richard Mille than the rest of the Carrera line-up. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Youtube.  

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First Look – The Dazzling Bulgari Tubogas Manchette Monochrome
Bulgari Tubogas Manchette Celebrating Jan 19, 2026

First Look – The Dazzling Bulgari Tubogas Manchette

Celebrating its original vocation as a Roman goldsmith and creator of fabulous high jewellery pieces glowing with brightly coloured gemstones, Bulgari kicks off LVMH Watch Week with a dazzling Tubogas Manchette in yellow gold. Fitted with Bulgari’s recently unveiled Lady Solotempo BVS 100 automatic movement, the gorgeous cuff marries the brand’s iconic Tubogas design to […]

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Hands-On: New Zenith DEFY Skyline Skeleton In Black And Gold WatchAdvice
Zenith DEFY Skyline Skeleton Jan 19, 2026

Hands-On: New Zenith DEFY Skyline Skeleton In Black And Gold

A new take on the classic ceramic DEFY Skyline Skeleton. Black ceramic meets a gold-toned, high-frequency movement for a watch that’s as technically impressive as it is visually striking. Modern, architectural, and unmistakably Zenith! What We Love Full black ceramic case and bracelet combined with the gold dial make it aesthetically appealing! The constant 1/10th of a second sub-counter showcases the complexity of the movement underneath. Quick strap change allows for easy change between a ceramic bracelet or rubber strap for daily versatility. What We Don’t Would’ve liked to see the minute track, but more subdued. In white, it can make the dial seem even busier. While the 1/10th of a second chronograph is great for aesthetics and show of technicality, it doesn’t serve a real purpose. Even though it’s a skeletonised dial, most of the El Primero 3620 SK movement is still closed off. Overall Rating: 8.7/10 Value for money: 8.5/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build quality: 8.5/10 The world of ceramic watches isn’t what it used to be a decade ago. Advances in materials and manufacturing mean that ceramic timepieces are no longer niche or fragile experiments, but a genuine part of watchmaking. While crafting bold colours in ceramic can present its own challenge, the more classic tones like black, white, or blue are becoming far more achievable, allowing brands to explore the world of ceramic not as a limited edition or one-offs, but as a refined material for e...

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Louis Vuitton Elevates the Escale Minute Repeater SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton Elevates Jan 19, 2026

Louis Vuitton Elevates the Escale Minute Repeater

Louis Vuitton sharpens its haute horlogerie credentials with the Escale Minute Repeater, a chiming complication paired with a jump hour and retrograde minutes display. Built around La Fabrique du Temps’s proven minute repeater calibre, the watch trades the previous Escale minute repeater’s world time function for a cleaner, more focused dial dominated by grey flammé guilloché. The result puts Louis Vuitton in direct competition with established players in complicated watchmaking, and comes complete with a discreet repeater slide hidden within the signature trunk-inspired lugs. Initial thoughts On the back of a strong 2025, Louis Vuittion doubles down on haute horlogerie, now in a more traditional case than last year’s Tambour. While the brand still offers the quartz Tambour Street Diver for just a few thousand dollars, Louis Vuittion’s ambitions clearly lie in the high-end. After years of strategic acquisitions and investments, the brand has the industrial base to compete and the know-how to do things its own way. The Escale Minute Repeater is the embodiment of Louis Vuitton’s ambitions, and is competitive with other minute repeaters from established haute horlogerie brands thanks to its modern movement and tasteful details. In short, it shows the brand understands the tastes of the day, and, more importantly, how to deliver a compelling package that leans into Louis Vuitton’s unique legacy and brand DNA. Furthermore, the minute repeater is something of a s...

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TAG Heuer Debuts Track-Ready Carrera Split-Seconds SJX Watches
TAG Heuer Debuts Track-Ready Carrera Split-Seconds Jan 19, 2026

TAG Heuer Debuts Track-Ready Carrera Split-Seconds

Having recently given the Monaco a rattrapante makeover, TAG Heuer has unveiled the Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph, the first-ever split-seconds chronograph in the history of the storied Carrera line-up. The watch combines the brand’s contemporary ‘glassbox’ case design with the Vaucher-derived TH81-01 movement, the only split-seconds calibre in production capable of tenth-of-a-second resolution. Built of grade 5 titanium inside and out, the Carrera Split-Seconds is positioned as both a technical showcase and a halo product for the brand. Initial thoughts It’s more than a little surprising that the Carrera, one of the most storied names in sports chronographs, has never been made in a split-seconds variant until now. In the vintage era, many of Heuer’s peers introduced split-seconds chronographs with movements sourced from Valjoux, which also supplied the ebauches for the Carrera, which suggests the technology was well within reach. That said, the Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph is arguably worth the wait, marrying the contemporary glassbox case design with the one of the only split-seconds chronograph calibres capable of tenth-of-a-second resolution. It’s a coherent product in more ways than one, carrying on the brand’s history of commercialising third-party calibres in design-forward, performance-oriented watches. In terms of design, the Carrera Split-Seconds feels more refined than the Monaco Split-Seconds, avoiding the superfluous “rattrapante” a...

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