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Fratello
Another Friday, another list! This week, we will take a look at the five best releases from one of the most talked-about brands in the past few years. Jaeger-LeCoultre made quite a few waves with its releases in 2025 and did so again at Watches and Wonders 2026. But the many great timepieces were not […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Recent Jaeger-LeCoultre Releases to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The 28th edition of the Cartier Prize for Watchmaking Talents of Tomorrow has announced the winners of the annual competition, which seeks to recognise and nurture promising young watchmakers and technicians. In total, six prizes were awarded to students from France and Belgium. Aymeric Peters won first prize in the Apprentice Watchmakers category for “Silence Choisi” Understanding the Cartier Prize The watchmaking industry faces a well-known shortage of young talent, and awards like the Cartier Prize, the F.P. Journe Young Talent Competition, and the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives enhance the appeal and visibility of the profession in a meaningful way. The theme of the 28th edition of the Cartier Prize was “Shifting the Balance: Reading and Perceiving Time Differently”. This theme explains why almost all entries featured heavily abstracted time displays. Layla Sluysmans tied for second prize in the Apprentice Watchmakers category with her creation “Nymphéa” The format of the Cartier Prize differs from that of other similar awards. Finalists were chosen based on sketches and presentations, and were given just 80 hours (over three months) to complete their creations with the help of dedicated mentors. To ensure a level playing field, each candidate is provided with a Cartier cal. 012 alarm clock movement and a CHF500 budget cap. Eléonor Picciotto presided over the ceremony, and the prizes were awarded by a jury comprised of Roy Davidoff, P...
SJX Watches
Tudor surprised with an off-season launch in the form of the Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee”. Coming just two months after Watches & Wonders 2026, the Bumblebee is one of the brand’s outstanding debuts for the year (so far), alongside the atypical Monarch. The Bumblebee is essentially a scaled-down version of the original Black Bay Chrono, which was excellent but half a size too large. Now it’s almost just right, but unquestionably good enough, especially since the downsized chronograph still retains the same high-spec movement and affordable price tag. Initial thoughts I’m a fan of the Black Bay Chrono; I own two earlier iterations of the model. Tudor got everything right with those, except for the size, which was a little too big for the design. The Black Bay Chrono 39 scales it down noticeably, enough that the watch is just right. The case is still a little thick (inevitably due to the movement), but the overall package has been refined to a point where it’s difficult to improve it much more, especially with the constraints of price and the MT5813 movement. The MT5813 is probably the top movement in this price range in terms of features and construction, but it is relatively thick. Still, the thickness is forgivable given the quality of the movement and the price. I certainly hope Tudor rolls out new variants of this chronograph as yellow is not for me, but I rate this highly in terms of proportions, wearability, and of course value. At US$6,725, the Black B...
WristBuzz
Blancpain shrinks its ultra-thin dress watch to 38mm and debuts a first-ever sunburst salmon dial for the Villeret line
Worn & Wound
For many Americans, the Fourth of July means fireworks, backyard barbecues, and the one day a year that a stars-and-stripes t-shirt somehow feels perfectly acceptable. Yet beyond the spectacle and celebration, Independence Day is ultimately about something much simpler: coming together with friends and family to celebrate the history and ideals that continue to define […]
Worn & Wound
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...
Worn & Wound
Summer means Windup Watch Fair returns to Chicago, and we’re thrilled to once again bring hundreds of watches, great conversations, and unforgettable experiences to our brand-new venue, Morgan MFG. Alongside more than 70 exhibiting brands, special events, and panel discussions, we’re proud to announce our Lead Sponsors for Windup Watch Fair Chicago 2026: Atelier Wen, Christopher Ward, Citizen, eBay Live, and Oris. First, here are the necessary details: Windup Watch Fair Chicago Friday, July 10 – Sunday, July 12, 2026 Morgan MFG 401 N Morgan St Suite #100 Chicago, IL 60642 Free and open to everyone. No registration necessary. Each of our Lead Sponsors is bringing exciting new products and experiences to Chicago that you won’t want to miss. Here’s a sneak peek at just a few of the highlights you’ll find during Windup weekend in the Windy City. Atelier Wen: Perception V3 Founded to celebrate the richness of Chinese craftsmanship through a modern lens, Atelier Wen has become one of the most compelling independent brands in contemporary watchmaking. Their latest release, the Perception V3, elevates the integrated sports watch with hand-turned guilloché dials and a beautifully finished French-made Pequignet movement, representing the fullest expression yet of the brand’s unique identity. With a hand-guilloché dial crafted by master artisan Cheng Yucai and a French-made Pequignet caliber featuring bespoke finishing inspired by Chinese motifs, the Perception V3 ...
Monochrome
Over the past couple of years, we’ve come to the conclusion that Union Glashütte is quite a stand-out brand among the predominantly Swiss Made brands under the Swatch Group umbrella. It benefits from the group’s vertical integration yet is able to put its own mark on things, allowing it to hallmark its watches as Made […]
Worn & Wound
Baltic expands their Scalegraph collection today with the launch of a pair of new sporty chronographs that the brand says will be part of their permanent collection. First introduced a year ago as a limited edition, this new iteration of the Scalegraph has a number of improvements that should add up to a more refined package overall. It’s also something of a return to the brand’s roots as a maker of vintage inspired sports watches, after getting more press as of late for dabbling in affordable haute horlogerie and watches defined by the blinding bling of lab grown diamonds. As a sports chrono, the aesthetic of the Scalegraph is about as classic as you can get. It has a traditional three register layout with a tachymeter bezel, beads of rice style bracelet, and screwdown pushers. It’s heavily racing inspired, and has the simple, classic case lines of many a familiar vintage sports watch. The stainless steel case is the same 39.5mm diameter as the original Scalegraph, but Baltic says the lugs are now wider, which should give the watch some additional presence on the wrist. Baltic has also replaced circular finishing on the top of the lugs with vertical brushing, which is certainly more reminiscent of the historic chronographs manufactured by Rolex, Universal Geneve, and others, that the Scalegraph is clearly emulating, at least somewhat. The Scalegraph is available in three new colorways: Champagne, Blue, and Grey. All have tan colored contrasting subdials at 3, 6,...
Time+Tide
Sartory-Billard joins forces with Time+Tide to create an ode to the New York City skyline, and the iconic architecture within it
Hodinkee
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...
SJX Watches
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...
Hodinkee
It was about halfway through James Cameron's speech on the Rolex Landing at the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration in Washington, D.C., that I glanced up. There, suspended above my head, was a familiar yellow object. To the uninitiated (and less nerdy), it might look like an alien spaceship from a low-budget sci-fi film. But I knew what it was immediately: Jacques Cousteau's soucoupe, the diving saucer from his 1964 documentary, "World Without Sun." As I listened to Cameron go on about his descent to Challenger Deep, I looked around at all these incredible objects—there was the bathysphere that William Beebe climbed into and descended to over 3,000 feet in 1934. Down the hall, the Maruti Suzuki 4x4 used by Sandesh Kadur to track wildlife in India, its tires still muddy. A dugout canoe, once upended by a hippo, used by Steve Boyes while searching for the source of the Zambezi. A Chinese terra cotta warrior. And a one-atmosphere JIM suit like the one in which Dr. Sylvia Earle walked 1,000 feet deep on the ocean floor. For a student of exploration history like me, this was nothing short of nirvana. Rolex has been a supporting partner to the National Geographic Society since 1954. Those were halcyon days for exploration and the introduction of Rolex's most legendary tool watches—the Explorer, the Submariner, and the GMT-Master. The names Rolex and National Geographic have been intertwined ever since, and I, for one, recall seeing those great print ads in the...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Mido refreshed the Mido Ocean Star 200 with the 80-hour Caliber 80 and a Nivachron hairspring, priced from $950 to $980 across four dial options.
Worn & Wound
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...
Monochrome
Every summer, hundreds of classic cars take to the Alpine roads of Austria’s Montafon region for the Silvretta Classic. This rally has become a regular fixture in Union Glashütte‘s calendar too, with the German brand releasing a dedicated limited edition almost every year. The Viro Chronograph Silvretta Classic 2023, with its bicompax layout, was followed […]
Time+Tide
ATOWAK draws inspiration from Mars exploration to develop its Mars Age model series, which features a rotating time display.
Hodinkee
What We Know If the current generation of Jaeger-LeCoultre's Polaris didn't quite do it for you, namely in the 42mm case sizes across the board in the Polaris lineup, this new 40mm version of the Polaris Date might just be a more compelling option. The new 40mm steel case is not only smaller in diameter, but actually thinner too, measuring 12.9mm compared to 13.92mm with the 42mm casing. No, it doesn't make for a slim time-and-date watch, but it's still an improvement for the sporty case. The new diameter, paired with an already compact lug profile, means that this version of the Polaris should be quite wearable for an even smaller subset of wrists now. Dial-wise, this 40mm Polaris Date uses the same lacquered fumé blue dial as the 42mm version, with a dramatically gradient sunray-brushed center section surrounded by a snailed minutes track and an outer grained section for the applied markers and date window. The inner bezel, complete with orange accents, is controlled through the second crown at 4 o'clock and can be used to track elapsed time. But while the dial doesn't offer anything new in the way of color, there are actually two small details modified from the 42mm version that I think are major improvements. First is the positioning of the Jaeger-LeCoultre logo, now placed in the center brushed section rather than crammed right underneath the "12" markers in the 42mm version. And thankfully, "Automatique" is now gone from the dial, leaving only "Swiss Made" at the ...
Monochrome
It is a big day for Grand Seiko, which is releasing no fewer than nine new references in its Evolution 9 collection. Two of them, the 37mm Spring Drive UFA Lake Suwa SLGB015 and the 40mm Spring Drive UFA Lake Suwa SLGB007, are unprecedented configurations that required their own article. Next to these are three […]
Hodinkee
What We Know Today, Grand Seiko introduces nine new variants to the three-hander, time-and-date models in its Evolution 9 collection. If you're feeling overwhelmed by that already, don't worry. Yes, there's quite a bit of nuance to unpack here among all these references, but not all nine are really new watches, per se. Many of them are existing models, just slightly modified. If you've read the title of this article, you'll already know that the biggest updates to these Evolution 9 models are things that collectors have long clamored for— tapered bracelets and clasps with tool-free microadjustment. Yes, for those who weren't able to achieve a perfect fit with previous Evolution 9 models, they will be able to now and can adjust accordingly, especially in hotter months with more wrist swelling. The clasp design comes from the original Evolution UFA SLGB003 model introduced last year, but now has spread to the rest of the collection, in both steel and titanium versions, and both 37mm and 40mm. Gone are the 5-day Spring Drive 9RA2 calibers used in the collection, replaced entirely with the U.F.A caliber 9RB2. This means that for those who found the 37mm U.F.A models too small, the more classic 40mm versions now get the ultra-accurate caliber that features an annual rated accuracy of +/- 20 seconds (timing per month is quoted at +/- 3 seconds). This is a big deal, and I think it suggests that Grand Seiko could be making a move to replace all of its Spring Drive calibers down ...
Fratello
Every summer, when I go to southern Europe, I make sure to take a Unimatic diver with me. I am fortunate enough to have bought a few over the past few years, and I always pick one that will be one of my two or three watches that I bring with me. The usual pick […] Visit Built For Long Summer Days: The Unimatic Modello Uno UT1-IPP to read the full article.
Monochrome
Just a couple of hours ago, we introduced one of Grand Seiko‘s new models for 2026, the Spring Drive UFA 40mm Lake Suwa SLGB007. And yes, we decided to give this model its own dedicated article, being a new reference in the Evolution 9 collection. However, there is more coming from Japan… Grand Seiko has […]
Fratello
You just can’t take your eyes off the dial, can you? I couldn’t. The three Awake Sơn Mài Guilloché Main Sunset, Alba, and Borealis watches do have a mesmerizing effect. That’s what a handmade, space-inspired guilloché dial combined with more unusual and, dare I say, exotic sơn mài lacquer does. But what you don’t notice […] Visit Is There A Cosmic Connection? Three Awake Sơn Mài Guilloché Main Watches Land At Fratello HQ to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux (GP) closed out the Laureato’s 50th anniversary last year by launching the Laureato Three Gold Bridges, 18 years after the ‘three gold bridges’ format was first applied to the brand’s signature sports watch. Available with our without a diamond-set bezel, the Laureato Three Gold Bridges signals the brands emergent ambitions. Initial thoughts Few brands can lay claim to their own distinctive movement architecture, and GP is right to make the ‘three gold bridges’ format a pillar of the brand’s resurgence. While the brand did not have a monopoly of this format in the pocket watch era, the appealing architecture has been synonymous with GP since the formula was first applied to a wristwatch in the 1990s. To look at the Laureato Three Gold Bridges is to understand how a mechanical watch works, and that’s a key aspect of its appeal. The layout clearly separates the major functions, with the power source, the going train, and the regulating organ supported by dedicated bridges front and back. The sporty Laureato case and sturdy H-link bracelet are secondary to the spectacular movement, but the hard-wearing stainless steel construction does a good job of making the haute horlogerie calibre wearable on a daily basis, even if the 30 m water resistance rating trails competitors. The gem-set model illustrated is priced at CHF219,000, while the unadorned variant with a simpler white gold bezel retails for CHF162,000. This pricing slightly undercuts tha...
Monochrome
Back in April 2025, as the highlight of Watches and Wonders, Grand Seiko unveiled an important new duo of models for its Evolution 9 collection: the titanium SLGB003 and the platinum SLGB001. A new 37mm case, an unprecedented and appealing new dial texture, finally a micro-adjustment on the clasp and, most importantly, the launch of the new calibre 9RB2, also known […]
Fratello
Here we are, just a couple of short months after Watches and Wonders 2026, and Grand Seiko is pressing the launch button in a major way. Today, we’ve got live photos of the refreshed Evolution 9 collection, which encompasses five new Spring Drive and four new Hi-Beat models. This is one of the most important […] Visit Grand Seiko Launches Four New References In The Updated Evolution 9 Hi-Beat Collection to read the full article.
Fratello
The Grand Seiko Evolution 9 core collection gets an update with five new Spring Drive references — SLGB007, SLGB009, SLGB011, SLGB013, and SLGB015. They are not limited editions, nor are they wild departures from the collection’s existing visual language. Instead, Grand Seiko refreshes the core Spring Drive side of its flagship Evolution 9 lineup with […] Visit The Grand Seiko Evolution 9 Spring Drive U.F.A. Models Get Serious Fan-Requested Updates to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
Jaeger-LeCoultre have finally entered the integrated bracelet watch space, but has the long wait been worth it? Let’s find out! What We Love: That bracelet – perfection! Elegantly reinterpreted design language Surprisingly value-driven for Jaeger-LeCoultre What We Don’t: Lacking embellishments on the dial & bezel No lume – an interesting choice… Is Jaeger-LeCoultre late to the party? Overall Rating: 9.25/10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 10/10 Design: 8/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 The integrated bracelet sports watch is emblematic of the current watch landscape. Bridging the gap between utility and jewellery, it has become the go-to design language for brands at every price point. From entry-level and middle-market players like Tissot and Raymond Weil, all the way to the upper echelons of Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin, the integrated bracelet design has emerged as the industry’s defining modern silhouette. Conversely, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s identity is rooted in tradition and historical inspiration. Flagship models like the Reverso and Master Control draw upon the brand’s early Art Deco influences, using them as the foundation for their designs. Cementing its reputation as the ‘watchmaker’s watchmaker’, this steadfast commitment to horological heritage has earned the brand a devoted following among enthusiasts worldwide. But reliance on heritage is a double-edged sword. Many collectors have long argued that Jaeger-LeCoultre’s greatest c...
Teddy Baldassarre
Smaller case, simpler dial, and longer power reserve take this enthusiast favorite to the next level. More
Worn & Wound
When you think about it, silk is an absolutely fascinating material. Dating back thousands of years to Neolithic China, the labor-intensive process has produced one of the finest, softest materials produced by man. But what is it about that process that makes silk so unique and rare that people pay thousands of dollars for, say, a silk scarf? Well, to be honest, it’s probably not what you expected. You see, silk begins with silkworms being fed a diet of mulberry leaves. When they’re ready to enter their metamorphosis, the worms begin secreting a filamentous protein for their cocoon, which is then harvested, softened, spooled, and ultimately made into the fiber we consider a luxury. Pretty gross neat, huh? Well, it seems Seiko thinks so, too. The brand’s latest additions to the Presage Classic Series are inspired by Tomioka silk, a premium variety produced around the Tomioka Silk Mill in Gunma Prefecture. And while this is not the first time Seiko has used the Presage platform to honor Japanese craft, this might be one of the collection’s prettiest releases (in my humble opinion). Looking first at the Tomioka Silk Promotion Organization Limited Edition, it’s easy to see the inspiration (and namesake for this particular reference) at first glance. Its white dial is finished with a pearl-like coating, while the rose gold-colored case and dark brown leather strap are inspired by the brick facade of the mill. The three additional models use the same silk-inspired di...
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