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Results for DLC and PVD Coating

31,421 articles · 168 videos found · page 312 of 1053

This Limited Nodus Dive Watch Uses Sapphire for More Than the Crystal Two Broke Watch Snobs
Nodus Dive Watch Uses Sapphire Aug 25, 2026

This Limited Nodus Dive Watch Uses Sapphire for More Than the Crystal

There are plenty of ways to make a limited-edition dive watch look different. New colors are easy. Changing the dial material is increasingly common. Nodus and Holme & Hadfield took a cooler route with their new Sector II Dive H&H; Edition, and most of the change happens within a few millimeters of vertical space above the dial.

Channel Your Inner Navy SEAL With The Doxa × Belmont Watches SUB 300 Beta “Frogger” Fratello
Doxa × Belmont Watches SUB Aug 25, 2026

Channel Your Inner Navy SEAL With The Doxa × Belmont Watches SUB 300 Beta “Frogger”

Doxa and Belmont Jewelers collaborated on this limited edition SUB 300 Beta, which they are calling “Frogger”. This is the kind of watches that make a suburban Gen-Zer — yours truly — feel way more badass than he should. Because this collaboration of 100 individually numbered pieces gets its name from the Navy frogmen and […] Visit Channel Your Inner Navy SEAL With The Doxa × Belmont Watches SUB 300 Beta “Frogger” to read the full article.

Introducing: The Doxa Sub 300 Beta "Frogger" (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Doxa Sub 300 Beta Frogger Aug 25, 2026

Introducing: The Doxa Sub 300 Beta "Frogger" (Live Pics)

What We Know If you thought Doxa was done for the summer, well, we've got one more for you, and it's a good one at that. Made in collaboration with San Diego–based jeweler and watch dealer Belmont Watches, Doxa has reinvented the Sub 300 Beta, bringing a decidedly military execution to its most fashion-forward model, directly inspired by San Diego's longstanding military history. If you're slightly surprised to hear that last part (maybe because when you think of San Diego you think of beaches, surfing, golf, the Padres, or the San Diego Zoo), trust me when I tell you that San Diego is a proper military town, with a significant Navy, Marine, and Coast Guard presence. It is also — most importantly for this watch — the home of Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, and with it, SEAL Team 1. This watch pays homage to that team's predecessors, the Navy Underwater Demolition Team (UDT), better known as Frogmen, from whom the ranks of the original SEAL Team 1 were populated. So, what does that look like? Well, in this case, it means reinterpreting the existing Doxa Sub 300 Beta with a fatigue-esque kelp-green grained dial, a handset straight off the Doxa Army (as seen recently on our own limited edition with Doxa), and a first-of-its-kind (for Doxa) fully sandblasted stainless steel case and bracelet. Like other watches in the Sub 300 Beta lineup, the "Frogger" is thinner than you'd expect from a Doxa diver, at 11.95mm, but otherwise retains proportions similar to the 300T, measu...

Reinvented Royter Debuts Hand-Engraved Nova SJX Watches
Rexhep Rexhepi unobtainable Aug 25, 2026

Reinvented Royter Debuts Hand-Engraved Nova

Brooklyn-based independent watchmaker Dan Royter takes a new direction with the Legacy Series Nova Edition, entirely unlike his past portfolio of chronographs. The first entry in the brand’s new chapter combines a hand-engraved, burgundy lacquered silver dial with a high-end movement from Andreas Strehler in a mid-sized steel case. The Nova is an enormous step up for the budding American independent in terms of design, decoration, and price. Initial thoughts The impressive artistry of the Nova is surprising given Royter’s humble roots building white-label ETA 7750-powered chronographs, before exploring more ambitious dials with an emphasis on customisation. For a one-man operation, the launch of the Nova seemingly means the end for the DR-02 chronograph. Until recently, Royter was the DR-02 and the DR-02 was Royter. Much of the recent explosion of independent watchmaking has concentrated on this genre of three-hand watches with finely decorated movements and artful dials, or, as is increasingly common, exposed movements. However, the sudden flood of new entrants to this once (nearly) non-existent segment hasn’t resulted in a supply glut. Rather, demand from collectors has grown far faster, making watches from blue-chip brands like Dufour, Voutilainen, and Rexhep Rexhepi unobtainable and raising the floor for less-established brands. Royter signs his work in the manner you’d expect of a master engraver. The point of this preamble is to explain, not justify, why the ...

Review: Is the New Omega Speedmaster 38 the Modern Speedmaster Reduced? Worn & Wound
Omega Speedmaster 38 Aug 25, 2026

Review: Is the New Omega Speedmaster 38 the Modern Speedmaster Reduced?

The name “Speedmaster Reduced” is a blanket term for the Speedmaster Automatics with cases smaller than the iconic 42mm Omega Speedmaster Professional. First launched in the late ’80s, there is a dizzying number of references included in the “Reduced” family, some being more well-known than others, such as the ref. 3510.50 and ref. 3520.50.00. Always popular among the enthusiast community, they offered Speedy looks at sub-Speedy prices and, simply, a smaller option. Now considered “neo-vintage,” the Reduced models were discontinued around 2010. Something that is cool about the Speedmaster is that while it’s a singular watch, it’s also a design language. It’s the typography, marker style, hands, bezel, etc. As such, it can be molded to different formats and the end result still reads “Speedmaster.” This is perhaps best seen in the Mark series, but is also quite true of the Reduced models and, beginning in 2017, the Speedmaster 38. I might be in the minority here, but I like that Omega will go in weird directions with the non-Professional Speedmasters. Maybe they work, maybe they don’t, but I’m sure all will find an audience somewhere, or at some time. Even models like the Speedmaster Chronoscope, which makes no sense to me, have the potential to be future cult hits. And for a while, Omega went a bit weird with its smaller option. With a gap in the catalog left by the discontinuation of the Reduced references, Omega released the Speedmaster 38 lin...

First Look - The Updated Longines Master Chronograph Moonphase (Incl. Video) Monochrome
Longines Master Chronograph Moonphase Incl Aug 25, 2026

First Look - The Updated Longines Master Chronograph Moonphase (Incl. Video)

As the most complex expression of Longines’ watchmaking capabilities, the Master Chronograph Moonphase can be considered not only the collection’s flagship, but also one of the brand’s poster boys. Ever since its introduction in 2005, it has been part of the Master line-up, pairing some of the most classical and well-loved indications into a single, […]

Longines Impressively Expands The Master Collection Fratello
Longines Impressively Expands Aug 25, 2026

Longines Impressively Expands The Master Collection

Within the Longines lineup, the Master collection focuses on the rich history of the brand’s craftsmanship and watchmaking elegance. Back in June, the time-and-date Master models got a complete overhaul. Longines now introduces a new dial variation of the Master 41, an updated version of the Master Chrono Moonphase, and the impressive Master Chrono Monopusher. […] Visit Longines Impressively Expands The Master Collection to read the full article.

Hands-On: The Longines Master Collection Launches A New Monopusher Chronograph Alongside A Refresh Of The Triple Calendar Chrono Hodinkee
Longines Master Collection Launches Aug 25, 2026

Hands-On: The Longines Master Collection Launches A New Monopusher Chronograph Alongside A Refresh Of The Triple Calendar Chrono

Earlier this year, Longines started rolling out a refresh of its dressy, polished Master Collection. But while that update was relegated to a large array of time-and-date models, I think today's new product launch brings something much more noteworthy to the table. There are two main additions: one by way of an update to a classic Longines chronograph, and the other, the first monopusher chronograph designed for the Longines Master Collection. The Updated Master Collection Chrono Moonphase The first is a refresh of the Master Collection Chrono Moonphase, ref. L2.962.4.73.2, largely an aesthetic refinement over the outgoing model. First is the consolidation of two case options, 40mm and 42mm, meeting in the middle at a 41mm diameter for the new generation. The thickness of the stainless steel case measures 13.8 mm (down from 14.2mm), and the lug-to-lug comes in at a large but not oversized 48.6mm. The case silhouette remains largely untouched here, reflecting the soft, fully polished case design with little in the way of contrasting lines or faceting on the exterior, which is exaggerated by the polished concave bezel. Most of the changes come by way of the dial, which combines a whole slew of small design changes for what is, in my opinion, a significantly improved design. Iterating on the brand's familiar barleycorn-textured dial, Longines cleans up a lot of the typography for a much more balanced look overall.  It's essential for what is quite a busy dial, needing to cra...

First Look - Omega Refreshes the Speedmaster 38mm Collection, Including a Moonwatch-Like Black No-Date (with Video) Monochrome
Omega Refreshes Aug 25, 2026

First Look - Omega Refreshes the Speedmaster 38mm Collection, Including a Moonwatch-Like Black No-Date (with Video)

When talking about the Speedmaster, most watch enthusiasts will immediately think about “The One”, the legendary Moonwatch Professional model. An evolution of the concept launched in 1957, the first watch worn on the Moon, and the only watch ever approved for NASA’s missions to the Moon, this iconic watch is only one element of a vast collection […]

Why Is Everything Inverted? SJX Watches
Voutilainen 28TI Aug 25, 2026

Why Is Everything Inverted?

At the beginning of the year, we wondered if 2026 might become the year of the jumping hours wristwatch. While that trend is still developing, a spate of new releases in the past few months has crystallised another trend that’s been taking shape for a number of years: the inverted movement. While not an altogether new format, it’s hard to miss its growing popularity. What is an inverted movement? There’s no hard-and-fast rule for what constitutes an inverted movement, since the category itself has emerged informally. That said, a simple definition takes the term at face value: a movement that’s been reversed inside the case, such that barrel(s), gear train, and escapement are fully exposed on the wrist. The dial, if there is one at all, is usually consigned to a dial flange or small, off-centre time display. Ordinarily, an inverted movement begins its product lifecycle like any other conventional calibre. The Voutilainen 28TI, for example, was adapted from the brand’s normal cal. 28, with an additional train over the centre wheel to reverse the direction of the hands. However, sometimes the inverted variant is selected as the launch platform, with a conventional sibling that follows later — sometimes much later. The inverted cal. 507DR that powered the Breguet Tradition 7027 — the watch that arguably pioneered this trend back in 2005 — pre-dated its conventional counterpart by two decades. The cal. VS00 that powers the Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 is...

Revewing The Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Blue Sapphire: A Serious Watch That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously WatchAdvice
Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Aug 24, 2026

Revewing The Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Blue Sapphire: A Serious Watch That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously

The Hublot Big Bang MP-11 forms part of Hublot’s Manufacture Piece collection, and for good reason. Now, it’s time to take it out for a test drive… What We Love The Water Blue colour is sensational in person The movement is Hubot showcasing what it does best The undeniable wrist presence What We Don’t It is a large watch, and not for those with smaller wrists The older-style rubber strap is not easy to get the perfect fit, when compared to the newer style Will be out of the price range for many watch buyers and is a substantial investment Overall Rating: 8.4 / 10 Value For Money: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 There are some watches that look impressive in a press release, but when you finally see them in the metal, they somehow manage to be not as much. Then there are watches like the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Blue Sapphire, where the opposite is true. The photographs give you an idea of what the watch is all about, but they really do not prepare you for what it looks like on the wrist. The MP-11 has always been one of Hublot’s more outrageous creations. First introduced in 2018, it was designed around a movement with seven series-coupled barrels and a 14-day power reserve, all packaged inside a relatively conventional Big Bang-style case. The Water Blue Sapphire version takes that already unconventional construction and places it inside a transparent blue sapphire case that allows almost every part of the movement to remain visi...

Happenings: Hodinkee Happy Hour Returns To SoHo This Thursday Hodinkee
Aug 24, 2026

Happenings: Hodinkee Happy Hour Returns To SoHo This Thursday

Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of hosting our Hodinkee Happy Hour at One Vanderbilt. If you missed it, don't fret! We're excited to announce the next installment of Hodinkee Happy Hour, which will take place at the Watches of Switzerland store in SoHo, just a stone's throw from the Hodinkee office. Expect the same casual format as our Hodinkee Happy Hours, with great food, drinks, and watches. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP using the link below to secure your spot. Our Editor-in-Chief, James Stacey, will be there, along with other members of the Hodinkee team. We'd love for you to join us, whether it's your first time or you've already attended several Hodinkee events. There will be plenty of food from Upside Pizza and beers from our friends at Grotta to go around. Date:Thursday, August 27, 2026, 4:30 - 6:30 PM Location:Watches of Switzerland, SoHo60 Greene StreetNew York, NY 10012 Click here to RSVP.

Recommended Reading: 'Universal People, Universal Dreams' Is A Timely, Heartfelt Telling Of One Man's Collecting Journey Into The Rarest Of The Rare Hodinkee
Grand Seiko Aug 24, 2026

Recommended Reading: 'Universal People, Universal Dreams' Is A Timely, Heartfelt Telling Of One Man's Collecting Journey Into The Rarest Of The Rare

Last week I kicked off a mini-series where I'm finally taking some great books off my shelf and sharing them with the world. We covered a brand-backed "Grand Seiko" book by ERG Media, which set a great tone. This week we're looking at another brand-focused tome, the much more recently released "Universal People, Universal Dreams," which documents the hyper-focused collection of one man. But it's more than a book about Universal Genève. I first met the author and publisher, Luca Mignini, a few years ago, though I'm not exactly sure where. Maybe at an auction in Geneva? At some point, he just turned into a fixture in my vintage watch sphere, a person who could turn up anywhere there was a vintage watch. At the famed antique fair in Parma, Italy? Sure. Luca Mignini and Max Bernardini He had a prototype Universal Genève Space Compax/Polerouter Sub dive watch made for the U.S. Navy, which I shared in my photo report from the fair. On that same trip, he just randomly showed up as I was looking at Patek 1518 dials with Max Bernardini (Uncle Max, to his close friends) at his shop right across the street from "The Last Supper" in Milan. That later encounter makes sense, as Bernardini (and his team, including Mauricio Gimenez, who is named as "The Trusted Advisor" in the book) was instrumental in curating the collection. Mignini frequently travels between his home in Rome and Milan, where he serves as a professor at Bocconi University.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mignini and B...

Wren Introduces the Diver One Abyss Worn & Wound
Wren Aug 24, 2026

Wren Introduces the Diver One Abyss

Are you afraid of the dark? No, really—it’s one of the most common phobias and for good reason. The dark represents the unknown, the impossible, and the very idea of danger. And while that uncertainty often leads to an understandable (and innately biological) fear reaction, it also makes the dark exciting beyond measure. Why else would we send divers down to the crushingly dark abyss of the deep ocean? New York City-based microbrand Wren has taken that question head on, and turned it into a dive piece that embodies the environment it’s inspired by: The Wren Diver One Abyss. The single most striking thing about the Abyss is, of course, its namesake. The dial is black, with a black bezel, but it’s not a “normal” black; instead, Wren has made use of the Koyo Orient Japan-derived Musou Black water-based acrylic paint that absorbs 99.4% of visible light. Unlike other such “superblack” paints, like the infamous Vantablack, Musou Black is commercially available, and while it’s not quite as dark as the former, it bears a lot of similarities in composition. Koyo keeps the full breakdown close to their proverbial chest, but basically, what makes it “darker than dark” is its ability to bounce light back out, giving the human eye nothing to latch onto. This makes the color read as bottomless, giving it a strange, disconcerting “depth”, which Wren furthers by using a sandwich construction method for the markings and indexes (additionally coated with Super-Lumi...

Announcements: Geneva Watch Days 2026 Will Take Place September 2-6 Hodinkee
Girard-Perregaux Aug 24, 2026

Announcements: Geneva Watch Days 2026 Will Take Place September 2-6

It's hard to believe that Geneva Watch Days, a watch fair that began in 2020 with fewer than 20 participating brands, now welcomes 68 watchmakers for its seventh edition. Taking place September 2-6, Geneva Watch Days has grown into one of the year's most jam-packed watch events, with brand presentations and launches spread across the city. Unlike traditional watch fairs like Watches and Watchers, Geneva Watch Days is decentralized, meaning that brands will present their latest creations at individual showrooms and locations across the city, rather than at one shared venue. At the center of the action is the Rotonde du Mont-Blanc, along the shores of Lake Geneva, where the event's Main Pavilion and Blue Box exhibition space will serve as central gathering points. The Pavilion will host discussions on the broader watch industry, while the Blue Box will showcase a curated selection of watches from different maisons in a themed exhibition. Five of the event's eight founding brands (Breitling, Bulgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, and MB&F;) will participate this year. They'll be joined by a diverse lineup of watchmakers, from major players like Zenith to independents such as Greubel Forsey, Ming, and Laurent Ferrier, many of whom will present new launches. On Thursday, there will also be a charity auction held by Phillips in association with Bacs & Russo. The sale's profits will help provide scholarships for students of Switzerland's oldest watchmaking school, École d'Horloge...

Introducing - The Peacock Black Hole III Curved Guilloche Central Tourbillon; Bold, Complex yet Attainable Monochrome
Omega Aug 24, 2026

Introducing - The Peacock Black Hole III Curved Guilloche Central Tourbillon; Bold, Complex yet Attainable

The tourbillon, one of the most fascinating technical devices created, remains today a technical challenge that often comes at a cost. And when it comes to centrally positioned tourbillons, the landscape becomes even narrower. Only a handful of watches, mostly from independent watchmakers or high-end brands, feature this specific regulator: Omega (the first on the […]

The Evolution Of “Ultimate Simplicity” - Introducing The Minase Mastercraft J3 Fratello
Minase Aug 24, 2026

The Evolution Of “Ultimate Simplicity” - Introducing The Minase Mastercraft J3

As time passes, you often accumulate stuff. Visualize what’s in your attic, and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Now, Minase is doing the opposite. The new J3 is a model inspired by the M3, but instead of adding details to that watch, Minase removes what it deems unnecessary. You’re looking at the evolution of […] Visit The Evolution Of “Ultimate Simplicity” — Introducing The Minase Mastercraft J3 to read the full article.

Why I Bought The Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16710 Fratello
Rolex GMT-Master II Ref 16710 Aug 24, 2026

Why I Bought The Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16710

This summer, I finally realized a lifelong dream — owning a Rolex GMT-Master II. More specifically, I always wanted Rolex’s famous pilot and traveler’s watch with a red-and-blue bezel. As fate would have it, I bought mine the same year Rolex discontinued that configuration from the current catalog. That decision didn’t influence my purchase, though. […] Visit Why I Bought The Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16710 to read the full article.

Audemars Piguet Brings Le Brassus to Singapore SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Brings Le Brassus Aug 24, 2026

Audemars Piguet Brings Le Brassus to Singapore

Next month the National Museum of Singapore’s Gallery Theatre will play host to Audemars Piguet’s Perspectives On Time exhibition. The pop-up event will explore 150 years of Audemars Piguet through four curated spaces, each focused on a different aspect of the brand’s history. Especially curated for Singapore, the exhibition is set to bring together both contemporary and archival pieces, including a range of historic Audemars Piguet wrist and pocket watches from the brand’s museum, many of which will be on display in the country for the first time ever. Four distinct spaces will be organised to highlight different aspects of Audemars Piguet’s technical prowess, including astronomical complications, open-worked movements, and chiming complications. Naturally, the exhibit opens with a look at the brand’s history from founding to present day, traced through a range of rare archival pieces and historic milestones. Open from 10:30am-6:00pm each day in 30-minute sessions, admission to the exhibition is free, though limited slots will be available so early registration is encouraged. The brand has thoughtfully set up a dedicated booking portal to simplify the registration process. Walk-ins will also be accommodated subject to availability. Perspectives On Time will be hosted from September 10-13 at The Gallery Theatre at the National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178897. Register online at audemarspiguet.com.  

Hands On: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar SJX Watches
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar Aug 24, 2026

Hands On: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar

The Roger Dubuis (RD) Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar is something of a bridge across eras for RD, combining the brand’s seminal biretrograde calendar format with the 2000s-era Excalibur case, executed in RD’s current lavishly layered house style. The revised perpetual calendar module brings plenty of haute horlogerie finishing to the dial side, and should prove more reliable than past iterations as well. Initial thoughts The Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual is a new model, but it feels like a watch that has always been around, combining several familiar Roger Dubuis elements. Chief among them is the biretrograde format, which has been a staple of the brand since its founding era. When the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar debuted last year, we speculated that a perpetual version was likely in the pipeline, and we didn’t have to wait long to find out. In terms of design, it’s pure RD through and through. The brand has offered glimpses of a return to its roots — the Hommage La Placide was well-received by neo-vintage enthusiasts — but it’s clear the brand remains committed to this bolder, more flamboyant vision of haute horlogerie that it has been championing since the launch of the Excalibur in 2005, albeit at a smaller size. Of course, the design won’t appeal to everyone, but that might be a good thing. Taste convergence favours the classics, but the polarising Excalibur aesthetic will appeal to those who appreciate traditional watchmaking but are ...

Spending Time With The New Ollech & Wajs Early Bird EB-24 Fratello
Aug 23, 2026

Spending Time With The New Ollech & Wajs Early Bird EB-24

There are watches named after places, people, and the animals their designers admired on long-ago fishing trips. And then there is the Ollech & Wajs Early Bird, a watch named after a satellite. I liked this watch so much that I bought the re-edition. I have a bit of a long-term fascination with the Swiss […] Visit Spending Time With The New Ollech & Wajs Early Bird EB-24 to read the full article.