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22,351 articles · 220 videos found · page 321 of 753

Twelve on Time - A. Lange & Söhne’s Wilhelm Schmidt and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches Monochrome
A. Lange & Sohne Aug 14, 2026

Twelve on Time - A. Lange & Söhne’s Wilhelm Schmidt and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Twelve on Time is a conversation series that invites leading personalities from the watch industry to step beyond their work and speak more personally about their relationship with time, creativity, and craft. Through a set of twelve questions, the column aims to lift the veil on both the individual and their perspective on watchmaking—revealing not […]

Introducing - The MeisterSinger Edition Unitas 1Z Blue Monochrome
Meistersinger Edition Unitas 1Z Blue Aug 14, 2026

Introducing - The MeisterSinger Edition Unitas 1Z Blue

For 25 years, MeisterSinger’s signature single-hand watches encouraged a more relaxed perception of time, focusing on the broader flow of the day rather than its smallest divisions. Earlier this year, the German brand presented the Edition Unitas 1Z, a limited anniversary model that revived the original 2004 Edition 1Z, its first watch to feature a […]

IWC Dresses the Big Pilot ProSet IW329603 in Black and Gold for 140 Years of Mercedes-Benz WatchRider
IWC Dresses Aug 14, 2026

IWC Dresses the Big Pilot ProSet IW329603 in Black and Gold for 140 Years of Mercedes-Benz

IWC introduced the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar ProSet 140 Years Mercedes-Benz on August 13, 2026. Reference IW329603 is limited to 140 pieces, one for each year since the invention of the automobile in 1886. The anniversary edition combines a 42mm stainless steel case with a black-and-gold dial and IWC’s new ProSet perpetual calendar, which can be corrected both forward and backward. The limited IW329603 combines a 42mm steel case, black dial and gold details. Image: IWC. The dial is the best part I like the design, especially the dial. The glossy black surface gives the four subdials enough visual separation, while the solid gold appliqués and gold-plated hands make the display warmer without making it look gaudy. A white minute track keeps the outer edge clear. The date sits at 3 o’clock, the month at 6, the day at 9 and the Double Moon display at 12. A four-digit year window appears between 7 and 8 o’clock. The angled view shows the solid gold appliqués, gold-plated hands and four calendar subdials. Image: IWC. The brushed and polished steel case is 42mm wide and 14mm thick. It remains a substantial watch, especially on my 6.5-inch wrist, but these dimensions are easier to imagine wearing than the traditional oversized Big Pilot format. A convex sapphire crystal has anti-reflective coating on both sides, while the sapphire caseback carries the first joint Mercedes-Benz logo from 1926, combining the three-pointed star with a laurel wreath. That histori...

The Seven Special Edition Watches Of Time+Tide's FounderFest Hodinkee
Ming next month Aug 13, 2026

The Seven Special Edition Watches Of Time+Tide's FounderFest

New watch season is right around the corner, and our friends at Time & Tide are among the first to move, thanks to not one but seven new watches arriving in September. The watches coincide with the launch of the brand's own watch fair, FounderFest, a show built around independent watchmaking and live music in equal measure. Rather than one exclusive location, FounderFest spans Time & Tide's three Watch Discovery Studios: New York (460 Broome St), Melbourne (178 Collins St), and London (Portland House, 4 Great Portland Street), running 19–20 September, with New York serving as the event's HQ, hosting founders, live interviews, and musical performances. I recently had the chance to see—and photograph—every new piece coming next month. The watches go up for sale globally on 22 September via thefounderfest.com, which will also host the festival online for anyone not on the ground in one of the three cities. Let's jump right in! AWAKE — Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf 'Ultraviolet' Awake may only be seven years old, but in that short time, word has spread quickly on the Sơn Mài and its lacquer dials. For those unfamiliar, these dials are built from layers of natural lacquer applied by hand to the dial surface, then carefully sanded back, worked, and reapplied, a process repeated until the desired depth, texture, and visual effect are met. For the 'Ultraviolet' edition, they've added pure silver-leaf gilding and natural purple and black pigments, resulting in pieces of silver s...

Introducing - FounderFest, Time+Tide’s Music-Inspired Collection of Seven Collaborative Watches Monochrome
Aug 13, 2026

Introducing - FounderFest, Time+Tide’s Music-Inspired Collection of Seven Collaborative Watches

Over the past decade, Time+Tide has evolved from an Australian online watch publication into one of the influential platforms dedicated to watchmaking, and independent watchmaking in particular. Alongside its editorial content, the company has expanded into retail with its Watch Discovery Studios in Melbourne, London and New York. This year, the company is launching FounderFest, […]

Introducing - IWC Celebrates 140 Years of Mercedes-Benz With A Special Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Proset Monochrome
Ming together Aug 13, 2026

Introducing - IWC Celebrates 140 Years of Mercedes-Benz With A Special Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Proset

Two companies, at the forefront of mechanical innovation, coming together to mark 140 years of history – that’s what IWC’s latest watch is all about. The brand has a long-standing partnership with Mercedes-Benz, exemplified through not only the Mercedes-Benz AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team special editions, but also through the various road-car-themed watches. The new […]

Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches Fratello
Seiko Doesn’t Rest Aug 13, 2026

Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches

Seiko’s and Japan’s very first wristwatch, the 1913 Laurel, is one of the prettiest watches I have ever seen. More than a century after its conception, it still looks fresh. It’s also, as you can imagine, a rather important watch. To underline that and make it possible to wear a watch that honors the beginning […] Visit Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches to read the full article.

Hands-On: the Bernhardt Captain Worn & Wound
Aug 12, 2026

Hands-On: the Bernhardt Captain

Bernhardt’s Captain collection is a new range of dress watches that I think loosely falls in the Calatrave-esque trend that has been emerging, most notably through a variety of Japanese indies and micros, over the last few years. As interest in chunky divers and sports watches appears to wane a bit, enthusiasts are (finally) willing to look at watches in other genres, and brands are delivering with a variety of takes on the dress watch format.  This is a fundamentally good thing for the community, but it’s not easy to make a dress watch. It is, conversely, very easy to attempt to make a dress watch and actually make a regular old daily driver, the type of watch that most people who had any desire to wear any watch at all would have owned in the middle part of the 20th century.    $749 Hands-On: the Bernhardt Captain Case Stainless steel Movement Miyota 9039 Dial Silver Lume None Lens Sapphire Strap leather Water Resistance 50 Dimensions 38 x 45mm Thickness 9.55mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Push/pull Warranty yes Price $749 A dress watch, to me, is a very specific thing. If it’s mechanical, it’s manually wound. It’s more likely to not have a seconds hand, and indices and other markings should be minimal. It obviously should be quite thin and relatively small in size, and if I were really being a snob about it, I’d insist it should be in a precious metal, but I’m not a snob and that’s ridiculous. It does speak, though, to the idea that when you use the word “d...

Twelve on Time - PS Horology’s Peter Speake and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches Monochrome
Aug 12, 2026

Twelve on Time - PS Horology’s Peter Speake and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Twelve on Time is a conversation series that invites leading personalities from the watch industry to step beyond their work and speak more personally about their relationship with time, creativity, and craft. Through a set of twelve questions, the column aims to lift the veil on both the individual and their perspective on watchmaking, revealing […]

They Grow Up So Fast! Meet The Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200 Fratello
Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200 Fast-track Aug 12, 2026

They Grow Up So Fast! Meet The Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200

Fast-track evolution. In just one year, Casio launched its first automatic mechanical watch, the Edifice EFK-100, and rapidly improved it. Now, the third generation of the Casio Edifice automatic is here. The EFK-200, a sporty-chic yet affordable watch with an integrated bracelet/strap, comes in five variations and looks to be a very mature watch. There […] Visit They Grow Up So Fast! Meet The Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200 to read the full article.

Hands On: Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 Titanium SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 Titanium Aug 12, 2026

Hands On: Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 Titanium

The Greubel Forsey (GF) Balancier 3 topped our summer watch wish list thanks to its uncompromising craftsmanship and ergonomic form factor. Though not an altogether new watch — the model debuted in 2023 — the “baby blue” edition updates the formula with a dimpled finish on the prominent Y-shaped bridge that spans the dial. Initial thoughts Greubel Forsey is one of the few artisanal independent brands that has managed to create a distinctive and compelling sports watch. While the style of the Balancier 3 might be an acquired taste for some — especially those who prefer more of a dial — the quality of make is obvious and the finishing is almost clinical in its perfection. This helps justify the steep cost of entry, even for an ‘entry level’ model like the Balancier 3. The Convexe line grew significantly during former CEO Antonio Calce’s tenure, from late 2020 to early 2024, as the brand prepared to scale. Fortunately, the brand pulled the plug on its growth plan and has subsequently reverted to a more balanced line-up, no pun intended. Beyond the blue colour, the primary element that distinguishes this edition is the dimpled finish of the titanium bridge that supports the hand stack. More than just a finish applied for its own sake, the matte treatment helps break up the monotony of mirror-polished elements on the “dial” and provides enhanced contrast with its own mirror-polished bevels. To achieve this look on titanium, the GF developed a new technique...

Seiko Turns Keisuke Takahashi’s Yellow RX-7 FD3S Into a Limited Initial D Chronograph WatchRider
Seiko Turns Keisuke Takahashi’s Yellow Aug 11, 2026

Seiko Turns Keisuke Takahashi’s Yellow RX-7 FD3S Into a Limited Initial D Chronograph

Seiko has returned to the world of Initial D with a new chronograph dedicated to Keisuke Takahashi and his yellow Mazda RX-7 FD3S. The model continues the manga’s 30th-anniversary celebrations after the earlier Takumi Fujiwara AE86 watch. Orders opened in Japan in early August 2026, while deliveries are scheduled to begin in late January 2027. Production is limited to 1,995 individually numbered watches, matching the year Initial D began serialization. The connection is immediately clear. This is not a standard Seiko with a small logo added to the dial. The complete colour scheme and several smaller details come from Keisuke’s car, while the official campaign artwork places the watch beside the driver and his RX-7. The Initial D collaboration links the Seiko chronograph directly to Keisuke Takahashi and his yellow RX-7 FD3S. Image: PREMICO. The yellow RX-7 on the wrist The bright yellow dial copies the most recognizable feature of Keisuke’s RX-7. A black tachymeter bezel provides strong contrast and gives the chronograph a clear motorsport look. Three black subdials use red markings inspired by the illuminated instruments inside the car. The RedSuns team name appears at three o’clock beside the Seiko logo, while the Initial D symbol is placed inside the lower subdial. The yellow dial, red instrument-style subdials and RedSuns logo refer to Keisuke’s RX-7. Image: PREMICO. One of the best details sits at 12 o’clock. Instead of a normal hour marker, Seiko uses a t...

Rocking A New Look: The Maen Manhattan Stone Dial Series Fratello
Maen Manhattan Stone Dial Series Aug 11, 2026

Rocking A New Look: The Maen Manhattan Stone Dial Series

There’s nothing wrong with a good stone dial. Even though they’ve been a thing for the past 2-3 years, I never get bored with seeing one. Granted, I do need to like the watch it’s in, and it also needs to fit the style. With the Maen Manhattan, the former is definitely not an issue. […] Visit Rocking A New Look: The Maen Manhattan Stone Dial Series to read the full article.

Arcanaut Introduces Fordite 2.0, Now Fully Customizable Worn & Wound
Ming Aug 10, 2026

Arcanaut Introduces Fordite 2.0, Now Fully Customizable

Arcanaut, the Scandinavian indie known for their innovation with and unusual use of uncommon dial materials, has announced a major update to their signature watch. The Arc II Fordite, a personal favorite of mine and a watch I’ve proudly owned for a number of years, has been rethought as a bespoke piece, customized by each individual owner in a number of ways. Some of the options available feel like natural evolutions for the line based on a number of things we’ve seen from the brand in recent years across other projects, but a few are genuinely surprising.  When purchasing an Arc II Fordite from Arcanaut directly, the customer is brought to their Fordite Configurator, which first asks for their choice in dial. This, of course, is the heart of a Fordite watch as every dial is inherently unique (they are made from paint drippings from American auto factories). Prospective owners have always been able to choose their dial of course, but the watches have been sold as finished products. The new process centers the dials and the surprising ways they vary in appearance, and asks customers to think about how best to complement it.  The most welcome new development in the new Fordite process is the ability to pick from multiple cases. A total of four options are available, in “Standard” and “Skeleton” varieties, coming in at 40.5mm (the original size) or a new 37mm diameter. A smaller size should be exciting news to many as the 40.5mm case can wear quite a bit larger ...

Introducing: The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour 'Ultimus' Hodinkee
Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Aug 10, 2026

Introducing: The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour 'Ultimus'

What We Know Fears just announced the final chapter of its Brunswick Jump Hour collection, and this appropriately named Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour 'Ultimus' might just be the collection's most interesting execution yet. Designed in collaboration with British watch content creator Andrew Morgan, the Ultimus takes the modern design cues from the Brunswick Jump Hour all the way to eleven, with a stark black-and-white sensibility in a very sleek "Phantom White" dial execution. The focal point is the new jump hour dial, and yes, it's very lumed. Rather than in typical Brunswick Jump Hour executions, which hide all inactive numerals, this dial execution uses sapphire to reveal the oversized hour disc beneath and leans into it as part of the design. A black outer ring holds minimal branding, and within are two luminous ceramic discs—the lower disc is for the rotating (and jumping) hours, and the other disc floats above, housing the printed minute track and the oversized black minute hand. That center lumed ceramic disc above is also connected to a frosted outer ring, which holds the printed minute numerals and offers a subtle peek at the inactive hour numerals on the rest of the dial. At twelve o'clock is a magnifier, which replaces the typical framed window we've seen on the other Brunswick Jump Hours to highlight the current hour and its numeral(s) in full. The steel case is unchanged in this edition, with a diameter of 40.5mm, a thickness of 12.8mm, and a lug-to-lug of 47mm. I...

Inside The Manufacture: Making A Tudor: A Behind-The-Scenes Look, From Raw Material To Finished Product [Video] Hodinkee
Tudor Aug 10, 2026

Inside The Manufacture: Making A Tudor: A Behind-The-Scenes Look, From Raw Material To Finished Product [Video]

Earlier this year, Tudor invited a small group of watch media into its Swiss manufacturing network to see what "Swiss Made" actually means in practice—not a one-stop visit in a single day, but the full process from start to finish over multiple days. I've been on plenty of manufacturer tours, and I've never had access like this. The result is one video, broken into three parts: cases and bracelets; hand-painted and hand-lumed dials; movements and assembly. Case and Bracelet We start by looking at cases and bracelets. I've had my Tudor Pelagos 39 on my wrist for a couple of years now, and until recently I'd never given much thought to what "Swiss Made" on the dial actually meant, beyond the concept and branding tied to those two words. So, using my own Pelagos as the starting point, this segment traces how a titanium dive watch's case and bracelet are actually made, moving through three Swiss companies closely linked to Tudor: Joseph Baume, Orolux, and Detech. Titanium case blanks are the start of the story.  The progressive evolution of Tudor cases at Joseph Baume.  Heat treating in a special furnace.  The case begins at Joseph Baume, an independent forge where steel components are cold-stamped through up to fifteen strikes, while titanium cases, like that employed by my Pelagos, undergo hot stamping instead, heated to nearly 950 degrees Celsius and pressed into shape by a robotic arm. It's a more physical, almost blacksmith-like process than I ever would have expecte...

Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience Fratello
Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne Aug 10, 2026

Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience

The man who brought the Louis Moinet watch brand to life sadly died very recently. Jean-Marie Schaller, the owner and creative force behind Louis Moinet, passed away peacefully on May 16th at the age of 66. The watch industry lost one of its brightest characters, but the brand continues, and it does so in its […] Visit Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience to read the full article.

In Depth: Louis Cottier’s Legacy SJX Watches
Aug 10, 2026

In Depth: Louis Cottier’s Legacy

Sometime around 1949, in a workshop above a stationer’s shop in Carouge, Louis Cottier built a worldtime watch out of a piece of cardboard. Movado had asked him to fit their famous Ermeto — a small purse-watch that was wound by opening and closing its case — with a device to read the hour in any country. What Cottier delivered was a piece of card: two columns listing the 12 antipodal city pairs, with a sliding paper scale of hours. Open the case, slide the scale, read New York against Rome. It was ingenious to a fault. Movado’s verdict was blunt, and fair: it ignored the running of the watch entirely and “…could just as well be made on an address-book or a diary,” they wrote on February 4, 1950. The brand concluded that “Nobody would want to carry such a piece.” The 1949 World Time cardboard maquette proposed to Movado. Image – SJX composite/Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève The cardboard maquette survives, in an archive of some 260 items — letters, patents, notebooks, photographs, a school exercise book, a golf-scoring mechanism — that comprise the most complete record we have of the man the watch world calls the father of the worldtimer. But the story revealed by this evidence is more nuanced than Cottier’s reputation suggests. The legend, briefly The received Louis Cottier is easy to summarise, because everyone summarises him the same way. He was born in Carouge in 1894, and trained in Geneva. After losing his job in the aftermath of th...

SJX Podcast: Independent Watchmaking Retrospective SJX Watches
Franck Muller Aug 10, 2026

SJX Podcast: Independent Watchmaking Retrospective

Ahead of Geneva Watch Days — which will feature 71 brands, many of them independent — episode 49 of the SJX Podcast looks back at how independent watchmaking became the phenomenon it is today. SJX and Brandon trace its evolution from 1970s pioneers like George Daniels and François-Paul Journe through the arrival of Daniel Roth, Philippe Dufour, and Franck Muller. The conversation also examines the avant-garde boom of the 2000s, the renewed emphasis on traditional finishing, and the role of digital photography and social media in transforming a solitary pursuit into a global collecting community. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

The New Casio Pro Trek PRJ-B001EX-1 Hides a Pocket in Its Strap WatchRider
Casio Pro Trek PRJ-B001EX-1 Hides Aug 8, 2026

The New Casio Pro Trek PRJ-B001EX-1 Hides a Pocket in Its Strap

Casio is preparing a new Pro Trek that approaches outdoor usefulness from a different direction. The PRJ-B001EX-1 does not add a compass, altimeter or barometer. Instead, it takes the familiar PRJ-B001 Hiker Line watch and gives it a reversible cloth band with its own storage pocket. Planned for release in August 2026, the watch is a special version of Casio’s compact analogue-digital outdoor model. Casio says the design was created after studying how campers carry small essentials. The Casio Pro Trek PRJ-B001EX-1 combines the analogue-digital Hiker Line watch with a wide reversible cloth band. A strap with a useful secret The wide fabric band includes a small zipped pocket beside the watch. It is intended for coins, a parking ticket or another tiny item that would otherwise disappear into a backpack. It will not replace a wallet, but it gives the wearer quick access to something small without opening a bag. This also gives the PRJ-B001EX-1 an EDC (Everyday Carry) angle, since the pocket can hold a coin, folded banknote or another small essential. The entire band can also be reversed and folded around the watch. In this position it covers the case and mineral crystal, creating a compact pouch that protects the watch while it is not being worn. A carabiner can be attached to the strap so the PRJ-B001EX-1 can hang from a backpack, belt loop or the inside of a tent. A zipped pocket beside the watch can hold coins, a parking ticket or another small item. On the wrist it work...

The Summer of Ana-Digi: a Helpful Guide to the Retro Format Worn & Wound
Casio silhouette Aug 7, 2026

The Summer of Ana-Digi: a Helpful Guide to the Retro Format

Analog and digital timepieces used to wage war on the wrists of horological enthusiasts. Nowadays, though, they’re more of a united front against the tide of smart watches and phones, offering wildly differing price points, use cases, and aesthetics. No longer is a digital calculator watch seen as “nerdy”, as celebrities and public figures like New York mayor Zohran Mamdani are frequently seen rocking the classic Casio silhouette. And despite their seemingly anachronistic focus on tactile functionality and focus, analog watches have never been more popular with young people looking to escape the crushing presence of their digital lives. That’s where the analog-digital (“ana-digi”) format comes in. A clever combination of the best features of both types of “old school” timekeeping, new iterations like the Autodromo Group C Turbo Sport are priced compellingly, and cast a wide net despite sometimes venturing outside of most design conventions. They can be a great introduction to the larger world of watches, and unique conversation pieces in their own right. So, let’s dive in and take a look at some notable ana-digi watches from watchmakers you already know and love, and what sets them apart from their more traditional stablemates.  G-SHOCK Starting with the undisputed king of digital watches, Casio’s G-SHOCK sub-brand has a frankly staggering amount of ana-digi options on hand. Their aptly-named Analog-Digital collection boasts over 100 models currently a...

Introducing: Unimatic UT1-PD Hodinkee
Unimatic UT1-PD What We Know Aug 7, 2026

Introducing: Unimatic UT1-PD

What We Know It's been two years since Unimatic announced their "Toolwatch" collection, and it's possible that you may have forgotten about it. Like all Unimatics, the watches have a strict design language that can make releases blend together. Small tweaks, like today's release of the UT1-PD (Prodiver, in their terms), might look like something you thought existed before, but this is very much a new watch. So what makes the Toolwatch line, and what makes this limited release of 250 pieces different? The UT1-PD has a sandblasted stainless steel case with a 40mm diameter (41.5mm including bezel overhang), 13.6mm thickness (13.3mm without the crystal), and a 49mm lug-to-lug. This is designed as a strict dive watch, meeting all your needs, with a unidirectional 120-click rotating bezel, 300m water resistance, a screw-down crown, and a reliable Seiko VH31A quartz movement. Yes, we love mechanical watches, but quartz does the trick for many needs.  The matte dial has white printing with round, triangular, and rectangular hour markers (unlike the previous version, which had Arabic hour markers), and the watch features Super-LumiNova C1 on the hour markers, hour and minute hands, and bezel pip. There are also drilled lug holes, and the watch comes with a black TPU two-piece strap. But the core of Unimatic's Toolwatch line is that the watches meet the U.S. Department of Defense MIL-STD-810H specs, which outline a range of environmental tests to evaluate the durability, ruggedness...

Twelve on Time - Urwerk’s Felix Baumgartner and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches Monochrome
Urwerk s Felix Baumgartner Aug 7, 2026

Twelve on Time - Urwerk’s Felix Baumgartner and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Twelve on Time is a conversation series that invites leading personalities from the watch industry to step beyond their work and speak more personally about their relationship with time, creativity, and craft. Through a set of twelve questions, the column aims to lift the veil on both the individual and their perspective on watchmaking, revealing […]

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

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

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

Hands-On: Two Wild Dials From Ming, With The "Peepshow" and J.N. Shapiro Collaboration "Lightning" Hodinkee
Tudor Aug 6, 2026

Hands-On: Two Wild Dials From Ming, With The "Peepshow" and J.N. Shapiro Collaboration "Lightning"

You could easily argue that Ming is a materials and manufacturing incubator masquerading as a watch company. Lume that glows white. The lightest ever mechanical watch. The world's first 3D-printed titanium bracelet-strap hybrid. All of these are associated with pretty incredible products, but, to some extent, I think it's fair to say the watches themselves are vehicles for showcasing cool innovation. That's not to say the watches are anything but great. But on occasion they're solutions looking for a problem. I kind of love the brand for it. That kind of innovation also extends to dial making, where Ming has recently released two really interesting dial-making exercises in their collaboration with J.N. Shapiro for the 37.06 "Lightning" and standalone 29.06 "Peepshow." I recently had the chance to go hands-on with a few novelties from Ming. The brand, of course, had a great coup when the 37.09 "Bluefin" beat Tudor and a few others for the best sports watch at GPHG in 2024. They followed up with the 37.09 Uni, which I would say is their most practical release of late. The 56.00 "Starfield" is pretty wild but not to my taste, so I gravitated toward covering the two more dial-focused releases of this year (and their LW01 lightweight watch, which will get a future story on its own). It seemed fitting to start with the Ming x J.N. Shapiro 37.06 "Lightning," since I was actually photographing Shapiro's most recent release the same day. And boy, is the watch stunning in person. Th...

Seiko’s Edo Purple Collection Adds a Speedtimer to the Astron, Alpinist, Presage and Seiko 5 Sports WatchRider
Seiko s Edo Purple Collection Aug 6, 2026

Seiko’s Edo Purple Collection Adds a Speedtimer to the Astron, Alpinist, Presage and Seiko 5 Sports

Seiko’s 145th-anniversary Edo Purple collection is not one watch in a new colour. It is five very different watches using the same dark violet palette and gold-coloured details: the Astron HAB011, Alpinist HBC006, Speedtimer HBJ005, Presage HCB006 and Seiko 5 Sports HDB003. All are limited editions scheduled for October 2026. Edo purple, five ways Edo purple is a traditional Japanese colour associated with historic Tokyo, once called Edo. Here, Seiko uses it with more restraint than the name “purple anniversary” might suggest. Dials shift between violet and near-black, while the gold-coloured accents give every model some warmth without making them look like birthday decorations. Astron HAB011: the technical flagship The HAB011J1 is the high-tech member of the Edo Purple collection. Image: Seiko. The HAB011 is the outlier because its 5X83 GPS Solar calibre receives time and time-zone information from satellites. It combines dual time, a 1/20-second chronograph, a perpetual calendar and 38-city world time in a 43.3mm titanium case. The ceramic-and-titanium bezel and dual-curved sapphire crystal help it look properly finished rather than merely busy. It is limited to 2,000 pieces worldwide. Seiko has confirmed Japanese pricing, but no U.S. price yet. The graduated purple dial and ceramic centre bracelet links set the Astron apart. Image: Seiko. Alpinist HBC006: compact and capable The HBC006J brings Edo Purple to the Alpinist’s compact case and leather strap. Image: ...