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Richard Mille partners with GB1, the British America’s Cup Challenger ahead of 2027 race Time+Tide
Richard Mille partners Sep 25, 2026

Richard Mille partners with GB1, the British America’s Cup Challenger ahead of 2027 race

This week, Richard Mille revealed a new partnership with GB1, the British America’s Cup Challenger, as the team’s Official Timekeeping Partner for the 38th America’s Cup. In Time+Tide news, FounderFest was a resounding success, and in the wake of our (now closed) 24-hour global online sales window, we have some interesting stats worth sharing. Let’s … Continued

Introducing: Blancpain Celebrates The 70th Anniversary Of The Ladybird Collection With The Mini "Lady B" Revival Hodinkee
Blancpain Celebrates Sep 17, 2026

Introducing: Blancpain Celebrates The 70th Anniversary Of The Ladybird Collection With The Mini "Lady B" Revival

What We Know In 1932, a 36-year-old woman took a massive gamble early in her career at Blancpain. Betty Fiechter, who had worked for the brand since she was 16, faced a dilemma after the sudden death of the brand's owner, Frederic-Emile Blancpain. Together with commercial director Andre Leal, she helped secure loans to buy the company, even navigating the need to rename the manufacture because the Swiss government prevented anyone but someone with that name from using Blancpain. Fiechter would eventually mentor her nephew, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, and together they would inaugurate two of the brand's most successful icons: the Fifty Fathoms and the Ladybird. The original Ladybird Bullet The launch of the Ladybird in 1956 was a big deal, not just because a woman led a manufacturer in an era when women couldn't even vote in Switzerland. Inside the original Ladybird "Bullet" was the R55, the smallest round mechanical movement, and one with extra durability, with a fifth wheel to limit the force on the escapement and a shock protector on the balance wheel. It remains the smallest round mechanical movement to this day. To honor that watch, Fiechter, and the 70th anniversary of the Ladybird, Blancpain is releasing a new Lady B (for bullet, I'm sure, but also Betty and, according to the brand, bijou or "jewel") with very tiny dimensions. The watch measures a tiny 19mm by 13.2mm in either stainless steel or 18k red gold, with a total volume of only 2.9 cm³. Despite its size, it has...

Bring a Loupe: A Zenith De Luca, A Patek Philippe Beyer-Signed World Timer, A Carlo Ferrara CF1997 Regulator, And Much More Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet 25696PT Huitieme Perpetual Calendar Sep 4, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Zenith De Luca, A Patek Philippe Beyer-Signed World Timer, A Carlo Ferrara CF1997 Regulator, And Much More

It's been a busy week, Baller, not just with a bunch of new watches being released, but with a phantom island migrating in ways you wouldn't expect an island to, the news that Avocados reverse their sex multiple times a day and, if you're wondering why your car gets so beat up by exposure to rain, no, it's not just that water eventually leads to rust, but that the coating on cars can be destroyed by the electric charge raindrops arrive carrying. Also, physicists may've found dark matter. This is your reminder that no matter how strange you find the world, it's always stranger than that. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Hamilton Cross Country sold for $1,200, the Heuer Titanium Quartz for $340 AUD, the Movado Super Sub Sea for $4,250, the Breitling 810 for $2,750, and the Breitling 815 sells tomorrow. Strays Photo courtesy of Interencheres. RAF Sector clocks were also sometimes known as Operations Room clocks, and this week you've got a trio to choose from—one, two, three—if you're into extremely beautiful and historically important clocks. If you're a horologically-inclined fan of Mos Def and Talib Kweli, here is, I kid you not, a Zenith with the branding "Black, Starr, and Frost" on the dial. For those hankering for an unworn Rolex Platinum President (ref 228236), have at it, and this Audemars Piguet 25696PT Huitieme Perpetual Calendar is such a strange 1990s watch. You can see from the pictures that it's a modular build, given the crown and pushers don't align, an...

Are Smaller Watches Actually Better In Design And On The Wrist? Fratello
Tudor although there are […] Sep 3, 2026

Are Smaller Watches Actually Better In Design And On The Wrist?

For most of the last 20 years, watch marketing has quietly pushed in one direction — bigger. Cases grew from the 33–38mm range that once counted as a normal men’s watch into the 40mm+ territory that now reads as standard. A handful of watches, old and new, from Rolex, IWC and Tudor (although there are […] Visit Are Smaller Watches Actually Better In Design And On The Wrist? to read the full article.

Budget-Friendly With Vintage Charm: The Updated Wolbrook Skindiver 38 Automatic Fratello
Wolbrook Aug 12, 2026

Budget-Friendly With Vintage Charm: The Updated Wolbrook Skindiver 38 Automatic

It’s always nice when you run into an old acquaintance. A few years ago, I spent quite a bit of time on the Wolbrook website, as I really liked the brand’s Tropic-style rubber straps. To me, they were the perfect combination in terms of material and looks. During those visits, the brand’s watches caught my […] Visit Budget-Friendly With Vintage Charm: The Updated Wolbrook Skindiver 38 Automatic to read the full article.

Fears Retires the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour with the ‘Ultimus’ Edition: an Appreciation of a Modern Classic Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward JJ01 jumping hour module Aug 11, 2026

Fears Retires the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour with the ‘Ultimus’ Edition: an Appreciation of a Modern Classic

Fears made some news this week not only with a new release, but also the announcement that one of their signature watches is being retired. The new Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour ‘Ultimus’ is, somewhat surprisingly, the last version of the Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour. Now, it stands to reason that Fears will not completely abandon the Jump Hour format. This platform has been incredibly popular for the brand, and seems to be a fount of creative opportunity for their design team and collaborators. Still, the appropriately named Ultimus is the end of a chapter, and it seems like a good opportunity to reflect on a watch that I’ve personally come to enjoy quite a bit in my own collection.  But first, let’s break down the Ultimus. This is a collaboration with Andew Morgan, the UK based watch content creator, and features the same 40.5mm stainless steel case and Christopher Ward JJ01 jumping hour module (on a Sellita SW200 base movement) as every other Jump Hour Fears has made (well, almost every one – we’ll get to a few exceptions momentarily). What differentiates this edition, of course, is the dial execution. Typically, the Jump Hour is loaded with negative space. The Fears version of this complication features a small interior minutes track with an hour aperture at the top, and ample space within and without that circle that becomes a venue for an eye-catching color or an interesting material. It’s an inherently spare design, which I think is part of the appeal.  The U...

Casio Launches Master in Horizon Gold G-Shock Trio WatchRider
Casio Launches Master Aug 4, 2026

Casio Launches Master in Horizon Gold G-Shock Trio

Casio has officially introduced Master in Horizon Gold, a three-watch G-Shock collection that gives the Gravitymaster, Mudmaster and Mudman the same brown and light-gold finish. The models are the GR-B300H-5A, GG-B100XMH-5A and GW-9500MH-5. They look related, but their functions are very different. One is made for flying, one for connected outdoor tracking and one for solar-powered navigation without a phone. One Colour Scheme, Three Different G-Shocks The collection takes its name from the line where the earth appears to meet the sky. Dark brown bio-based resin bands and cases are combined with light yellow-gold ion-plated bezels. Smaller metal parts use brown ion plating and the warm colour scheme looks unusual without hiding the tough Master of G character. Every model is shock resistant and rated to 200 metres. Mudmaster GG-B100XMH-5A The GG-B100XMH-5A measures 55.4 x 51.3 x 19.4 mm and weighs 104 g. Its bio-based carbon case uses the Carbon Core Guard structure, while a stainless-steel bezel and reinforced case back add protection. Mud resistance, mineral glass and a two-year CR2025 battery make it the only non-solar model in the trio. The GG-B100XMH-5A is the connected Mudmaster in the collection. Image: Casio. It combines a compass, altimeter, barometer and thermometer with a step counter. Bluetooth links it to the Casio Watches app for automatic time correction, around 300 world-time cities, Mission Log, Location Memory and phone finder. Other tools include sunrise...

10.5 Best Watches Under $100,000 That I Would Not Buy WatchRider
Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch Aug 4, 2026

10.5 Best Watches Under $100,000 That I Would Not Buy

If you search for watch recommendations in 2026, you will inevitably run into a very annoying trend: watch influencers making “best watches under $1,000” lists of affordable watches that they have never even touched. They show stock photos or videos, they clearly do not own them and they have absolutely no intention of buying them, especially when their own personal collections are full of expensive pieces. At one point recently, I watched a video where an influencer actually recommended an affordable watch in a list and then immediately admitted that she/he didn’t even like it. I mean, seriously? My approach is going to be the exact opposite and I think a lot more realistic. Instead of pretending to love budget watches I do not own or like, I am going to look at the “best” expensive luxury watches and not necessarily hyped watches, but watches under $100,000 that I do not have the money to buy. But here is the catch: even if I had the cash sitting in my bank account tomorrow, I still would not buy them, just to follow the dumb trend! 1. Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch The Moonwatch is a legend. It went to the moon. It has the best history of any chronograph, period. The latest Master Chronometer update is brilliant. In fact, if there is one watch on this entire list that I truly recommend, it is this one. Part of its charm is that because of the unique subdial layout and movement architecture, there are no good fakes that can accurately reproduce the pr...

Introducing - The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in “Bleu Nuit, Nuage” Ceramic Monochrome
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Aug 3, 2026

Introducing - The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon in “Bleu Nuit, Nuage” Ceramic

Audemars Piguet has long embraced new materials and continues to expand its ceramics expertise, revealing a striking new version of the Royal Oak Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon. While the base of this 41mm model itself is familiar, the news is its material: the entire watch, case, bezel, crown and integrated bracelet are executed in “Bleu Nuit, […]

Bell & Ross BR-05 GMT Green Steel Adds a Sage Dial to Its Urban Travel Watch WatchRider
Bell & Ross BR-05 GMT Green Steel Jul 30, 2026

Bell & Ross BR-05 GMT Green Steel Adds a Sage Dial to Its Urban Travel Watch

Bell & Ross has introduced the BR-05 GMT Green Steel, bringing a layered sage-green dial to its square travel watch. Announced on 29 July 2026, the new model keeps the familiar 41mm steel case, automatic GMT movement and choice of integrated bracelet or rubber strap. The colour and dial finishing are the real news. This is not a limited edition. It joins the regular BR-05 GMT range and is identified by the reference BR05G-GN-ST, with the usual SST and SRB endings used for the steel-bracelet and rubber-strap versions. All images are courtesy of Bell & Ross. A new green for the BR-05 GMT Bell & Ross introduced the BR-05 collection in 2019 as the Urban branch of its range. It kept the brand’s well-known “circle within a square” design but softened the case and connected it directly to an integrated bracelet. The GMT model followed in 2021, adding a second time zone without changing the basic shape. The BR-05 GMT Green Steel on its matching green rubber strap. Image: Bell & Ross. The 2026 Green Steel is the first BR-05 GMT to use this sage colour. It is not a simple layer of green paint. Bell & Ross starts with a metal dial plate, gives it a sunray-brushed finish, applies a tinted green varnish and then adds a clear glossy varnish. The final layer protects the surface and adds depth. The result changes noticeably with the light. Some angles produce a brighter green, while others reveal softer grey and silver tones. It is more restrained than a bright emerald dial and wor...

Lorier Re-Introduces Four of their Classics: the Neptune, Hyperion, Astra, and Falcon Worn & Wound
Lorier Jul 24, 2026

Lorier Re-Introduces Four of their Classics: the Neptune, Hyperion, Astra, and Falcon

Editor’s Note: Lorier is owned by Worn & Wound. This article was produced by Worn & Wound’s editorial team, which operates independently of the company’s business and brand operations. If you’re a loyal reader of Worn & Wound, you’ve probably seen the news that Lorier has been brought into the fold. The world of microbrand watches, like any start-up industry, is full-to-bursting with innovation and the craziness that follows, and this new partnership is a great way to keep the boundary-pushing designs flowing. So, with the announcement just barely out the door, we have four re-introduced Lorier models on the way, and long-time fans of the brand will be pleased to see some favorites on the docket. First up is the re-release of the sleek, dressy Astra; at 36mm in case diameter and 8.8mm in thickness, the Astra is meant to invoke everyday elegance with a touch of tool watch functionality. The original watch followed Lorier’s vintage-inspired cues, and emphasized the small size but robust finish, placing it firmly in the dressy-sport watch category. This new model, however, takes both sides of that coin to more elevated heights, and stronger tool watch conventions. A Miyota 9039 automatic movement forms the heart of the watch, boasting a 100-meter water resistance rating, and a sapphire crystal protects the dial.  Without a date window, the dial of the Astra maintains its distraction-free aesthetic, and adds dimensionality via a silver-white base that catches ligh...

Introducing - The Lebois & Co Heritage Atelier with Clous de Paris and Stroopwafel Dials Monochrome
Jul 24, 2026

Introducing - The Lebois & Co Heritage Atelier with Clous de Paris and Stroopwafel Dials

Lebois & Co, an old name revived by Tom van Wijlick, a Dutch native, has steadily built a collection of classically styled, vintage-character watches. Last year’s Heritage Small Seconds introduced a compact dress watch series inspired by the brand’s mid-century archives. Now, two new references are launching the Heritage Atelier collection: the Small Seconds Clous […]

The Business of Watches Podcast: Inside Lorier Watches' Acquisition With Lorenzo Ortega And Blake Malin Hodinkee
Lorier Jul 22, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Inside Lorier Watches' Acquisition With Lorenzo Ortega And Blake Malin

This week on The Business of Watches, a breaking news story, of sorts. Our friends at Worn & Wound have acquired Lorier Watches. It's a story of success for the New York-based boutique brand that started way back in 2017 with a mission to make vintage-inspired watches, designed to be worn every day, at an approachable price. In a way, it's a tale of too much success. Lorier co-founders, the husband and wife team Lauren Ortega and Lorenzo Ortega, struggled with the rapid growth of the small company, and the inability to meet demand for their products took a toll on the two-person operation. They considered winding up the brand, as it were, but a talk with Blake Malin, the co-founder of the well-established content, retail, and watch event company Worn & Wound, also based in New York, set them on a different path. Lorier founders Lorenzo Ortega (right) and Lauren Ortega (left). Worn & Wound co-founder and CEO Blake Malin. The acquisition of Lorier is the first time Worn & Wound has acquired a watch brand. Malin and Lorenzo Ortega join us to talk about how the deal came about and what's next for both Lorier and Worn & Wound. Though Ortega spent his formative years in Geneva until he was about 18, it's a decidedly American business story in the watch industry. There's plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Be sure to leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so...

Organic Second-Hand Horology: The Joys of Uncovering a Used Gem at a Local Shop or Sale Worn & Wound
Timex pieces found Jul 16, 2026

Organic Second-Hand Horology: The Joys of Uncovering a Used Gem at a Local Shop or Sale

Finding a watch at your local Goodwill or community rummage sale sparks a certain kind of euphoria in a watch collector that’s hard to capture from any other source or stimulus. My watch collecting journey started at a local flea market with two Timex pieces found in a basket of old silverware, buttons, and thimbles. At age twelve, I still can’t identify what made those watches stick out to me like sore thumbs––or why I decided to invest my hard-earned leftover $5 allowance money on them––but that feeling like I discovered a diamond in the rough is a high I continue to chase into the present day. Why does finding and purchasing a watch second-hand from a local sale or thrift store feel so incredibly rewarding? To support my theories with some examples, I invite you to take a trip down my own personal memory lane and look at some of the timepieces I’ve picked up at thrift stores, yard, garage, rummage, estate, and community sales throughout my years of collecting. For those keen-eyed readers out there, you may have noticed I skipped over a classic locale for second-hand goods: antique stores. I want to save that lengthy discussion for another day, as there is a far deeper discussion into the idea of price vs. value vs. availability that will take far longer than a side tangent to be included here. Putting antiques aside for another day, let’s discuss what makes a thrift find feel so valuable. The Thrifty State of Mind Everyone loves a good deal. Do I really ...

An Amateur Astronaut: How A Mark II Speedmaster Racing Reinforced My Love of Oddball Omegas Worn & Wound
Omega s Jul 14, 2026

An Amateur Astronaut: How A Mark II Speedmaster Racing Reinforced My Love of Oddball Omegas

For better or worse, but likely worse, I have always attempted to be an iconoclast. When the iPod debuted, I eschewed it for an oddball Korean MP3 player, which I loaded up with nu-metal at a time when all my fellow high school students were evolving into emo kids. I shamelessly drive a 38-year old Saab instead of the Porsche that I thought I could own by this age. And it’s a mentality that has extended into my watch enthusiasm as well: whenever the perennially popular Omega Speedmaster Professional sometimes seems like one of the only watches that exists among enthusiasts and lifestyle publications alike, I look at Omega’s adjacent, oddball chronographs that were in development around the same time as the moon landing.  Such as the Flightmaster: an Omega chronograph which also has an enviable space legacy, hewn from a single block of Swedish steel, same as the aforementioned Saab.    View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Blake Z. Rong (@bzrong) But it’s the Speedmaster’s sequel that commands my attention: once envisioned as a permanent successor to the Moonwatch, the Mark II Speedmaster is as bold as any seventies chronograph, worthy of the original’s lofty aspirations.  I came across this watch at Theo’s Haberdashery, a recently-opened vintage shop that highlights vintage Americana. Think woolen pennants for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Playboy matchbook covers, turquoise jewelry and custom-rolled cigars, complete with a 1950s Dodge flatbed truck parke...

Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko Presage Cocktail Time (38.5mm) Vs. Baltic HMS 002 Fratello
Baltic HMS 002 Good morning Jul 12, 2026

Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko Presage Cocktail Time (38.5mm) Vs. Baltic HMS 002

Good morning, and welcome to another Sunday Morning Showdown. This week, Seiko released three new models in its Presage Cocktail Time collection. With a 38.5mm diameter, they are smaller, feature a less in-your-face date window at 4:30, and come in three color options. All in all, it’s a nice new offering from Seiko at the […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Seiko Presage Cocktail Time (38.5mm) Vs. Baltic HMS 002 to read the full article.

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

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

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

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

Hands On: Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Annual Calendar

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

Farer Introduces a Trio of Classic Racing Inspired Chronographs Worn & Wound
Casio nally advertise Jun 16, 2026

Farer Introduces a Trio of Classic Racing Inspired Chronographs

Nothing beats the bold and brash hand-painted liveries of motorsports in the 1960s and 1970s, especially compared to the overstimulating and overcorporatized wraps of today’s racecars. No, liveries of old were meant to invoke speed and evoke a sense of romance and adventure—and yes, also to occasionally advertise a sponsor.  In celebration of those iconic liveries of the golden years of motorsport, British watchmaker Farer has unveiled a new trilogy of colorful chronographs. Each of the new models takes on a colorway seen on racetracks of yesteryear, while maintaining the motorsport-inspired design of their chronograph lineup. The new Racing Chronographs measure in at a slim 38.5mm in diameter and 13.4mm in thickness, making the stainless steel case comfortable on the wrist for long sessions behind the wheel. Each model features three subdials at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, with hours, minutes, small seconds, and 30-minute and 12-hour counters. A bidirectional bezel with a ceramic insert wears a 12-hour scale and along with the hands and indexes, is filled with Super-LumiNova for legibility and visibility.  Inside, and visible through a flat sapphire crystal exhibition caseback, is a Sellita SW510M b Elaboré grade movement. Decorations include skeleton framework, perlage finishing, blued screws, and a custom engraved bridge with the Farer monogram just below center. A 63-hour power reserve ensures that setting the watch down between race days won’t be an issue. I’ve ...

Moonwatch Dials: The Most Expensive Book I’ve Ever Bought Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Jun 16, 2026

Moonwatch Dials: The Most Expensive Book I’ve Ever Bought

It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for the Omega Speedmaster, and over the years, I’ve collected several of them. But beyond the watches, I also find myself collecting Moonwatch-related items, such as old catalogs, pins, pens, boxes, and books. To date, the best book on the topic is Moonwatch Only. From the […] Visit Moonwatch Dials: The Most Expensive Book I’ve Ever Bought to read the full article.

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

First Look - The Longines Master Collection Gets a Complete Overhaul

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

Photo Report: Inside Hermès Horloger Manufacture Hodinkee
Hermes Jun 9, 2026

Photo Report: Inside Hermès Horloger Manufacture

We've all been told at least once in life to stick to our own lane. It's an old trope that historically holds merit. Stick to one discipline, master it, and you'll succeed. But in 2026, the rulebook has changed in almost every aspect of life, and sometimes those one-trick ponies aren't the ones leading the charge; they're actually left in the stable. La Montre Hermès S.A in Brugg, Switzerland. In watchmaking, it transpires that the latest crop of brands to realize this are the names we most associate with being wider fashion houses. Empires sustained by hand-stitching legacy into cloth, amplified in the theatre of the catwalk, now play in the watchmaking arena. We've witnessed many of these names turn to watchmaking as an additional arm to their already bulletproof name, and crucially, they're delivering watches with real merit. For Hermès, despite having a presence in watchmaking since the early 20th century, with Universal Genève as the brand's watchmaking partner from the 1930s and the production of exclusively Hermès-signed pieces such as desk clocks, this rise has been built brick by brick since the 1970s. Outfitting horses came first, then their riders, and it quickly proved that true luxury comes from mastery, not scale. During the 1970s, the maison decided to build schools to train artisans the Hermès way, passing along hand-stitching, leather cutting, and scarf-printing techniques from master to apprentice. While other names pursued mass production or outsour...

One Watch To Rule Them All: What Is Your “Set And Forget” Watch? Fratello
Jun 8, 2026

One Watch To Rule Them All: What Is Your “Set And Forget” Watch?

There comes a point in every watch enthusiast’s journey when the chase becomes exhausting. It’s not because the passion fades but, rather, because the noise grows louder. New releases every other week, “must-have” collaborations, titanium this, forged carbon that, another integrated-bracelet sports watch with a fumbling backstory about racing or aviation or saturation diving… Eventually, […] Visit One Watch To Rule Them All: What Is Your “Set And Forget” Watch? to read the full article.

What Keeps Vortic Running Worn & Wound
Hamilton some years ago Jun 4, 2026

What Keeps Vortic Running

Back in March, I found myself on an Amtrak train from Philadelphia to Lancaster, PA, a small city that many think of as the ancestral home of American watchmaking. I’d been to Lancaster before, with Hamilton, some years ago, and even though their old factory is no longer in use, the brand’s history is woven throughout the town in any number of ways. But I wasn’t traveling to Lancaster for Hamilton, I was there to see RT Custer, founder of Vortic. The coincidental nature of the line that connects Hamilton, RT, Vortic, and the city of Lancaster is almost beyond belief, and a new layer to that connection would be added in a matter of hours, as RT worked to secure a purchase of vintage pocket watch movements that would take his brand through another year (at least) of production.  RT grew up in Lancaster, and his father still lives in town. Hamilton’s history there, of course, would have been something he encountered in his younger years, working its way into his memory the way a knowledge of baseball might if you happened to grow up in Cooperstown, or movies if you grew up in Hollywood. I don’t know, though, that anything could have predicted that RT would one day find himself running a company that would be so inextricably linked to the history of American watchmaking.  A collection of very early Vortic watches Vortic is one of the most unique watch brands you’ll ever encounter. Founded in 2013 and based in Fort Collins, CO, Vortic repurposes vintage pocket wat...

Seiko Celebrates 60 Years Of PADI With A Limited-Edition “Turtle” - Meet The HBB002 Fratello
Seiko Celebrates 60 Years Jun 4, 2026

Seiko Celebrates 60 Years Of PADI With A Limited-Edition “Turtle” - Meet The HBB002

Many of you probably know that Seiko introduced its first diver’s watch in 1965. However, did you also know that the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) was founded the following year? That means the association turns 60 years old this year, and it has already certified more than 30 million divers during that time. […] Visit Seiko Celebrates 60 Years Of PADI With A Limited-Edition “Turtle” — Meet The HBB002 to read the full article.

Dispatch: A Visit to Philippe Dufour's Workshop, Twelve Years Since Our Last Hodinkee
Jun 3, 2026

Dispatch: A Visit to Philippe Dufour's Workshop, Twelve Years Since Our Last

It's been some time since we visited Philippe Dufour's workshop—at least officially. I'm not sure if my colleagues have stopped in before, which wouldn't surprise me. Once you know Dufour, stopping by his workshop in Le Solliat becomes much more informal. But until two weeks ago, I actually hadn't stepped foot inside the old building that was once his kids' schoolhouse and that has become his workshop.  Back in 2013, Ben stopped by during the "Road to Basel" series, but a lot has changed since then. Or has it? Despite being a watchmaker for over 59 years now, all Philippe Dufour seems to want to do is make watches. And where better to do it than the famed "Valley of Complications"?  When we last left him, Ben noted that he had just delivered the last of his Simplicities, after about 200 watches. "He will never make another," said Ben, and that Dufour was working on a more complicated follow-up. Well, since then, he certainly has delivered more Simplicities, including one with an aventurine dial that was auctioned for charity, and there are still more watches on the bench. And it's not just him at the workshop; his daughter Danièla is also working away as well. Tools on the display cases inside Philippe Dufour's workshop and a selection of pocket watches  In 2022, I traveled to Switzerland and the Vallée de Joux for the first time to research and photograph a story on the watchmaker Charles-Henri Meylan. I immediately fell in love with the place. The three-dimensiona...

Bring a Loupe: A Polerouter Super, A Movado Bill Time, A Vintage Rolex Sub, And A Louis Vuitton Monterey II Hodinkee
Jaeger-LeCoultre Étrier sold as well May 29, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Polerouter Super, A Movado Bill Time, A Vintage Rolex Sub, And A Louis Vuitton Monterey II

Congrats on conquering another week, even if this one felt particularly expensive with the loss of Sonny Rollins. I know jazz is probably supremely uncool, but man oh man, if you've not had any experience listening to old Sonny stuff, pull up his classic The Bridge and dive on in (and, yes, his time out, alone, practicing sax on the Williamsburg Bridge, lent the album its title). But you're not here for that sort of cultural enrichment. Let's get to the real stuff. Scorekeeping earlier picks, the Hamilton RAF from two weeks back sold for €1,600, which is a cheering result. Last week's Omega Marine Chronometer went for CHF 2,000, the Marvin "Ocean Chief" sold for $1,000, and Rare Bird's Jaeger-LeCoultre Étrier sold as well. Strays Photo courtesy GALERIE DES VENTES D'ORLEANS. Photo courtesy Craft + Tailored. Photo courtesy Bonhams. Here's a beautiful Zenith Respirator on its original Zenith-signed NSA bracelet for all you square-cased Ballers to start things off. The Dennison ALD Dual Time seemed to scratch an unsuspected itch for a lot of folks, and certainly there are excellent vintage examples of double-dialed watches, but if you happen to find yourself hooked on the idea that more=better regarding dials, boy oh boy is this 18k gold Chopard with its four separate dials for you (with, yes, four separate manual-wind movements, for the fidgeters among us). Girard Perregaux alarms look fantastic for eschewing the typical fourth hand for setting the alarm, and this example ...

Introducing: The Barrelhand Monolith Has Landed Hodinkee
Omega s Speedmaster ultimately earning May 28, 2026

Introducing: The Barrelhand Monolith Has Landed

After six years in development, Barrelhand is formally launching the Monolith, a watch that represents a new generation of the tool watch genre built explicitly for the space age. Watches have played an important role in the history of human space travel, but few have actually been designed and engineered to meet ISO aerospace standards, NASA material guidance, and EVA/IVA testing protocols consistent with the needs of a crewed deep-space mission. The Monolith represents exactly that, with Barrelhand going to great lengths to meet a standard that tool watches are rarely held to these days. At the dawn of the Apollo program, with five years of learning from the Gemini program under their belt, NASA issued a memorandum outlining the need for a standard flight-crew wrist watch. The story that follows is a widely known part of watch lore, with Omega's Speedmaster ultimately earning the coveted "Flight Qualified" status, and thus a spot on every crewed flight of the Apollo program from 1968 to 1972. The testing protocols developed by NASA put a handful of commercially available watches through a battery of tests that included exposure to extreme temperature, pressure, and shock, and while none would ace the testing, the Speedmaster came out the other end in arguably the best shape. It's important to note that none of the watches selected by NASA's Procurement and Contracts Division were built with these tests in mind. The Speedmaster and the Daytona were both built with automot...