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Highlights: Unique Indies at Marteau & Co’s ‘The Encore’ SJX Watches
Oct 9, 2026

Highlights: Unique Indies at Marteau & Co’s ‘The Encore’

Yesterday Marteau & Co kicked off its fourth sale, The Encore, comprising primarily pièce unique watches from independent watchmakers, which is the founding theme of the online-only auctioneer. Beyond its focus on indies, the auctioneer sets itself apart with its “maker’s fee”, which rewards the maker of the timepiece with 3% of the hammer price for each watch sold Conceived to allow watchmakers to reap the rewards when their products appreciate, this fee is also known as the artist’s resale right, or droit de suite, a concept that’s been codified into law across Europe for fine art. Marteau & Co’s approach is the first instance of its application in watchmaking, and seems successful so far. Lot 9 – Yosuke Sekiguchi Primevere “Interprétation du Japon” pièce unique Yosuke Sekiguchi is Swiss independent watchmaker, born in Japan and trained in France, who cut his teeth at La Joux-Perret and Christophe Claret before pivoting to restoration work in 2016. Around that time he transformed an orphaned Jules Jürgensen pocket watch movement dating to 1871, casing it into a wristwatch, which inspired the Primevère. We covered the prototype of this watch in depth when it debuted in 2021, and shot another (this time in rose gold with a black enamel) earlier this year, but this stainless steel confirmation with a red enamel sub-dial – a look inspired by the Japanese flag – is perhaps the best looking configuration we’ve seen. Beyond its striking looks, this...

Hands-On Review: The Raymond Weil Millésime Jubilee Opens A Stunning New Chapter WatchAdvice
Raymond Weil Millésime Jubilee Opens Oct 9, 2026

Hands-On Review: The Raymond Weil Millésime Jubilee Opens A Stunning New Chapter

I take the new Raymond Weil Millésime Jubilee hands-on to see how the bi-compax anniversary edition compares with the existing Tri-Compax Chronograph! What We Love: Bi-compax layout gives the signature Millésime sector dial more room to shine The model retains the exceptional wearability of the Millésime chronographs Carries defining traits of “The Fifty” into a more accessible format What We Don’t: No date display for those who may prefer the added practicality No steel bracelet option! 12.9mm thickness may be substantial for those who prefer slimmer chronograph proportions. Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 8.8/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Raymond Weil, like many other watchmakers, went through some turbulent times during the COVID-19 era. However, as is often the case, periods of adversity can inspire some of the most creative and important work. This was certainly the case with Raymond Weil, as it was during this period that the Millésime collection was born. While the collection was introduced in 2023, its development and design began a few years earlier. The brand wanted to create a new expression of its watchmaking identity, bringing together its history with accessible contemporary watchmaking. The word “Millésime” literally translates to “vintage” or “vintage year” in French, directly reflecting the collection’s inspiration from watches produced between the 1930s and 1960s. View this post on Instagram A pos...

Wren Introduces the Vessel, a New Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch Worn & Wound
Anoma Oct 8, 2026

Wren Introduces the Vessel, a New Integrated Bracelet Sports Watch

Wren, the microbrand founded by Wrist Enthusiast’s Craig Karger, has just unveiled the Vessel, a sharp left turn from the brand’s well received dive watches, and easily their most ambitious watch to date.  Craig has been teasing the Vessel for at least the last year, and if you’ve seen him at the Wren booth at recent Windup events and other shows, or just around NYC watch events, it’s possible you’ve seen him wearing prototypes of the Vessel or discreetly showing it off alongside his dive watches. It’s been a long road, and the lengthy run up to the release reflects the complexity of the project compared to the Diver One. I remember the first time Craig showed me a render of what would become the Vessel, it was hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that this would be the next model from his still new brand. It seemed like a watch going in a completely different direction.  The Vessel is an avant-garde integrated bracelet sports watch, built around a contemporary feeling tonneau case shape with a design by Max Resnick, who has worked with Traska, Anoma, and others. The case has an architectural look defined by sharp angles, and is crafted from 904L steel. It measures 39mm by 39mm and is 10.6mm thick. There’s a pretty dramatic taper from the widest part of the case (it’s middle section) and where the lugs meet the bracelet. While the integrated bracelet sports watch has been done to death at this point by just about any brand you can name, the Vessel ...

Introducing: Arsène Lippens Patches Up Dials With The Artigiano “Sashiko Denim” Hodinkee
Oct 8, 2026

Introducing: Arsène Lippens Patches Up Dials With The Artigiano “Sashiko Denim”

What We Know For all the conversations about what to do when a dial is damaged, possibly fit for restoration, or a watch needs some repair, I don't recall many examples of watches with dials that come pre-repaired. That's essentially what Arsène Lippens has launched: a watch inspired by the Japanese craft of Sashiko, which artfully patches and repairs textiles (largely denim) to extend their lives and turn them into something beautiful. In collaboration with Pey van der Wel, a Dutch artist who runs SASHIKODENIM, the brand's new limited edition of 10 pieces is the second in its "Threads of Time" series celebrating textile crafts. The watch is a relatively straightforward release as an entire package: a 37.5mm by 9.9mm 316L stainless steel case housing a manually wound Sellita SW210-1b movement with a 48-hour power reserve. The case is water-resistant to 50 meters, with a solid caseback and a box dome anti-reflective crystal on the front side. The thickness largely comes from the depth required for the dial, which is the star of the show. The dial is made of denim, with 12 individual hour markers hand-stitched one thread wide through the dial, with a cross-hatch at 3, 6, 9, and 12. Of course, none of these dials are the same, and you could argue that some, including the one shown here, might not be perfectly aligned to the hour marker. But so be it. The watch celebrates a centuries-old handcraft and its beautifully imperfect nature. Of course, the watch comes with a denim s...

In Partnership - From The Source : NORQAIN's Ben Küffer Talks Us Through the Expanded Wild ONE Collection Hodinkee
Norqain s Ben Küffer Talks Oct 8, 2026

In Partnership - From The Source : NORQAIN's Ben Küffer Talks Us Through the Expanded Wild ONE Collection

Challenging conventions is part of NORQAIN's DNA. For CEO Ben Küffer, that aim to "redefine what a Swiss mechanical sports watch could be" has been instrumental to the brand's success. For its latest release, the family-owned Swiss brand announced three new models in a first for the brand: grade 5 titanium. The Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium 39mm and 42mm reimagine the brand's signature sports watch, incorporating grade 5 titanium into the watch's top plate with the bottom retaining NORQAIN's signature NORTEQ carbon-fiber-composite.The result is a rich visual contrast and lightweight construction. "Titanium certainly has a future within NORQAIN," Küffer says, "but only where it adds something meaningful to the design and performance of the watch." Each possesses a distinct identity, with the 39mm—limited to 400 pieces—opting for a grey palette based on titanium's muted character, featuring light yellow dial accents and Super-LumiNova for technical performance and legibility. The 42mm, by contrast, opts for a slightly bolder coloring with mint green details for a bolder visual presence. Both are powered by the skeletonized in-house NK26/1 automatic movement, a COSC-certified chronometer with a 65-hour power reserve. The star of the new collection, however, is the all-new Wild ONE Meteorite Titanium 42mm. The Meteorite takes the brand's flagship watch and incorporates Grade 5 titanium and an anthracite iron meteorite dial, combining contemporary high-tech design with ancie...

The Nomos Metro Gets an Ice Blue Color Scheme and a Brand-New Mechanical Caliber Worn & Wound
Nomos Metro Gets Oct 8, 2026

The Nomos Metro Gets an Ice Blue Color Scheme and a Brand-New Mechanical Caliber

Earlier this year, I got a whole new appreciation for the Nomos Metro after sitting down with its creator, Mark Braun. The collection first came into the Nomos catalog back in 2014 and debuted the brand’s proprietary swing escapement system, which was developed over seven years with the Fraunhofer Institute and TU Dresden. Form was equally important to function in the original design, featuring a galvanized and silver-plated dial with a soft white color punctuated by black, red, and green markings in an arrangement that subtly played with asymmetry. Over the past 12 years, the Metro has gone on to take many other forms – some ditching the asymmetry by removing the power reserve indicator and shifting the Nomos logo to 12 o’clock and others ditching the white dial for full color alongside versions in rose gold as well as special editions for select markets. Today, we get the next evolution with the Metro Date Power Reserve Ice Blue. True to the collection’s DNA, this new incarnation offers new details both aesthetic and technical, including a brand-new mechanical caliber.With the latest addition to the Metro lineup, we see Nomos continue to use this collection as a launch point for new technical advancements. It marks the first model in the Nomos catalog to house the new hand-wound caliber DUW 4701, which offers a patented quick-set date and a power reserve of up to 52 hours. This entirely new movement continues the story of mechanical innovation that began with the...

Hands-On: The Wren Vessel Hodinkee
Anoma Oct 8, 2026

Hands-On: The Wren Vessel

It's not often that a microbrand makes a complete pivot in design language. In fact, I'd argue that it's rarely advisable. Once you've built an audience around your existing design codes, introducing a product with virtually zero overlap with what your customers already love is a massive gamble. But NYC-based microbrand Wren, created by Craig Karger of Wrist Enthusiast, has taken that risk today with a completely new design called the Wren Vessel. Last year, I spent some time with the Wren Diver 38 models, which stuck to the brand's singular design language centered around vintage dive watches. Not the most groundbreaking concept in the microbrand space, even if the watches are impressively specced for the price point. But I think it's quite interesting to see that the brand's ambitions are much higher than what it's currently offering, and today's new watch marks the next step for Wren. For this new watch, the brand teams up with designer Max Resnick, a watch designer with a background in automotive design who's done work for other microbrands like VPC, Traska, and Anoma. The final result feels quite original, despite the high-level concept of a modern, integrated sports watch being explored by many brands in many other ways. Wren logo aside, the Vessel shares almost no similarities with the rest of the brand's designs. The Vessel brings a new, integrated(ish) bracelet design that feels almost retrofuturistic in its silhouette, with a generally tonneau shape but executed ...

First Look - New Ice Blue Dials for the Nomos Metro Date Power Reserve and Neomatik 41 Update, Plus a Movement Upgrade Monochrome
Nomos Metro Date Power Reserve Oct 8, 2026

First Look - New Ice Blue Dials for the Nomos Metro Date Power Reserve and Neomatik 41 Update, Plus a Movement Upgrade

German product designer Mark Braun created the Metro family in 2014. Inspired by metro map signage and graphics, Braun injected well-calibrated doses of colour and city chic into the brand’s established Bauhaus design language. The inaugural Metro Date Power Reserve also marked a milestone for the brand, as the first model to debut the Nomos Swing […]

Introducing: The Nomos Glashütte Metro Date Power Reserve Gets A New Caliber (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Nomos Glashütte Metro Date Power Oct 8, 2026

Introducing: The Nomos Glashütte Metro Date Power Reserve Gets A New Caliber (Live Pics)

What We Know If you asked me to pick a watch from the catalog that best represents the small but mighty German brand Nomos Glashütte, I'd probably choose the Metro Date Power Reserve. Sure, it's not the distinctive Tangente, nor is it a simple Club Campus. But I think the Metro Date Power Reserve embodies so much of what makes the brand special to me—a beautifully considered, minimalist design by designer Mark Braun, a splash of color to make it interesting, a quirky power reserve indicator, and an in-house manually wound movement with the finishing you'd expect from the brand. That's why I bought mine a few years ago, and I've enjoyed it ever since. However, unlike many other watches in the lineup, the Metro Date Power Reserve is a tricky model to recommend to friends, especially those just starting out in this dangerously addictive space. That's because for all that the watch delivers, it has its Achilles' heel in the form of a non-quickset date. Yes, that means that if you haven't worn the watch in a while and the date is off a bit, you'll need to keep moving the hands back and forth past midnight to advance the date every single time. If you're fifteen days out, it gets tedious, and there's no way around it except to accept that your watch shows the wrong date. Luckily, after more than a decade in production, the model gets a new refresh. Today, Nomos brings a new in-house caliber, DUW 4701, to power the new generation of Metro Date Power Reserve. Most importantly, ...

Zenith Presents Its Unique Piece for the TimeForArt Auction Worn & Wound
Zenith Presents Oct 7, 2026

Zenith Presents Its Unique Piece for the TimeForArt Auction

In 2022, the inaugural TimeForArt auction took place in partnership with Phillips, marking the first and only benefit watch auction to support contemporary art and artists. In its opening year, it raised $1.2 million for the Swiss Institute’s exhibitions, public programs, education initiatives, and community engagement. Its next edition returns this December as part of The New York Watch Auction XV, now featuring a whopping 25 watch brands up from the original 17, including Zenith with a unique Defy Chronograph. For this special edition going toward a worthy cause, Zenith has once again teamed up with USM Modular Furniture. The pair first collaborated in 2025 on four ultra colorful Defy Chronograph models inspired by the timeless and playful design language of the distinctive furniture. Here, the watchmaker drew on the brand’s patented USM Haller modular system and married it with the architecture of the Defy Chronograph. For the upcoming charity auction, the duo continues to use the model as the canvas, but this time, they take a more subtle and subdued approach to the design.The foundation remains the same with the Defy Chronograph’s compact 37mm stainless-steel case, octagonal geometry, fourteen-sided bezel, and the stainless-steel “ladder” bracelet. Like we saw in the original collaboration, there are small easter eggs throughout, like the tip of the chronograph seconds hand that’s fitted with a miniature USM Haller ball joint and provides a subtle link bac...

Happenings: Join Us For Hodinkee Happy Hour At Grotta [RSVP Here] Hodinkee
Ming into town from near Oct 7, 2026

Happenings: Join Us For Hodinkee Happy Hour At Grotta [RSVP Here]

New York Watch Week is almost here, and we're kicking off the jam-packed weekend with the next installment of Hodinkee Happy Hour at Grotta. With watch enthusiasts and industry folk coming into town from near and far, it's the perfect opportunity to grab a beer, eat some pizza, and catch up with the New York watch community. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP right away. Our Editor-in-Chief, James Stacey, will be there, along with Deputy Editor Tim Jeffreys and other Hodinkee team members. We'd love for you join, whether you're a regular or it's your first time attending one of our events. See you there! Date:Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 6-8 PMLocation:Grotta Local177 Mulberry StNew York, NY 10013 RSVP Here.

Introducing the echo/neutra x Worn & Wound Rivanera Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Oct 7, 2026

Introducing the echo/neutra x Worn & Wound Rivanera Limited Edition

In the early 20th century, people envisioned a future both wondrous and bleak. Sprawling cities, both wide and tall, dominated the skyline with impossibly large, advanced structures. Made of glass, steel, and concrete, these urban landscapes were synthetic and imposing, pushing the limits of what technology could provide while maintaining a haunting beauty. Art Deco in style, they hinted at the Brutalist movements and dystopian futures to come. The post Introducing the echo/neutra x Worn & Wound Rivanera Limited Edition appeared first on Worn & Wound.

The Business of Watches Podcast: Bangalore Watch Company Co-Founder And CEO Nirupesh Joshi Hodinkee
Oct 7, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Bangalore Watch Company Co-Founder And CEO Nirupesh Joshi

This week on The Business of Watches, we feature a boutique brand and its CEO from a country that has the watch industry abuzz. Nirupesh Joshi is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bangalore Watch Company, based in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), India. Mercy Amalraj and Nirupesh Joshi. Founded in 2018, the company has slowly established itself as a purveyor of premium watchmaking, with models that don't rely on classic tropes about the country to tell their story. Former tech industry executives Joshi and his wife, Mercy Amalraj, are building a brand that aims to express India's modern spirit as the country becomes an increasingly significant economic and cultural player on the world stage. India has a rich watchmaking history, with brands like HMT and Titan producing watches in large volumes to serve its fast-growing population of over 1 billion people. But BWC is seeking a different client, one that's more seasoned in watches, and is seeking a brand that innovates and competes with other marques from around the world to tell its own unique stories.  BWC has grown to about 15 staff members, including watchmakers repatriated from other brands, and has opened a boutique in its home city and produces around 2,000 watches per year, assembled in India using components made both in-country and from suppliers around the world. The company recently raised capital from investors, and Joshi tells us how BWC plans to bring its watches to a wider, global audience. Custo...

First Look - The Return of the Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater Monochrome
Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Oct 7, 2026

First Look - The Return of the Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater

Jacob Arabo, founder of Jacob & Co., has a flair for showmanship. Whether you like them or not, his creations are strikingly expressive and absolutely like no others in terms of aesthetics and technicality. The visual spectacle of watches such as the Astronomias or the Bugattis is captivating, with bold 3D architectures that come alive. […]

Hands On: Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater SJX Watches
Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Oct 7, 2026

Hands On: Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater

The Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater returns with a transparent red mineral crystal dial and an updated movement, 12 years after the original introduced chiming complications to the brand. Combining a wearable case with a clear view of the striking racks, it makes a convincing addition to the more mechanically focused side of the collection. Initial thoughts After 12 years of minute repeaters and musical wristwatches, it’s easy to take Jacob & Co.’s presence in the category for granted. Working closely with external specialists, the brand has developed an impressive portfolio of striking watches in a remarkably short time. That repertoire encompasses the decimal repeater of the Twin Turbo Furious, the three-gong carillon of the Astronomia Maestro, and the combination of a music box and minute repeater in the Opera Godfather. These different approaches to sound illustrate the breadth of the brand’s ambitions and its relationships with specialist movement makers. We recently sat down with Jacob & Co. chief executive Benjamin Arabov to discuss how smaller watches like the Palatial have helped broaden the brand’s clientele. Mr Arabov admitted that he is affectionately known by some of his staff as the “size dictator”, due to his insistence on reducing dimensions while retaining the mechanical creativity. While the brand still makes a number of extremely large watches, the increase in smaller, more wearable options has attracted a new clientele...

Introducing - H. Moser & Cie. Presents Three New Models with its Retrograde Seconds Display Monochrome
H. Moser & Cie Presents Three Oct 7, 2026

Introducing - H. Moser & Cie. Presents Three New Models with its Retrograde Seconds Display

Retrograde complications, in which a hand sweeps across an arc or sector and snaps back to zero, are prized for their theatrical jumping display. While retrograde displays have been around for centuries and were popularised by watchmakers like Lépine and Breguet, a surprisingly wide range of brands still feature them today. H. Moser & Cie.’s Pioneer […]

A. Lange & Söhne’s Singapore Pop-Up Explores Chronographs and Cars SJX Watches
A. Lange & Sohne Oct 7, 2026

A. Lange & Söhne’s Singapore Pop-Up Explores Chronographs and Cars

This month Singapore will play host to A. Lange & Söhne’s Challenging Chronographs, a pop-up exhibition exploring Lange’s iconic chronograph movements and the brand’s perennial presence at the automotive world’s most elite “concours” competitions. Taking place at ION Orchard, the exhibition will take visitors through the history of the Datograph collection, from the landmark 1999 original to the Double Split and Triple Split. The event also focusses on Lange’s role as an official partner of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como, and related events at Hampton Court Palace and Audrain Newport, events that bestow the most coveted awards in the world of vintage automobiles. The Triple Split in platinum A master watchmaker and a master engraver from Glashütte will be on hand throughout the event to provide insight into the assembly of the brand’s famed chronographs, and demonstrate the process of freehand engraving a balance cock, respectively. This unique 1815 Chronograph was awarded to the winner of the 2022 Concorso d’Eleganza at Villa d’Este Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid (left) with the best-in-show winner at the Concours of Elegance 2023 Open from 10:00 am-9:00 pm each day, guided tours and demonstrations are available by appointment, though limited slots will be available so early registration is encouraged. Challenging Chronographs will be hosted from October 18-30 at the ION Orchard, Level 1 Atrium at 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801. Re...

Hamilton Introduces the American Classic Cushion Mechanical Worn & Wound
Blancpain Oct 6, 2026

Hamilton Introduces the American Classic Cushion Mechanical

We’re at an interesting time when it comes to the dialogue in the watch community on vintage inspired watches. Watches that make explicit references to the past are simply less common now than they were a decade ago, or even 4 or 5 years ago. I’ve long believed that a maturing group of collectors who entered the hobby when these watches were all the rage have aged into a point in their collecting journeys when more adventurous and contemporary designs simply have more interest.  But this theory really only applies to what most of us refer to as “midcentury” watches. Think about the earliest dive watches from Rolex, Blancpain, and others, the types of dress and everyday watches worn by Don Draper on Mad Men, and extending through to the earliest bits of 60s and 70s funkiness. That’s the vintage inspired wheelhouse for watch brands seeking to tap into the community’s desire to commune with the past, whether through real or imagined nostalgia. Watches from a century ago are an entirely different category.  Enter the Hamilton American Classic Cushion Mechanical. This is an entirely new collection from the brand that finds them looking to designs from the 1920s for inspiration. Watches from this period never really had a widespread moment of resurgence like divers from the 1960s, but if you’ve spent some time in the hobby you’ve undoubtedly encountered collectors who are deeply into exactly this kind of thing. There are a number of interesting reasons to colle...

Happenings: New York Watch Week 2026 Is Almost Here Hodinkee
Daniel Roth Oct 6, 2026

Happenings: New York Watch Week 2026 Is Almost Here

It's that time of the year again! And no, I'm not talking about pumpkin spice season (but no shade if you're into it). I'm talking about the busiest time of the year for watches in New York, with New York Watch Week coming up in full swing. That means some of the most exciting watch shows in the Big Apple are happening over that weekend, with some cool talks, brand events, and more bringing it all together. Image courtesy WatchTime The two big shows that we all know and love will be very much present. WatchTime magazine continues the collector-favorite event centered around high-end watchmaking, WatchTime New York, happening from October 16th through the 18th. WatchTime seems to get bigger and bigger every year, and this year they'll be hosting a whopping 48 brands at Gotham Hall. Yes, it's hard to imagine how more brands can somehow fit into the space, but they've managed to make it happen. Along with many familiar names returning, some of the new brands making their debut at WatchTime will be Ferdinand Berthoud, Kudoke, Kollokium, Daniel Roth, and more. While Friday night tickets are sold out, single-day admission is available for sale at WatchTime for both Saturday and Sunday. To complement the high-end showcase at Gotham Hall, Windup Watch Fair (from our friends at Worn & Wound) returns also from October 16th through October 18th, at Center415 on Fifth Ave. between 37th and 38th St. The show will continue to be a delightfully overwhelming mix of everything watches and ...

Off the Cuff: Audemars Piguet and Konstantin Chaykin Think Beyond the Watch SJX Watches
Konstantin Chaykin Think Beyond Oct 6, 2026

Off the Cuff: Audemars Piguet and Konstantin Chaykin Think Beyond the Watch

Watchmakers regularly turn familiar design cues into accessories, but Audemars Piguet and Konstantin Chaykin have taken notably different approaches to the genre with their latest offerings. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Joaillerie Collection recasts the Royal Oak as an extensive range of elaborate jewellery, while Konstantin Chaykin’s Master of Days cufflinks incorporate a tiny mechanical calibre that provides a day-of-the-week display. Both draw on the design and manufacturing specialties of their makers, but at vastly different price points and with different audiences in mind. Both approaches, however, lend themselves to gift-giving, which might explain the timing of the releases in the lead up to the holiday season. Initial thoughts Some of the biggest names in series watchmaking dabble in accessories on the side. The most obvious is probably Rolex, which made headlines when it formally launched a line of cufflinks — and a desk clock — late last year. Patek Philippe, too, has a long history of making jewellery and accessories. Today the brand offers cufflinks that match the Golden Ellipse, Nautilus, and Cubitus, and jewellery that takes after the Aquanaut and the Twenty-4. Even smaller-scale independent watchmakers evidently see value in the category. F.P. Journe offers a set of cufflinks in a choice of platinum or 18 pink gold — to match the brand’s watches — as does Biver. Franck Muller goes even further, with a full collection of Crazy Hours-inspired ne...

Introducing: The Seiko Panda Watch That Stole The Show In 2024 Is Finally Here Hodinkee
Grand Seiko s Evolution 9 Collection Oct 6, 2026

Introducing: The Seiko Panda Watch That Stole The Show In 2024 Is Finally Here

What We Know Seiko has unveiled two limited-edition chronographs born from its power design project, a long-running internal design initiative that encourages designers to explore ideas beyond the constraints of commercial product development. The new watches are based on A Watch Exclusively for Panda Lovers, one of seven concept pieces presented at the 2024 Incredibly Specialized Watch Exhibition, where designers were challenged to create watches tailored to extraordinarily specific audiences. Among the seven concepts, none generated quite as much excitement as the panda watch. Nearly three years after its debut as a one-off exhibition piece, it has now become a production model—remarkably faithful to the original concept. The original "A Watch Exclusively for Panda Lovers" was displayed at the 2024 Incredibly Specialized Watch Exhibition. Original design sketches from the exhibition. The watch was designed by Kiyotaka Sakai, a member of Seiko's product design team who also works on Grand Seiko's Evolution 9 Collection. His starting point was a deceptively simple question: Is a watch called "Panda" really seen as a panda in anyone's eyes? The idea draws on the Japanese concept of mitate—finding unexpected visual associations between seemingly unrelated objects. While collectors have long referred to black-and-white chronographs as "panda dials," Sakai wondered what a watch would look like if it were designed not to resemble a panda dial, but an actual panda. The answe...

Review: The Tudor Northflag Gets a Second Chance Worn & Wound
Tudor Northflag Gets Oct 5, 2026

Review: The Tudor Northflag Gets a Second Chance

When the Tudor North Flag came out in 2015, it was met with a collective “what?” Tudor had chosen it to debut its in-house movements, a genuinely big moment for the brand. But the watch itself was a totally unexpected throwback to the fairly obscure Ranger II, an integrated bracelet sports watch from the ’70s that I don’t think anyone expected to see revived. It was interesting, though. The North Flag had a design language entirely separate from the Black Bay and Pelagos lines, plus a hybrid steel-and-ceramic bezel, a display caseback, and a power reserve. That last feature is still the only time Tudor has used a power reserve on one of its modern movements. The reaction was mixed. Tudor was arguably too far ahead of the curve: integrated bracelet sports watches weren’t trending; vintage divers were. Six years later, the North Flag was discontinued. In the meantime, integrated bracelet sports watches didn’t just become popular; they became almost a requirement. It feels like every brand has released one in the last five years, at prices ranging from a couple hundred dollars to a couple hundred thousand. People now look back at the original North Flag and think, “Oh, wait a second. Maybe that was a pretty cool watch after all.” So while the first North Flag was ahead of the curve, the new Northflag is right on time, or maybe even a touch late. It’s also a GMT, though you won’t find “GMT” in the name. The question is whether Tudor has made a better wa...

Hands-On: Traska Chronograph Tungsten Gray Hodinkee
Ming Japanese movements Oct 5, 2026

Hands-On: Traska Chronograph Tungsten Gray

It's funny the way a brand can sneak up on you. Maybe you hear the name on a podcast, and then, a few months later, you run into the brand at a watch fair, or on a friend's wrist. Still, despite repeated encounters, it's remarkable how a brand can continue to exist entirely outside your awareness. Until it doesn't. Until you somehow find a brand, or a watch, completely inescapable, unavoidable, inevitable. 18 months ago, I'm not sure I'd ever given an independent thought to Traska; today, that couldn't be further from the truth, and the brand's Chronograph (aptly named, the Chronograph) is the perfect example of why. If you don't yet know Traska, I don't blame you. Traska is just one of many small brands that have popped up over the last decade, and they've broadly followed a familiar formula: Kickstarter launch, followed by a slowly expanding stable of somewhat conservatively designed, three-handed sports and dive watches, all powered by reliable but unassuming Japanese movements, and all drawing a heavy dose of inspiration from well-known (but far less accessible) watch brands. So, if the broad strokes are familiar, where Traska has separated itself from the pack is in the details. For one thing, unlike so many other Kickstarter brands with similar stories who have come and gone with barely a whisper, Traska has stuck around and, each year, their watches have gotten better. I finally reached my tipping point with Traska last year, when I picked up a second-hand Venturer ...

Shinola’s Popular Duck Watch Goes Mechanical with the Quirkiest Campaign Ever Worn & Wound
Shinola Oct 5, 2026

Shinola’s Popular Duck Watch Goes Mechanical with the Quirkiest Campaign Ever

One of several running stories I’ve been working on lately is a chronology of influential watch ads, and perhaps I need to add this latest campaign from Shinola to the list. The headline is that the brand’s popular Duck watch is getting a mechanical movement. In my humble opinion, that’s a pretty exciting announcement within itself whether you’re a mechanical devotee who’s loved the aesthetic of the collection but been uninterested in quartz or whether you’re mechanical-curious and looking to acquire your first model with an automatic movement. However, Shinola decided to take things a step further with a wild launch campaign combining four personalities spanning entertainment, comedy, music, and internet culture – Tefi Pessoa, fresh off Love Island USA; Kareem Rahma, creator and host of Subway Takes and Keep the Meter Running; viral creator Benton McClintock; and New York rapper NEMS, whose ‘Bing Bong’ became an internet phenomenon. But that’s not all – somehow Cheerios (yes, the iconic cereal) is also in the mix. Let’s unpack this and how it all (supposedly) relates to the launch of this new watch.  First and foremost, we have to get into the watch itself. The new Duck Automatic collection is making its debut in four iterations. Each offers a well-proportioned 38mm build and is topped off with Shinola’s new quick-release H-link Duck bracelet with a micro-adjust buckle. There are two in classic stainless steel, one with an alabaster hydro sunray...

First Look - The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond and Spectre Collection Monochrome
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M James Oct 5, 2026

First Look - The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M James Bond and Spectre Collection

For over 30 years, Omega and James Bond have shared a strong connection, with the Swiss watchmaker appearing in every Bond film, on the wrist of the secret agent since GoldenEye in 1995. Countless movie-featured watches and numerous special editions have been created, the latest dating to 2022 for the franchise’s 60th anniversary, but all […]