Results for NOS (New Old Stock)

Hands-On: The Cartier Tank Américaine Now Comes In Yellow Gold

One size does not fit all. Available in large, small, and mini.

Business News: LVMH Close to Formula 1 Sponsorship Deal

The rumours have been swirling for some months that LVMH has replaced Rolex as a key sponsor of Formula 1. As we noted in our July editorial, that wasn’t true yet. According to a source inside F1, LVMH and Formula One Group are on the cusp of a multiyear sponsorship deal starting in 2025. The French luxury group will join Lenovo and Santander as the latest sponsors of F1. Once signed, the deal will mean that LVMH takes the place of Rolex, which had been “Global Partner” of F1 since 2013. The group is not new to F1. TAG Heuer is now a sponsor of Red Bull Racing, while Dior only just signed up Lewis Hamilton as a brand ambassador. But now the group’s many brands – 75 at last count – could stand to gain even more exposure with F1. Marques like Moët & Chandon, Hublot, Loro Piana, and of course Louis Vuitton would have the chance to share in the increasing viewership of the sport, which has been steadily growing its presence in pop culture since it was acquired American media conglomerate Liberty Media in 2017. Besides adding races in glamorous cities like Miami, F1 is now the subject of a hit television series on Netflix. And a film starring Brad Pitt, titled F1 naturally, will premiere on Apple TV next year. LVMH Watch Division chief Frédéric Arnault (third from left) at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix with the drivers of Red Bull Racing. Image – TAG Heuer TAG Heuer returns More importantly, an F1 deal will be a return to form of sorts for TAG Heuer, the biggest ...

Bring a Loupe: A Grail-Level Rolex Paul Newman Daytona, A Jaeger-LeCoultre Triple Calendar, And A Neo-Vintage Daniel Roth Chronograph

All that and more in this week's edition of Hodinkee's what's selling where column.

News: Luminox celebrates 35 years with the Anniversary Heritage Collection

Released in July 2024, Luminox celebrates their legacy of 35 years with the release of three novelties viz their SEA, AIR and Land campaigns.

WatchCharts August 2024 Watch Market Update: Spoiler Alert, The News Isn’t Good, But There’s 6 Watches Still Going Up

The first full month of the second half of 2024 continues to show the market in decline. The WatchCharts Overall Market Index lost 0.8% in July, worse than the performance in June.

Introducing – The Junghans Meister Chronoscope in its Sportiest Attire, now with Steel Bracelet

Once one of the largest watch companies in the world, German brand Junghans was founded in 1861 by Erhard Junghans and his brother-in-law Jakob Zeller-Tobler and started as a clockmaker. Mostly famous for its collaboration with Swiss Bauhaus designer Max Bill, the company kept on bringing nicely designed and accessible watches over the years. Aside […]

Business News: More C-Suite Musical Chairs As LVMH Shuffles TAG Heuer, Hublot, And Bulgari CEOs

Julien Tornare to leave TAG Heuer and lead Hublot amidst market softening.

Industry News – Richemont Reports Stable Sales For Q1 2024, Results Down for Watches

Following the announcement yesterday of decreasing sales for the Swatch Group, particularly impacted by the industry’s challenging situation in China and South East Asia, it is time today for one of its main competitors, Richemont Group, to announce its sales for the first quarter ended 30 June 2024. Contrary to expectations, global sales are to […]

Business News: Swatch Groups Profit Sinks and Inventories Grow

The owner of brands like Omega and Longines, the Swatch Group just announced its results for the first half of 2024. The half-year numbers crystallised a slowdown that the watch industry has felt since late 2023. Revenue was down 14.3% to CHF3.44 billion, while operating profit plunged 70% to just CHF204 million, giving the group an operating margin of just 5.9%, compared to 17.1% from a year earlier. According to Swatch, the fall in revenue was “triggered by the sharp drop in demand for luxury goods in China (including Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR)”. At the same time, wholesale sales fell over 10%, indicating that third-party retailers are ordering less watches from the group’s brands, which in turn indicates the retailers’ pessimism for the short- and medium term. Swatch also explained the poor results by noting the group did not “make any redundancies… [and] maintaining all production capacities and not laying off qualified staff”. This was done so that “the Group [will] recover more quickly and benefit more significantly from the next upswing.” The progressively weakening positions of each of the group’s brands relative to the competition – marques like Breguet and Blancpain stand out in this regard – imply this might be overoptimistic. Notably, Swatch stated “the Swatch brand bucked the negative trend” thanks to the bestselling MoonSwatch, but this was not (and will not) be sufficient to help the rest of the group given the low value of Swat...

Industry News – Swatch Group Reports Sales Down 14.3% for the First Half of 2024

At CHF 3,445 million, the sales of the Swatch Group, the Swiss powerhouse owner of Omega, Longines or Tissot, are down 14.3% at constant exchange rates and 10.7% at constant rates. The declining sales strongly impact the operating profit at CHF 204 million against CHF 686 million for the previous year. Swatch Group advises that […]

Industry News – LVMH Acquires High-End Clockmaker L’Epée 1839

Known as the largest luxury group in the world, owned by the Arnault family, LVMH continues its development in all fields related to rare and artistic crafts. Already the owner, through its Watches Division, of TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith (as well as jewellery brands Bulgari and Tiffany, not included in this division), the group […]

News: Watches & Wonders 2025 Dates, with Additions to the WWG Board

The world’s most important watch trade show, Watches & Wonders, has just announced the dates for next year: April 1-7, 2025. Practically all major luxury watch brands present their latest wares at Watches & Wonder (W&W;), including Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Cartier. The event also named additions to the board of the Watches and Wonders Geneva Foundation (WWGF), the governing body of the event. Chanel, Hermès and LVMH join Rolex, Richemont, Patek Philippe, and Cartier on the board, giving representation to the biggest brands or groups showing at the event. Alongside the enlarged board, the WWGF appointed Cartier chief executive Cyrille Vigneron chairman of the board, taking over from Rolex chief executive Jean-Frederic Dufour, who now becomes the organisation’s treasurer. Still a key man on the board, Jean-Frederic Dufour (second from left) Give and take The changes at WWGF reflect longstanding rivalry between the brands and groups that emerged when the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, better known as SIHH, evolved into W&W; after the demise of Baselworld. Previously dominated by Richemont and Cartier, SIHH transformed into an event that included giants like Rolex and LVMH. LVMH long believed it deserved a seat on the board, according to a senior executive of its watch division. It is possible that the elevation of Cartier’s boss to the chairmanship is a concession for the jewellery agreeing to the enlarged board. Interestingly, the two-year term of Mr Vign...

Introducing: The Noah x Timex Sun And Moon Watch

The pair's latest sold-out LE gets a second wave.

Rolex Turn-o-Graph: What You Should Know About the Rolex Tool Watch th

From the beginning of 1953 to the end of 1954, Rolex had perhaps the most productive and impactful period that any watchmaker had ever managed in a two-year stretch. The Explorer, the gold standard of adventure-oriented luxury watches, debuted in the summer of 1953 and the first Submariner, the quintessential diver’s watch, was manufactured that same year. The Submariner’s public debut wasn’t until 1954 at the Basel Watch Fair, but it wasn’t the only trendsetting Rolex watch the Crown released that year: the other was the original GMT-Master, the dual-time travel watch against which all others are measured. Photo: Matthew Bain We all are familiar with the three iconic Oyster Perpetual timepieces above, but few may be aware that Rolex released another tool watch in 1953, whose production not only preceded that of the Submariner and GMT-Master but whose signature design feature influenced the look of both. That watch is the Rolex Turn-o-Graph, the first serially produced Rolex tool watch equipped with a rotating bezel that could be used for timing intervals. (To be thorough, it should be noted that it was not the very first Rolex watch with such a feature: the Zerographe Ref. 3346, made way back in 1937, takes that honor, along with the distinction of being the first Rolex watch with a movement made in-house -  with a flyback chronograph, no less. The rarest of unicorns, the Zerographe (below) is nearly forgotten today, rarely mentioned in official Rolex literatur...

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Mini is Big News for Small Watch Lovers

Business News: Richemont Appoints Nicolas Bos Group CEO

Alongside its results for the year ended March 2024 – with revenue at an all-time high but marked by slowing growth – Richemont announced a major management revamp with Nicolas Bos promoted to chief executive officer of the group that owns brands like Cartier and Piaget. His predecessor (but not exactly), Jérôme Lambert, will be the group’s chief operating officer. Having led Van Cleef & Arpels (VC&A;) for just over a decade, Mr Bos skilfully grew the jeweller’s revenue more than sixfold during his tenure. At the same time, he managed to established a recognisable identity for VC&A;, one distinct from its bigger sibling, Cartier. He has spent practically his entire career at Richemont, having joined the group in 1992. Prior to taking the top job at VC&A;, he was its creative director, a role he retained even after becoming the jeweller’s chief executive. Effective June 1, the promotion of Mr Bos lends credence to talk of retirement for Cartier boss Cyrille Vigneron, who at 63 is nearing the group’s retirement age. Having led Cartier since 2015, Mr Vigneron has transformed it into a reliably profit generator that accounts for about half of the group’s revenue and a great deal of its profits. And next most profitable brand in Richemont is of course VC&A;. Jerome Lambert Some are more equal than others Mr Bos’ new job implies a demotion of sorts for Mr Lambert, who was appointed chief executive officer in 2018, after having led Jaeger-LeCoultre and then Montbla...

Breaking News: Unique Patek Philippe Steel Sonnerie Minute Repeater Sells For $17.3 Million In Return Of Only Watch

While the Christie's website was down, it didn't stop the bidding for Patek, Journe, Rexhepi, and others.

eBay Finds: A Pair of Vintage Seamasters, a Nice Citizen Bullhead Chrono, and a Funky Jump Hour

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion! Vintage Omega Seamaster DeVille The Seamaster DeVille line was Omega’s dressier version of their sporty Seamaster. This example looks much like the Geneve line they put out, with its simple round case and thin bezel with straight skinny lugs. Very clean and classic 1960’s dress watch look, especially with the gold cap case. The 34-35mm case is in nice shape, and the gold cap is holding up strong. The original silver dial looks good, with a few specks here and there. The watch has the correct and original crown, and also comes with the original seven-row beads of rice bracelet! Seller states the watch runs and keeps time, so you’re all set for your next cocktail party! View auction here 1970s Initial Dynamic  Here’s a wild one for you, a vintage 1970’s direct read/jump hour from Initial Dynamic. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of them, I haven’t either! But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a super cool looking watch. Check out that oval ‘dial’, with the awesome direct read window on the left, and matching date window on the right. The chrome plated case is excellent, with sharp edges and the original brushed finish. The strap looks original to me, with a cool met...

The Oris Aquis Date Collection Has Now Been Updated For 2024

Oris is one of those brands that we love to talk about here at TBWS, simply for the fact that the team always seems happy to just do their own thing. This year, instead of doing something big and flashy, Oris has moved to update their vast catalog of Oris Aquis Date models for 2024. It's a key collection and this kind of care ensures that the watches don't become stale, as Oris aims to put out the best that they possibly can. The Aquis is just a great, sturdy dive watch from an independent brand and these new models are available in 43.5mm, 41.5mm, and 36.5mm case sizes with a bunch of dial color options and a choice to go with the in-house Oris Caliber 400 on the 43.5mm version. Let's try to wrap our heads around this.

Breaking News: The White Gold Rolex 'Le Mans' Daytona Is Discontinued

Marking, perhaps, the shortest production run of any Rolex ever.

Introducing: The Tudor Black Bay 58 In Yellow Gold, Now With Gold Bracelet

Three years after giving us a gold Black Bay 58, Tudor completes the look.

Watches, Stories, & Gear: Subtracting a Leap Second, a Huge Star Trek Collection, and, Yes, More Dune News

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds by emailing us at info@wornandwound.com Could Climate Change Cause a Negative Leap Second?   The “leap second” is one of those weird little timing quirks that sometimes comes up in human interest stories about online networks going down for unexpected reasons, or the strange particulars of how we arrive at standard time worldwide. Leap seconds, for the uninitiated, have to be implemented periodically because of the irregular rotation of the earth. One second might not seem like a big deal, but extrapolating a one second timing error over the course of years, centuries, and millenia can have a major impact. Now, as NPR reports, we might need to lose a second rather than add one at some point in the near future, and the culprit might be climate change. It’s not often discussed, but the impacts of climate change extend to the rotation of our planet, and it appears that it might be slowing it down slightly. It’s not the first thing you think of when you consider the impact of our warming planet, but in its own way could be as critical as many of the effects that get most of the headlines.  A Star Trek Collection Like Yo...

Breaking News: Only Watch Will Return in May 2024

After having postponed itself in the wake of questions about its propriety and transparency, Only Watch has just announced its return, with the 10th instalment of the charity auction taking place on May 10, 2024. This happens after the organisation published its audited financial statements covering the last three years as well as revamping its governance. Majority of brands that were slated to take part in last year’s event are returning for the 2024 auction – 48 out of the 62 watches have remained – with the most notable departures being Audemars Piguet and Tudor. Crucially, the most significant brands will return for this year’s Only Watch, namely those who will contribute watches with six- or seven-figure values. The most important is naturally Patek Philippe, which is believe to have an all-new wristwatch in the works, and not the Minute Repeater Alarm ref. 1938P made for last year’s event. The Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime ref. 6300A in steel that sold for CHF31 million in 2019, making the most valuable wristwatch ever sold at auction In addition, F.P. Journe, Rexhep Rexhepi, Richard Mille, as well as all LVMH brands, including Louis Vuitton, Hublot, TAG Heuer, Bulgari, and Zenith, are also participating. This means that the brands that matter in terms of value are still there. For example, just Patek Philippe and F.P. Journe alone should raise a healthy eight figure sum – with Patek Philippe accounting for at least US$15-25 million, or about two-third...

The Breitling Navitimer Evolves into a No-Frills GMT

To celebrate its 140th anniversary, Breitling is launching the Navitimer Automatic GMT 41. Zooming into the watch, the signature slide-rule bezel is still present, although this Navitimer omits the chronograph and replaces it with a GMT function. Featuring a 41 mm case in either stainless steel or 18k rose gold, it retains the classic Navitimer style, albeit with a cleaner look without the chronograph sub-dials. Initial Thoughts After revamping the Navitimer in 2022, Breitling gave its trademark aviator’s chronograph more vintage-inspired aesthetics, including more compact cases. Given that the Navitimer is synonymous with the chronograph, it’s not unreasonable to criticise the GMT has having lost some of the spirit of the original. However, I dig the cleaner aesthetics without the pushers and the triple registers. And this is also more affordable. Most Navitimer chronographs are equipped with the in-house B01 movement, resulting in an hefty entry price of US$9,600. The Navitimer Automatic GMT 41 is equipped with an ETA calibre, resulting in a slightly more affordable price that starts at US$6,200 on a stainless steel bracelet. Many other brands in this price bracket now utilise in-house or heavily improved movements, which puts this at a disadvantage in terms of mechanics. That puts it in the middle of the pack for accessible GMT watches: not as affordable as a Longines or the same value proposition as a Tudor, but it has the advantage of the classic Navitimer look th...

The Petrolhead Corner – Ever Wanted To Own A Championship Winning Ferrari F1 Car? Now’s Your Chance!

There was a time in Formula 1 racing where not one, not two, not three but pretty much half the field had the talent and material to compete for race wins, and thus the championship. During the 1970s, a time that’s considered the golden age of F1 racing, many stars rose to the top. Think […]