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Results for Le Locle

2,700 articles · 12 videos found · page 39 of 91

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Wiki · Guide
Le Locle

The Swiss Jura town where Daniel Jeanrichard planted watchmaking c.1700. Home to Ulysse Nardin, Tissot, Zenith, TAG Heuer HQ.

Dimensions · Guide
Case dimensions: Tissot Le Locle Powermatic 80 Tissot

39.3 mm × 9.75 mm, lug 19 mm, Cal. Powermatic 80

Photo Report: Watch Spotting At The Hodinkee Happy Hour [July 2026] Hodinkee
Christopher Ward C60 Trident GMT 300 Aug 7, 2026

Photo Report: Watch Spotting At The Hodinkee Happy Hour [July 2026]

Another Hodinkee Happy Hour, another evening well spent. Last week, we returned to the Watches of Switzerland boutique in SoHo for our monthly community meetup. Some attendees were meeting for the first time, while others picked up right where they left off. Before long, the room was buzzing with conversation over local beers from our friends at Grotta and slices from Nolita's Upside Pizza. As the night unfolded, attendees passed their personal watches around the room while sharing fond stories about them. From vintage gems to new releases like the DOXA SUB Army 200T for Hodinkee Limited Edition, there were more than enough interesting watches to get your hands on and talk about. Scroll through the photos below for a recap of the night and watches that made the rounds. If you joined us, thank you for coming. If not, we're hosting the next one at the end of August. Be the first to know when RSVPs open by following the Hodinkee Instagram! DOXA SUB Army 200T for Hodinkee Limited Edition.  Right, Deputy Editor Tim Jeffreys wearing the DOXA SUB Army 200T. A first-generation A. Lange & Söhne Datograph, on Wellendorf bracelet, and an A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus Chronograph. A Grand Seiko Elegance Collection "Skyflake" and a Christopher Ward C60 Trident GMT 300. The CWC x The Grey Nato Limited Edition. A vintage Rolex GMT Master "Pepsi."  Movado Calendograf with a 14k yellow gold case. Head of Video David Aujero test driving the platinum A. Lange & Söhne Datograph. A Rolex GMT-...

Hands-On: The Parmigiani Fleurier 30th Anniversary Carillon Tourbillon Hodinkee
Parmigiani Fleurier 30th Anniversary Carillon Tourbillon Aug 6, 2026

Hands-On: The Parmigiani Fleurier 30th Anniversary Carillon Tourbillon

Parmigiani Fleurier is a brand that has long embodied the idea of quiet luxury — or "private luxury," as Parmigiani CEO Guido Terrini asserts — frankly, sometimes to a fault. Many of its models pair spectacular watchmaking with a radically simplified design language, and the unique execution of a mechanical chronograph in the brand's Tonda Chronograph Mystérieux earlier this spring quite literally hides its mechanical extravagance as part of the complication. We'll have more on the Chronograph Mystérieux soon, but there's another watch launched this year that also feels unmistakably Parmigiani in execution—the Carillon Tourbillon 30th Anniversary in white gold. To celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary this year, Parmigiani Fleurier launched a trio of limited-edition Toric models at Watches and Wonders, featuring hand-hammered gold dials. The Toric Petite Seconde in platinum, a Toric Quantième Perpétuel in rose gold, and a Toric Chronographe Rattrapante in platinum all got the new dial treatment. Then, a few months after the show, Parmigiani dropped this whopper of a watch. Let's get the not-so-fun part out of the way first—the Carillon Tourbillon 30th Anniversary is limited to 5 pieces, and priced at CHF 490,000. To most collectors, it might be an unobtainium watch in so many aspects, but that doesn't stop this thing from being an absolute joy to see in person. At a glance, the overall silhouette of the Carillon Tourbillon fits into the classic Parmigiani play...

The Business of Watches Podcast: Collective Horology CEO Asher Rapkin And Liberty Justice Center Chairman And CEO Sara Albrecht On Suing Trump Over Tariffs Hodinkee
Armin Strom Czapek Fears Ming Aug 5, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Collective Horology CEO Asher Rapkin And Liberty Justice Center Chairman And CEO Sara Albrecht On Suing Trump Over Tariffs

This week on The Business of Watches, Collective Horology co-founder and Chief Executive Asher Rapkin joins us. He brought his lawyer.  While Collective is a Ventura, California-based retailer of independent watch brands, including Armin Strom, Czapek, Fears, Ming and J.N. Shapiro, Sara Albrecht is the chairman and CEO of The Liberty Justice Center. That's the non-profit litigation firm that led the legal fight successfully challenging President Trump's initial round of tariffs all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. They won in a surprise decision that ruled the President didn't have the authority to impose levies that increased the cost of importing goods into the U.S., including Swiss-made watches.  The government is now in the process of refunding the approximately $166 billion businesses paid out. Asher Rapkin, co-founder and CEO of Collective Horology in Ventura, California. Of course, the Trump administration found a workaround and immediately slapped on new tariffs and, on July 24, initiated levies of 10% and 12.5% on imported goods, including Swiss-made watches. That's the day that Collective Horology and another importer (dealing in exotic spices), filed a lawsuit against the President and various bodies and individuals in the administration including U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.  Rapkin explains why his business decided to challenge the tariff laws and take on the President and his administration, while Albrecht lays out the legal...

Happenings: Inside The Launch Of HODINKEE Australia & New Zealand At The Sydney Opera House Hodinkee
Casio n Guests were welcomed Aug 4, 2026

Happenings: Inside The Launch Of HODINKEE Australia & New Zealand At The Sydney Opera House

This week, HODINKEE Australia & New Zealand was officially launched at one of the country’s most iconic venues, Bennelong, tucked beneath the sails of the Sydney Opera House. The evening also served as the perfect moment to reveal the first edition of HODINKEE's local print magazine, with three spectacular covers and an unmistakable Australian focus, ahead of its newsstand debut on August 3. “This is exactly what the Aussie watch community has been waiting for,” one prominent collector told us ahead of the formalities, a sentiment echoed in countless conversations over the course of the night. With a crowd comprising collectors, enthusiasts, industry friends and brand partners, the guest list was a who’s who of some of the most important members of our industry, many of whom had travelled from across the country to be part of the occasion. Guests were welcomed with Champagne Billecart-Salmon, before Switzer Media publisher Alex Switzer and HODINKEE ANZ Editors Jamie Weiss and Nick Kenyon reflected on bringing one of the world’s most respected watch titles to Australia, and what this exciting new chapter means for the country’s ever-growing community of collectors and enthusiasts. Against the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House’s looming sails, guests enjoyed the best of Bennelong's exceptional menu, while Grandiflora's Saskia Havekes transformed the space with beautiful seasonal flowers. As the evening unfolded, there were plenty of wris...

The Definitive Modern Speedmaster - Six Years With The Calibre 321 Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321 He Aug 4, 2026

The Definitive Modern Speedmaster - Six Years With The Calibre 321

Recently, one of our readers asked me for an update on my ownership of the Omega Speedmaster Calibre 321. He also wanted to know how often I wear it compared with the stainless-steel Omega Speedmaster Professional Moonwatch introduced the following year (2021). They’re fair questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them today. Over […] Visit The Definitive Modern Speedmaster — Six Years With The Calibre 321 to read the full article.

In Depth: Breguet’s Pendule à Trois Roues SJX Watches
Breguet s Pendule à Trois Aug 3, 2026

In Depth: Breguet’s Pendule à Trois Roues

The pendule à trois roues — three-wheel pendulum [clock] — was Abraham-Louis Breguet’s radical answer to a fundamental horological question: how much could a clock be reduced without sacrificing precision? On the February 3, 1788, A-L Breguet walked into the Académie Royale des Sciences on the rue Saint-Jacques and deposited a sealed envelope. A clerk assigned it the number 267. He told no one what was inside. The practice of the pli cacheté was well established in French scientific culture. An inventor who deposited a sealed description with the Académie secured a dated record of priority without surrendering the technical details to competitors. Breguet used it rarely, and this was the only time he used it for a clock. The envelope sat in the Académie’s archives through the Revolution, the Empire, the Restoration, the July Monarchy, and two more republics. It was still there nearly a century later, on December 5, 1881, when Louis Breguet, the founder’s grandson, asked for it to be opened. Inside was a description of a clock movement built around three wheels. By that point, the pendule à trois roues had been made in fewer than a dozen examples over roughly 23 years and had passed largely out of active horological discussion. The unsealing was a formality. The clocks themselves had already made their own argument, revealing another side A-L Breguet’s genius as an inventor. The idea and its ancestry The intellectual territory Breguet was entering in 1787 ...

Casio Edifice EFB-730: The Best Affordable Panda Chronograph? Owner Review WatchRider
Zenith El Primero A384 Introduced Aug 1, 2026

Casio Edifice EFB-730: The Best Affordable Panda Chronograph? Owner Review

In my opinion, panda watches are probably the most beautiful and classic watch designs ever made, which explains why I own around ten of them. In this article, we are looking at two models from Casio that I own: the Edifice EFB-730D-7AV on a stainless steel bracelet, that has a clean silver dial with black subdials, and the Edifice EFB-730L-7AV on a brown leather strap, but with a more vintage off-white dial and orange accents. And to make this even more interesting I will compare them with my Tudor Black Bay Chrono Panda M79360N-0002. In the following sections, I will cover what I like, what I do not like, or rather what I would like to see in future versions, whether these watches feel premium, and two questions you probably have in mind: why I own both and whether I am going to sell them. Panda Design, Case Size and Comfort The panda dial is clearly the main attraction, but what makes these Casio models stand out from the many affordable panda chronographs is the shape of the case. Instead of using the familiar round design seen on watches such as the Tudor Black Bay Chrono, the EFB-730 has a tonneau shape that immediately reminded me of the legendary Zenith El Primero A384. Introduced in 1969, the A384 combined a distinctive tonneau-shaped case (often referred to as a barrel shape) with a white dial, three black chronograph counters and a date window positioned between four and five o’clock. The modern A384 Revival faithfully recreates that design with a 37 mm tonnea...

Business News: Independent Watch Retailer Collective Horology Sues Trump And Administration Over New Tariffs Hodinkee
Armin Strom Czapek Fears U.S.-based J.N Jul 29, 2026

Business News: Independent Watch Retailer Collective Horology Sues Trump And Administration Over New Tariffs

Independent watch retailer Collective Horology LLC filed legal action against President Donald Trump, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and a host of other government officials and departments, alleging the administration's new tariff duties are "unlawful," lack congressional approval, and harm American business. The Ventura, California company, in a lawsuit filed in the United States Court of International Trade on July 24, alleges Trump and his deputies, in imposing tariffs of 10% and 12.5% on goods imported into the U.S. under Section 301 of the Trade Act,  exceeded the President's authority to unilaterally levy such measures. The lawsuit represents the most aggressive response yet by the watch industry that has been financially kneecapped by the levies that have exacerbated an economically challenging environment that includes a strong Swiss franc against the U.S. dollar and record precious metals prices, a key input in luxury watchmaking. Many of the most high-profile watch brands raised prices in response, while retailers have taken a hit on margins. Collective Horology co-founder and CEO Asher Rapkin. Photo courtesy Collective Horology.  Founded in 2018, Collective sells independent watch brands including Armin Strom, Czapek, Fears, U.S.-based J.N. Shapiro and Ming, among others. The company has paid more than $160,000 in tariff duties under various schemes imposed by the Trump White House and U.S. Trade Representative Greer, says co-founder and Chief Exe...

Hands On: Singer Reimagined DualTrack SJX Watches
Singer Jul 28, 2026

Hands On: Singer Reimagined DualTrack

Having made its name with auto-racing central chronographs, Singer Reimagined recently debuted its first-ever GMT, the DualTrack. Retaining the aesthetic established by Singer’s chronographs, the DualTrack is a straightforward “caller” dual-time watch with a local time display and independent 24-hour ring. On the back, however, the DualTrack reveals its party trick: a manual wind movement with four visible barrels that combine for six days of power reserve. Developed by an unnamed specialist (that is probably Chronode), the ST5001 has four mainsprings spread out across the movement with the balance hoisted above them, making for an unusual construction and layout. Initial thoughts I like Singer’s original proposition of racing-inspired central chronographs, which are true to the brand’s origins as an offshoot of the cult Porsche 911 mod specialist, Singer Vehicle Design. The Track 1 chronograph was a good debut concept backed by an innovative movement. The DualTrack is similar, but simpler, more affordable, and also more practical. The DualTrack still has the retro-inspired, cushion-shaped case that’s approximately the same as that on the chronograph, making it a little chunky, but the size feels appropriate for a sports watch. It also feels good on the wrist; in contrast, the smaller Caballero with the same base movement feels too small. But instead of a central chronograph, the DualTrack has a pair of useful features: a second time zone and a long power reser...

Happenings: Join Us For This Month's Hodinkee Happy Hour [RSVP Here] Hodinkee
Jul 27, 2026

Happenings: Join Us For This Month's Hodinkee Happy Hour [RSVP Here]

It's the last week of July, so that means it's time for another Hodinkee Happy Hour! This installment will be held at Watches of Switzerland on Green St in SoHo. Space will be limited, and we may have something new and limited to show you, so please RSVP below if you'd like to join for a couple of hours of excellent local beer, pizza, and a whole lot of watches.  Our Editor-in-Chief, James Stacey, will be there, along with members of the Hodinkee team. Whether you've been to several of our events or this is your first, we'd love to have you! It's a great, casual way to get to know members of the Hodinkee team and the watch community here in New York City. Date:Thursday, July 30, 2026, 4:30 - 6:30 PM Location:Watches of Switzerland, SoHo60 Greene StreetNew York, NY 10012 Click here to RSVP. 

Reference Points: The Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Wristwatch Hodinkee
Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Wristwatch You could Jul 23, 2026

Reference Points: The Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Wristwatch

You could make the argument that, among all brands, models, and complications, the Patek Philippe split-seconds wristwatch is one of the most overlooked, underappreciated, and least understood in any catalog. "That's because no one ever sees them," said Ben, when I made that very argument in the office recently. True. It's hard to call a watch underappreciated when the entry point for buying one is in the low six figures. But let me explain. The Patek Philippe ref. 5373. Think about this: the first chronograph wristwatch Patek ever made was a split-seconds. The first. Oh, and it was the first made by any brand. And while people are clamoring for perpetual calendar references like the 2497, 3448, and 3940, Patek has made at least 44 different perpetual calendar wristwatch models over the years (not counting different case materials, gems, or the 3971). How many serially-produced split-seconds references? Well, about 12 or 13, depending on how you count them.  It wasn't until recently that the reference 5004—the first modern serially produced perpetual calendar split-second watch from Patek—began to receive its due at auction, and it finally broke a 13-year-old record for the reference. A 1436, the first serially produced rattrapante, can still be had for less than an F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu. That, frankly, is ridiculous. They're rare birds, and it's all the more impressive that we have nine of them on the table today, all from the same owner. The Patek Philippe r...

Photo Report: Tudor and Red Bull Take to the Skies Worn & Wound
Tudor Jul 21, 2026

Photo Report: Tudor and Red Bull Take to the Skies

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being in the watch industry, it’s that you never know when you’ll have the opportunity to do something unique, and that saying “yes” to something without having all of the details might result in a rare, or even once in a lifetime experience. With that in mind, let me set the stage for how I found myself 1,000 feet above Manhattan in a 1958 DC-6B, piloted by The Flying Bulls. Early this month, I received a rather vague invitation to a ”Red Bull Flying Bulls thing with Tudor” immediately after returning from our Chicago Windup Watch Fair, and that it “involves a very early morning flight on a very old plane”. While I’d usually ask a million questions and try to get every detail that I could before committing to something, in the interest of being just a touch more spontaneous, I couldn’t respond “I’m intrigued, count me in” fast enough.  As we got closer to the event, I’d come to learn that the “old plane” in question was a beautifully restored 1958 DC-6B and the “very early morning” meant arriving at the Meatpacking Tudor Boutique at 7 AM. Once everyone arrived, our small crew began heading up to White Plains FBO, which I later learned was named Million Air. Not long into the ride, we were presented with a briefcase of loaner watches, ranging from the Tudor Ranger in 36mm “Dune” and 39mm “Black”, or the Black Bay 58 GMT on either the new five link bracelet or classic rubber strap. While...

Review: the Fears Brunswick 40 “Helmsman” Worn & Wound
Fears Brunswick 40 “Helmsman” I Jul 17, 2026

Review: the Fears Brunswick 40 “Helmsman”

I want to preface this whole review by stating that I’m not that much of a yachtsman. My last experience on a “yacht” was when I helped a buddy of mine move his sailboat. We needed to move the boat a scant 20 miles. Except that was the distance when traveling by land. Luckily, we live on an island (a Long one) and had some available water to move the boat. 23 hours, nearly 100 miles, too much sun exposure, and many bags of chips later, we made it through a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean around Long Island, then up through NYC’s East River and into the Long Island Sound. On my wrist was a Bertucci Field Watch — not exactly the most suited timepiece for the job, but since we stayed in the boat and out of the water, it worked just fine. Perhaps the journey would have gone a bit smoother had I had the right watch for the job…like the Fears Brunswick Helmsman. If this watch was on wrist, maybe we could have avoided the three hours straight of choppy seas off the Rockaways, remembered to put some more sunscreen on, and not decided to put the sail up five minutes before hitting a random thunderstorm. Fears Watch Co. was much more considerate in designing their Brunswick 40 “Helmsman” – a cushion-cased watch sporting 200 meters of water resistance, a bright white dial, blue accents, and a vibe that’s right at home on a sailboat. Let’s take a closer look at this watch that was designed for “those who find themselves regularly at the helm of a yacht or boat”...

Introducing: The Swatch Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet launch it makes Jul 16, 2026

Introducing: The Swatch Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch

What We Know It's kind of funny saying this, but it's been a bit of time since we've seen a new Moonswatch. Given the news cycle around this year's Swatch x Audemars Piguet launch, it makes a lot of sense that Swatch has held more Moonswatch releases in its back pocket, ready for when the time is right to get people talking again about its most popular high/low collab. Today's new Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch is the most limited of the Moonswatches, with only 1,969 pieces made in total. It's certainly a special execution, with an homage to Apollo 11's Moon landing in—you guessed it—1969. But unlike an actual Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, where the story is a huge part of the appeal to the collector, I have a feeling that this Moonswatch's appeal lies in its use of Omega's 18K Moonshine Gold. It's certainly not the first time Swatch has used Omega's gold alloy in Moonswatches, but this one has a lot of that gold. With the dial, hands, pushers, and crown all in Moonshine Gold, there are eleven grams total in each of these watches. Interestingly, Swatch is saying that the gold used for this edition is melted down from spare Omega parts from that era, which then ties the connection with Omega much closer together. This edition pairs a matte black Bioceramic case with all those bits of gold and black accents to complete the look. The Moonshine Gold dial is given a vertically brushed finish. No lume to be found on these hands, as the gold beveled applied indices are fi...

DOXA Introduces their Latest Clive Cussler Limited Edition Diver Worn & Wound
Doxa Introduces their Latest Clive Jul 15, 2026

DOXA Introduces their Latest Clive Cussler Limited Edition Diver

Having lived so far away from us, I have very few memories of my grandfather before his passing. Other than the fact that he was a regular at the local Legion in rural Indiana and liked having westerns on the TV, my memories are mostly sensory: the smell of tobacco, the first sip of beer he let me have when I was still a kid. I can only imagine he, too, considered me a stranger who just happened to share a last name and a few chromosomes here and there. Even still, every year, he would give me a Clive Cussler book. He knew I was a reader, but he was not. My guess is that, in some ways, he wanted me to read the books he would have read, to tell the stories he would have liked. He just never got around to it, I suppose. This is my first memory of Cussler’s books. And while I have read a few of them, mostly when I was younger as a sort of favor to my grandfather, I don’t remember many of the plots. I remember more of who Cussler was as a person: born in the Midwest between the wars, a veteran, and later an author and maritime explorer. My grandfather shared some of those same biographical details, but their lives diverged somewhere in adulthood. Cussler felt like a parallel version of the life my grandfather could have lived – had debt, circumstance, and the family farm not gotten in the way. I was reminded of all of this when DOXA released the new SUB 300 Ti5 Clive Cussler, a limited edition introduced on what would have been Cussler’s 95th birthday. Cussler brought ...

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...

Yema Pays Tribute To The French Navy’s Submarine Forces With The Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition Fratello
Ming Jul 14, 2026

Yema Pays Tribute To The French Navy’s Submarine Forces With The Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition

Today, the 14th of July, is France’s National Day. Every year, the country celebrates the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th, 1789, which was a major event of the French Revolution. Additionally, it commemorates the Fête de la Fédération, which celebrated the unity of the French people on July 14th, 1790. […] Visit Yema Pays Tribute To The French Navy’s Submarine Forces With The Navygraf Barracuda CMM.20 Limited Edition to read the full article.

Introducing - The New Speake Marin Ripples Portobello, Inspired by London’s Colourful District Monochrome
Speake-Marin Jul 13, 2026

Introducing - The New Speake Marin Ripples Portobello, Inspired by London’s Colourful District

Speake Marin introduced the Ripples in 2022, and with it, the independent brand entered the crowded luxury sports watch category with its own, slightly eccentric creation. The rounded-square La City case, the strongly textured dial, and the small seconds at 1:30 made it instantly recognisable. Infinity Date, Dune Date, Ripples Skeleton and even a full […]

We’re So Back! A Pair Of Seiko 5 Sports × Wind Vintage × Rowing Blazers Divers Arrives Fratello
Seiko 5 Sports × Wind Jul 9, 2026

We’re So Back! A Pair Of Seiko 5 Sports × Wind Vintage × Rowing Blazers Divers Arrives

Today’s new watches are likely to please fans of fun, funky divers. That’s because Rowing Blazers is back with a brace of cool new Seiko 5 Sports Watches. Naturally, our friend Eric Wind of Wind Vintage has lent a hand in the design. Let’s have a look at these cool new numbers. It must be […] Visit We’re So Back! A Pair Of Seiko 5 Sports × Wind Vintage × Rowing Blazers Divers Arrives to read the full article.

Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute To Great Civilisations II SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute Jul 8, 2026

Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art Tribute To Great Civilisations II

Being able to tap the collections of fabled museums like the Louvre, Vacheron Constantin recently revealed the second instalment of Métiers d’Art Tribute to Great Civilisations. The collection once again comprises four watches inspired by the ancient world, spanning Assyria to the Roman Empire: Buste d’Akhénaton, Lamassu de Sargon II, Athéna de Velletrie, and Tiber de l’Iseum Campense. Each watch essentially contains a miniature replica of a statue from the Louvre that is surrounded by decoration in a variety of techniques ranging from enamelling to stone mosaic. Buste d’Akhénaton inspired by Ancient Egypt Initial thoughts VC rolls out a well-stocked Metiers d’Art collection every year, and the appeal is varied. The good ones, however, are great, usually combining multiple decorative techniques, artful aesthetic execution, and tremendous appeal. Boosting its Metiers d’Art programme, VC has inked agreements with world-class museums like the Louvre and the Met, which allow the brand to source inspiration from the vast troves of objects housed in these institutions. All of that is captured in the latest Tribute To Great Civilisations, which qualifies as amongst the best Metiers d’Art offerings from VC. Each of the watches in the quartet manages to evoke the civilisations and objects that served as inspiration. Tiber de l’Iseum Campense of the Roman Empire While striking from a distance, each watch still reveals an impressive degree of detail up close. Mos...

Bring a Loupe: A Million Valjoux 72, An 18k Gold Constellation, And A Sarpaneva Moomin Hodinkee
Grand Seiko SBGW235 Jul 3, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Million Valjoux 72, An 18k Gold Constellation, And A Sarpaneva Moomin

Happy Friday again, Ballers, and congrats to whoever snagged the Omega 2998-4 on Goodwill earlier this week. I'm fighting multiple aspects of my nature—as a midwesterner and a dad—to avoid making lame jokes about the heat, but fingers crossed, the fever's breaking, and it'll return to average temperatures sometime soon for all of us. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Hamilton sold for $4,300, the Speedmaster Soyuz for €18,000, and the Universal Genève Rattrapante for GBP 4,250 . The Goldpfiel Vianney Halter sold, but the auction house hasn't listed the price online and hasn't responded to my email, so we'll all have to live with the mystery. Strays I mentioned Always Sunny last week, and now this week there's this exquisite Movado Ermeto with a caseback dedication—Dennis from Mac—that feels too good not to include. I figured it'd be fun to stir the pot last week and argue the Hamilton Model 21 as the Most Important American Watch in history. For whatever it's worth, the runner-up would've been the Bulova Accutron, and the purest expression of that watch is the Spaceview, of which there's a nice (though non-running) version available here, which auction lot also includes a Spaceman watch (also not working), and the Spaceman, for what it's worth, deserves more oddball attention.  Photo courtesy of Seuyco. Here's an almost comically reserved but gorgeous Grand Seiko SBGW235, and, in the same auction, here's what sure seems to be a great example of an IWC 'Steril...

Four Brands Redefining American Watchmaking Worn & Wound
Jul 2, 2026

Four Brands Redefining American Watchmaking

This weekend is the 4th of July. And it’s not just any run of the mill 4th of July, it just happens to be the 250th anniversary of American independence. America’s semiquincentennial (honestly, I’ll be glad when I no longer have to use, read, or think about that particular word) is certainly a time for celebration, just like any other Independence Day. But this one does feel somewhat momentous. I mean, it comes with its own logo, after all. It also comes with many commercial opportunities, as does every anniversary, something long known and understood in the watch community. So it’s no surprise that we’ve seen an inordinate (some would say tiring) amount of watches brandishing that “250” logo or “1776” or the colors of our flag, often from brands that aren’t even American!  Look, we love it that Swiss, British, German, and Japanese brands want to help celebrate this special birthday, but if I’m being honest, I find most of these watches in red, white, and blue with that omnipresent logo on the dial a little, I don’t know, not great? An “America 250” novelty item should be something bought at a gas station on the way to a fireworks celebration (maybe as you fill your truck with $6/gallon diesel) that can be easily discarded at the end of the night. Or maybe it should be a commemorative coin bought on the Home Shopping Network at 2:00 AM at a price you can’t resist. Should it really be a watch? I feel like it shouldn’t, but that’s just me....

I’ve Seen the Future of American Watchmaking SJX Watches
Shapiro s Resurgence Jul 2, 2026

I’ve Seen the Future of American Watchmaking

American watchmaking seems to be on the rebound, though it bears repeating that the number of brands doing substantial work within the 50 states remains low. On the eve of the nation’s 250th birthday, we examine another aspect of the domestic watch industry: the state of its watchmaking training system. To bring this topic into focus, we visited the Watch Technology Institute (WTI) at North Seattle College (NSC) — the last remaining full-time public watchmaking programme in the US capable of granting a major certification. The Watch Technology Institute at North Seattle College. Image – WTI The state of watch education in the United States The United States was once a watchmaking powerhouse that forced a massive shift toward industrialised watchmaking in Switzerland. But the domestic industry faltered as consumer tastes shifted to favour wristwatches, and the nation’s industrialists effectively gave up on watchmaking to focus on other markets. That explains why most American watchmakers today are oriented toward the service and maintenance of Swiss-made watches. There’s been a renewed emphasis in recent years on making complete watches in the US — J.N. Shapiro’s Resurgence is a representative example — but the needs and trends of the broader market help explain America’s increasingly consolidated training landscape. Understanding WTI and SAWTA The history of WTI dates to the post-war era, when a large number of vocational schools were opened in the US to ...