Watch brandsWatch wikiWatch videosVariousWatch calendarSaved articles
PopularRolexOmegaPatek PhilippeAudemars PiguetTudorGrand SeikoCartierSeikoIWCTAG HeuerBreitlingJaeger-LeCoultreA. Lange & SohneZenith

Results for ETA 2892-A2

3,873 articles · 159 videos found · page 44 of 135

Introducing: The Vulcain Cricket Titanium Hodinkee
Nivada Grenchen 3 days ago

Introducing: The Vulcain Cricket Titanium

What We Know Since Vulcain's revival in 2022 under the helm of Guillaume Laidet, a name familiar to most here thanks to his hand in brands like Nivada Grenchen and SpaceOne, it's steadily cranked out watches under a few collections, from skin divers to chronographs, and most importantly, its iconic design that is the Cricket alarm watch. While these modern Crickets have largely remained faithful in spirit to their predecessors, today marks a new limited edition from Vulcain with a contemporary twist: the Vulcain Cricket Titanium. The name kind of gives everything away here, with titanium being the main focus of this new run of 100 pieces. The 39mm case, in its slightly upsized modern form, is made this time in grade 5 titanium, polished throughout. The dial is also in titanium, with a stamped guilloché effect paired with white printing for a minutes track and applied indices. The handset comes in a variety of colors, with the skeletonized dauphine minute and hour hands paired with a black seconds hand, and a metallic nickel-plated alarm hand with a blackened arrow tip that points to the printed track to better set your alarm time. But that's not where the titaniumification (I'm going to pretend that's a real word) ends. Here, the Le Locle-assembled and manually-wound Vulcain Cricket Calibre V14 is also produced from titanium movement blanks, meaning that the titanium theme translates all the way to the inside of the watch and can be seen through the exhibition caseback. S...

Read article
Introducing – The Boutique-Exclusive Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin Blue Fumé Edition Monochrome
Maen 4 days ago

Introducing – The Boutique-Exclusive Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin Blue Fumé Edition

The Manhattan series is an important collection for Maen, being an integrated-bracelet sports-watch design series with an increasingly refined execution at an accessible price. Last year, the Swedish brand with Dutch roots introduced the Manhattan 37 Ultra Thin, a slimmer and more elegant interpretation of its popular collection, powered by a hand-wound movement. Now, Maen […]

Read article
The Patek Philippe Museum Celebrates 50 Years of the Nautilus SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Museum Celebrates 50 Years 4 days ago

The Patek Philippe Museum Celebrates 50 Years of the Nautilus

The Patek Philippe Museum turns 25 this year, but the Geneva institution has bigger things on its mind. Open now through early next year, 1976 – 2026 Nautilus 50th Anniversary is a thematic exhibition that explores the history of the brand’s emblematic sports watch. The exhibit will showcase key references that have defined the trajectory of the Nautilus, which was designed by Gérald Genta and launched in 1976, at a time when the idea of a steel watch was generally thought to be beneath a brand like Patek Philippe. The success of the Nautilus would ultimately validate the brand’s belief that design and craftsmanship could transcend mere material, and helped accelerate Genta’s storied career as a designer. Naturally, the exhibition will feature each of the four 50th anniversary references released this year including the ref. 5610P. Past visitors will observe the exhibit is located on the museum’s top floor, which has been transformed with a temporary 1970s-inspired makeover to give the Nautilus its proper setting. Exhibition details The exhibition is included with general admission to the Patek Philippe Museum, which is open Tuesday through Friday, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The anniversary exhibit is scheduled to run until early 2027. Timed tickets can be purchased online, and advance reservation is recommended.  

Read article
Introducing: Citizen's New "The Citizen" And Attesa Recrystalized Titanium Limited Edition Eco-Drives Hodinkee
Citizen s New 4 days ago

Introducing: Citizen's New "The Citizen" And Attesa Recrystalized Titanium Limited Edition Eco-Drives

What We Know Citizen recently announced two new limited-edition models as part of its celebration of the 50th Anniversary of its light-powered Eco-Drive movements. For those not in the know, Eco-Drive relies on any light source—not just solar—to power the movement and build a pretty impressive power reserve (in most cases). That adage holds true for the watches that they released most recently. Let's start with the one that will probably resonate the most with our audience: the new limited-edition version of "The Citizen." Limited to only 400 pieces, the watch features a relatively classic case design, measuring 40mm by 12.2mm, with the brand's proprietary Super Titanium case treated with Duratect Platinum. This is capped by what the brand calls its deep indigo-blue Tosa washi paper dial, with gold-colored (not true gold) accents on the applied indices and date surround. Washi paper, a special type of Japanese mulberry paper, was hand-dyed using natural lye fermentation to create a deep indigo color while preserving the paper's texture. More specifically, the color, called Kachi-iro, is a deep shade of indigo that is traditionally considered lucky because it is pronounced in the same way as the word for "victory color." Inside the case is the Cal. A060 Eco-Drive movement. When fully powered up, it has 18 months of power when in power-save mode. In addition to hours, minutes, and seconds (and hands and indices with lume), the movement has a clever perpetual calendar set...

Read article
First Look – The New-Generation Ulysse Nardin Freak X; Smaller, More Versatile and with new Movement Monochrome
Ulysse Nardin Freak X Smaller More 5 days ago

First Look – The New-Generation Ulysse Nardin Freak X; Smaller, More Versatile and with new Movement

In 2019, Ulysse Nardin launched the Freak X. More compact, more accessible and equipped with a conventional crown, it retained the essence of the original Freak (no hands, no dial, and no crown) introduced in 2001 by visionary watchmaker Ludwig Oechslin, while adapting it for everyday wear and a broader clientele. Now, as the manufacture […]

Read article
Ulysse Nardin Debuts Freak X Second Generation SJX Watches
Ulysse Nardin Debuts Freak X Second 5 days ago

Ulysse Nardin Debuts Freak X Second Generation

The second-generation Ulysse Nardin (UN) Freak X proves that good things can come in small(er) packages, with an all-new micro-rotor calibre powering the Freak’s signature ‘flying carousel’ architecture. The new movement debuts in a smaller 41 mm steel case with an interchangeable strap system. Initial thoughts There’s a lot to like about the updated Freak X. It retains the wandering tourbillon-style architecture that UN describes as a flying carousel, powered by an all-new micro-rotor calibre that’s been upgraded with the brand’s DiamonSil escapement package. It’s also noticeably smaller than the outgoing model, while boasting superior water resistance thanks in part to the collection’s first screw-down crown. Strap options have been expanded thanks to an interchangeable strap system that includes a stainless steel bracelet. These upgrades come with a modest increase to retail pricing, which starts at US$41,200 — essentially the same price as one of the special edition versions of the first-generation Freak X. Some will mourn the ‘downgrade’ from titanium to steel, but that’s a relatively minor issue given the reduced case size, and furthermore the release of titanium options in the future seems all but guaranteed. Smaller but better When the Freak debuted 25 years ago, it shocked the industry with its novel construction, which integrated the entire going train and escapement into an enormous minutes hand. The Freak X keeps the overall look mostly ...

Read article
Introducing: J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series 'Radiant' Chronograph, In Two Varieties (Live Pics) Hodinkee
5 days ago

Introducing: J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series 'Radiant' Chronograph, In Two Varieties (Live Pics)

What We Know Time flies, and it’s been almost 10 months since J.N. Shapiro launched the brand’s first complication, a limited-run monopusher chronograph for a private group of collectors in the Boston area. It featured a salmon-and-black dial and a stainless-steel case, limited to 14 pieces. Now the concept is back, with the same movement, but with some arguable upgrades in how the entire watch is treated. The brand has tapped tantalum and zirconium as major parts of the watch's construction, materials used extensively in aerospace engineering for their special properties. "Our workshop is located in one of the largest aerospace manufacturing hubs in the world," says Shapiro in their press release. "Companies like SpaceX, Boeing, Northrop, and JPL are all nearby. This watch is a nod to that environment, using space-age metals and meteorite to reflect where we come from and what inspires us." The watch comes in two dial variants, both cased in 38mm-by-9.6mm (8.2mm without crystal) tantalum cases. The dark grey material, famously hard to machine, is incredibly heavy, giving the watch a lot of gravitas on the wrist. Photo courtesy J.N. Shapiro. The first dial, which is the most direct homage to the Californian tie with aerospace, features a Meteorite with a blued zirconium chapter ring and blued hands. The chapter ring is engraved with hour markers and Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9, plus a minute track, but no specific chronograph scale. The subsidiary dial counter has a...

Read article
Introducing: The Angelus Instrument de Mesures – Three Vintage-Inspired Scales, Modernized Hodinkee
Angelus Instrument de Mesures – 6 days ago

Introducing: The Angelus Instrument de Mesures – Three Vintage-Inspired Scales, Modernized

What We Know Angelus is bringing back one of my favorite traditional chronograph designs with the new multi-scale Instrument de Mesures. The new version of their 2025 GPHG Chronograph award-winning monopusher features three scales for telemeter, tachymeter, and pulsometer, and comes in a black or white dial, harkening back to early 1930s and 1940s chronograph designs where chronographs were pure utility. Powered by the manually-wound A5000 movement, a version of a La Joux-Perret 5000-4 (a movement manufacturer which is under the same ownership umbrella as Angelus), the watch measures 39mm by 9.25mm with a stainless steel case and display caseback, a single co-axial crown pusher for the chronograph, and 30m of water resistance. The movement has a 42-hour power reserve and runs at 3Hz. If the movement architecture looks familiar, LJP owns the rights to the famous THA monopusher movement.  The telemeter scale allows you to calculate distance by measuring the time between when you observe something and when you hear it. The tachymeter, of course, allows you to measure speed over a distance. And the pulsometer allows you to check your heart rate. Combining all three can be a mess of a thing, but long ago, the watch world settled on this beautiful stacked set of scales with a snailed, swirling effect. The watch also features lume at the hour markers, hidden in the three scales.  The new Angelus Instrument de Mesures is limited to 25 pieces in each dial version and retails for ...

Read article
Obituary: Philippe Stern, Pivotal Leader of Patek Philippe SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Philippe Stern who served 6 days ago

Obituary: Philippe Stern, Pivotal Leader of Patek Philippe

Philippe Stern, who served as general director and later president of Patek Philippe from 1977 to 2009, died yesterday at the age of 88. Under his stewardship, the Geneva manufacture was transformed from a small, workshop-scattered operation into the global benchmark for fine watchmaking, a position it holds to this day. He was the third generation of the Stern family to lead the company. His grandfather Charles, alongside his brother Jean, had acquired Patek Philippe from insolvency in 1932 from their position as the firm’s trusted dial supplier. His father Henri had built the company’s modern international distribution network and established the Henri Stern Watch Agency in New York, laying the commercial foundations on which Philippe would build. Father and son, Henri and Philippe Stern. Image – Patek Philippe Philippe Stern became managing director in 1977, at the height of the quartz crisis. The timing could not have been more demanding. Swiss watch industry employment was collapsing, from roughly 90,000 workers to a fraction of that figure within a few years, as electronic timekeeping rendered the mechanical watch commercially marginal almost overnight. Many established manufacturers collapsed, merged, or abandoned mechanical production entirely. Stern’s response defined his presidency. He kept the tooling, retained his engineers, and committed Patek Philippe irrevocably to mechanical watchmaking at the precise moment the industry consensus ran in the opposit...

Read article
In-Depth – Diving with the new Doxa SUB 200 T.Graph II, The Return of the Brand’s Diving Chronograph Monochrome
Doxa SUB 200 T.Graph II Jun 15, 2026

In-Depth – Diving with the new Doxa SUB 200 T.Graph II, The Return of the Brand’s Diving Chronograph

There’s a particular type of watch that doesn’t feel the need to explain itself. It doesn’t have a fancy movement with a skeletonised rotor. It doesn’t come in a box made of rare-earth metals the size of a carry-on. It doesn’t require trips to maisons and ateliers. It just shows up, orange-faced and slightly thick, […]

Read article
Arnold & Son’s London in Lume SJX Watches
Arnold & Son s London Jun 12, 2026

Arnold & Son’s London in Lume

John Arnold was originally a pioneering English watchmaker of the 18th century. So it is fitting that his namesake brand resurrected in Switzerland is creating his home city – with a clever twist. The Arnold & Son HM London Skyline seemingly depicts the British capital of yesteryear on mother-of-pearl, but at night the dial lights up with modern-day landmarks rendered in Super-Luminova. The two-hand watch is a run of 20 pieces for The Limited Edition, a London-based retailer specialising in independent and niche brands. Initial thoughts Today’s Arnold & Son (A&S;) has nothing to do with the original firm aside from the name; the watches are Swiss while its parent company is Japanese. The HM London Skyline, however, is a simple and appealing nod to the brand’s history. The use of lume to create an “Easter Egg” of sorts on the dial is smart and sets this apart from the typical landscape dials. Though the dial is not quite top of the line metiers d’art, it is an appealing offering in this segment. Mechanically, the HM is also credible as Arnold & Son’s sister company is La Joux-Perret, the Swiss movement maker that supplies a good number of brands. The A&S;1001 movement inside is solid proprietary calibre that borrows from an existing architecture but transforms it into a movement with a four-day running time. London landmarks The London skyline is depicted on mother of pearl. It shows Tower Bridge on a cloudy day, with many of London’s historical landmarks visi...

Read article
Review: The Trafford Crossroads S 36 & 40 Worn & Wound
Ming new watches from Jun 11, 2026

Review: The Trafford Crossroads S 36 & 40

It will be impossible to talk about the new Trafford Crossroads S without discussing the size of the case in great detail, which I fear might be disservice to the watch as a whole, because there are a lot of very nice things about the Crossroads, and it’s one of the most charming new watches from a microbrand that I’ve seen in some time. But the case size is critical, because Trafford has walked a very interesting line with this release, debuting the Crossroads S in two sizes and marketing each based on how they feel the case wears, not its actual measured size. It’s getting by on vibes, as the kids sometimes say. It also capitalizes smartly on the growing trend we’ve seen for smaller, more discreet watches in a really interesting way.  The Crossroads S is actually two watches: the Crossroads S 36 and the Crossroads S 40. Neither of these watches are named for their actual measurements, though. Instead, Trafford has used these pretty commonly understood sizing conventions to name the watches based on how, in their estimation, they actually wear. The Crossroads S 40 measures 35mm x 36mm, while the Crossroads S 36 comes in at 31mm by 32mm (both are 9mm thick). Looking at the watches side by side, and compared to other watches in circular cases that are true 40mm and 36mm cases is an interesting lesson in how we perceive size depending on shape. It also, in my opinion, illustrates how one of these watches is absolutely the “correct” size while another is, well, n...

Read article
Hands On: Patek Philippe Ref. 5396R-016 Annual Calendar “Pink on Pink” SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Ref 5396R-016 Annual Calendar Jun 9, 2026

Hands On: Patek Philippe Ref. 5396R-016 Annual Calendar “Pink on Pink”

Patek Phillippe’s 2026 collection is diverse, but one of my favourites is paradoxically one of the least novel: the Annual Calendar Ref. 5396R-016 with a metallic “sand beige” dial and rose gold case. This is merely a new dial for a model that’s been in the collection for 20 years so it is not genuinely novel – though the movement has been upgraded and improved over that period – but it is appealing. The new ref. 5396R is handsome, and importantly, subtly evocative of vintage “pink on pink” watches, which pairs well with its traditional layout. Initial thoughts For anyone who likes old-school Patek Philippe design, the new ref. 5396R is likely the best looking annual calendar in Patek Philippe’s catalogue. Both the colour and style are classic with a capital “C”. Ironically, it is perhaps the least interesting because neither the design nor movement are new, but this illustrates the fact that the appeal of a watch is more than just intrinsic feature and specs. Good looks, however, come at a price. The new ref. 5396R costs CHF54,000, or about US$67,000. It’s expensive but not outrageously so compared to the competition. For example, it’s about 5% pricier than the recent Lange Saxonia Annual Calendar, which is a better watch in most tangible respects, but not quite as pretty as the Patek Philippe. The premium pricing reflects Patek Philippe’s privilege as it has both the status and history to price as it desires – which the brand deserves. But ...

Read article
Introducing: Chopard L.U.C Quattro Revolution Re-Edition Hodinkee
Chopard L.U.C Quattro Revolution Re-Edition Jun 8, 2026

Introducing: Chopard L.U.C Quattro Revolution Re-Edition

What We Know Among collectors I know and respect, Chopard has been somewhat quietly picking up steam. The launch of a dateless L.U.C. 1860 with a rosy salmon-toned dial in 2023 was a bit of a turning point, bringing the model—compact and beautifully finished—to a broader audience, and with it, Chopard. Revolution was early to the party with its own limited edition, featuring untreated 3N yellow gold and a Lucent Steel case. For that release, the dials were made by Metalem, which makes the dials for Philippe Dufour's Simplicity. Now, the idea is back with a new model with similar dial treatment, with a twist. The new L.U.C Quattro Revolution Re-Edition comes 26 years after the groundbreaking Quattro model, which featured a 9-day power reserve. This time, the same untreated 3N yellow gold dial is made in-house by the Chopard team, while the watch is still cased in Chopard's proprietary Lucent steel. There is a power reserve indicator at 12 o'clock, small seconds, and a date at 6 o'clock. The hour and minute hands are high-polished dauphine shapes with kite-shaped applied hour markers that have a faceted mirror-polished finish. One of the reasons that collectors value Chopard's L.U.C line so much isn't just the quality of the function of the movements, but the quality of the finishing. Yes, the caliber 98.01-L movement doesn't have sharp edges for interior angles like has become so popular these days, but the Côtes de Genève and anglage are still sublime. The four large...

Read article
Hands-On: The Breguet Tradition GMT With Green Enamel Dial Hodinkee
Breguet Tradition GMT Jun 8, 2026

Hands-On: The Breguet Tradition GMT With Green Enamel Dial

Following a whirlwind year of releases for Breguet's 250th anniversary in 2025, this year's recent updates to the collection play it a little safer, with some enamel-focused changes to the brand's iconic Tradition series of watches. The fan favorites, I'm sure, are the 38mm Tradition Seconde Rétrograde models. But when I had a chance to check out some of the novelties a few weeks ago, it was actually the larger, 40mm Tradition GMT that caught my eye. Priced at $82,900, the Tradition GMT is very much a seriously priced contender in the haute horlogerie arena. But one look at the watch shows off so much of what makes it special, and most importantly, it's unabashedly Breguet. Add in the visual update of this current generation, and I think it's the best version I've seen yet. Much of what makes this version stand out is the main subdial at 12 o'clock. It's not every day that Breguet opts for a shade of green in the series—in fact, it's the first time in the Tradition line, as blues, blacks, golds, and greys seem to define much of the older collection. The execution of the gradient green-to-black grand feu enamel dial in this model is absolutely sublime. Enameling is one of the strengths I associate with Breguet's in-house capabilities, and here it's done very well, with a pleasant shade of forest green shifting to the dark black perimeter, all executed and fired by hand. While the Breguet logo and other dial markings are printed in a metallic silver finish for legibility,...

Read article
Hands-On With The Albishorn Marinagraph Paraíba Racing Fratello
Jun 7, 2026

Hands-On With The Albishorn Marinagraph Paraíba Racing

By now, many of you should know what Albishorn is. It’s a unique approach in the indie watch scene, the love child of industry veteran Sébastien Chaulmontet, with a clever concept. Albishorn timepieces ask, “What if?” The brand’s models are modern “reinterpretations” of vintage watches that never existed. Their Marinagraph Paraíba Racing is the latest […] Visit Hands-On With The Albishorn Marinagraph Paraíba Racing to read the full article.

Read article
Introducing: The TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12 Hodinkee
Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco Jun 5, 2026

Introducing: The TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12

What We Know TAG Heuer has said this is the year of the chronograph. In reality, for the storied brand from La Chaux-de-Fonds, that means it's the year of the Monaco. With a series of new releases for 2026, including updated versions of the core Monaco collection with an in-house chronograph movement and updated titanium case, as well as tweaked dial design and, most significantly, the innovative and bar-raising movement tech of the new Evergraf, TAG has leaned into the square-shaped timepiece that debuted back in 1969 and affirmed its position as the brand's flagship and iconic model.  So for the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco 2026 this weekend, it shouldn't be a surprise that TAG is unveiling a new limited edition version of the Monaco to mark the occasion. The surprise here is that it isn't a chronograph. Rather, it's a time-only jump hour, utilizing the noted Spin Time movement from fellow LVMH property La Fabrique du Temps. It's called the TAG Heuer Monaco Speed 12, and it is certainly a unique and unprecedented interpretation of the mighty Monaco.  Measuring 40 millimeters in diameter, the brushed case is made of grade 5 titanium, with the crown on the right rather than the left, which is now obligatory on the Monaco chronograph. It features a sapphire crystal on both sides, meaning the skeletonized case is effectively transparent outside of the dial architecture at the center.  The design inspiration here is a 12-cylinder combustion motor, and the ...

Read article
Introducing: Timex Atelier Announces Two New Chronographs Hodinkee
Timex Atelier Announces Two New Jun 4, 2026

Introducing: Timex Atelier Announces Two New Chronographs

What We Know The Timex Atelier line doubles in size today, adding four new references and continuing to expand into new complications with the announcement of the Chronograph Automatic M1a Ti and the Chronograph Quartz M1q. Designed by Giorgio Galli, the new models join the existing Diver and GMT, bringing the collection to a total of six references. The M1a Ti is built from titanium with a stainless-steel middle case and a black IP coating, measuring 42mm in diameter with a 20mm lug width. The M1q is a skeletonized stainless steel case with the same black IP middle case treatment at 40mm, also with a 20mm lug width.  Both get a fixed tachymeter bezel, a double-domed sapphire crystal with a triple-layer AR coating, and come on either a metal bracelet or an NBR rubber strap with a deployant buckle. The major difference here is that the M1a Ti has an exhibition caseback showcasing the automatic movement beneath. Both feature two-register chronographs—a first for the Atelier line—with matte black dials, silver subdials, and high-polished silver hands. The M1q adds guilloché texture to the dial and a date window at 6. The M1a Ti stays flat matte. Powering the duo are two different sides of the spectrum. The M1a Ti features a Swiss-made Landeron L72 automatic chronograph at 4Hz with a 43-hour power reserve and 28 jewels. The M1q uses a Swiss-made Ronda 5021D quartz movement with a battery. The M1a Ti comes in at $2,250 on a bracelet and $2,100 on a rubber strap. The M1q i...

Read article
Review: the Atelier Wen Inflection – Heavy Metal on the Wrist Worn & Wound
Atelier Wen Inflection – Heavy Metal Jun 3, 2026

Review: the Atelier Wen Inflection – Heavy Metal on the Wrist

Heavy is the arm that wears the Inflection. Sorry, there might be a few jokes in this article about how much the Atelier Wen Inflection weighs, but that’s just the cost of making a full tantalum watch. If you’re unfamiliar, tantalum, in addition to being a rare material in watchmaking due to its difficulty to machine, is exceptionally dense. Twice as dense as steel, and thus twice as heavy. When you pick up a tantalum watch, you know it. It also has a unique color. It’s dark gray, approaching the tone of blasted grade-2 titanium, but cooler, hinting at purple. Especially when polished, it has a mysterious quality that is quite beautiful, like looking into a darkened mirror. Polishing tantalum, by the way, is notoriously tough. The appeal of the metal is clear, which is why we’ve seen a little uptick in its use in the high-end by brands like JN Shapiro, Ming, and Zenith, though, to be fair, it’s been in limited use for decades. But the Inflection isn’t just a tantalum watch; it’s a tantalum watch with a tantalum bracelet, and therein lies the Inflection’s novelty, as no other brand currently makes a fully tantalum, integrated bracelet watch. Which, as per the NYT, paraphrasing Jean Arnault says, does not make economic sense. And while it’s truly a flex and fascinating to behold, why the watch succeeds, by my estimation, is actually everything else. $29800 Review: the Atelier Wen Inflection – Heavy Metal on the Wrist Case Tantalum Movement Girard Perregau...

Read article
The Business of Watches Podcast: Studio Underd0g Founder Richard Benc Hodinkee
Ming next - there will Jun 3, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Studio Underd0g Founder Richard Benc

This week on The Business of Watches, we're talking to the man behind one of the more successful new watch brands in recent years, Studio Underd0g. Richard Benc is just 33, and since 2020, he's built his irreverent, approachable-priced, design-driven brand to a significant size, producing about 14,000 watches last year.   Richard Benc (Photo Courtesy Studio Underd0g). And he's done it all, not from Switzerland or Hong Kong, but from the U.K. Benc has grown his business with intent, making strategic investments in his supply chain, including buying full control of the assembly and after-sales service company that builds Studio Underd0g's distinct timepieces.  Studio Underd0g is now the biggest assembler of mechanical watches in the U.K. and isn't only selling watches with drops and collabs, but is building up stock to make more watches available on its website.  Next up for Benc and his brand is a new physical, public, and retail location. The 'D0ghouse' will open in Maidenhead this month and serve as a public showcase for the upstart brand and its operations. It's another big step for the company that comes with its own set of fresh opportunities and challenges. And Benc gives us a tease on what may be coming next - there will be a new 04Series of watches that will take the brand to a place it hasn't been (mechanically) before.  But first, some watch industry business news headlines, including secondary market price rises, executive moves at the big auction houses, an...

Read article
Introducing: The Oris Lou Gehrig Limited Edition Hodinkee
Oris Lou Gehrig Limited Edition Jun 2, 2026

Introducing: The Oris Lou Gehrig Limited Edition

What We Know We're in the thick of baseball season, and Oris has pulled a doubleheader, of sorts. Yesterday brought us the new Hölstein edition, and today we're getting a new baseball-themed watch. Oris is the official watch sponsor of the New York Yankees, and this year, they're releasing a special watch to support one of the team's all-time legends, Lou Gehrig. The newest Big Crown Pointer Date is a special watch supporting the Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation. The watch, in 40mm-by-12.2 mm stainless steel (with a 48.2mm lug-to-lug), is certainly inspired by the colors of the Yankees. The silver dial is surrounded by a black date ring with the "4" in blue (for Lou Gehrig's number), a blue minute track that matches the blue surrounding the hour markers. They've used a combination of Arabic numerals and stick hour markers for a sporty look. The movement is the Oris Caliber 754, with a 41-hour power reserve and automatic winding. It's delivered with a NATO strap in Yankee colors and a brown double-stitched strap that looks like a baseball glove. The caseback is engraved with a portrait of Lou Gehrig and the watch's number within the production total. There are 2130 pieces available, one for each of the consecutive games he played across 15 seasons, before his death in 1941 at the age of only 37. The retail price is CHF 2,400. Oris says that they will contribute to the work of The Lou and Eleanor Gehrig Family Foundation. What We Think The Pointer Date is probably O...

Read article
The New Standard for Japanese Luxury Dive Watches - Grand Seiko Ushio 300 Teddy Baldassarre Videos
Grand Seiko Ushio 300 If you Jun 2, 2026

The New Standard for Japanese Luxury Dive Watches - Grand Seiko Ushio 300

If you have ever spent a brief amount of time looking at watches online, you will have come across Grand Seiko. The brand has rightfully developed one of the most passionate followings of any name in the industry through their unbelievable demonstration of the craft in every detail. Despite this, if you were ever in th

Read article
Introducing: The Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co Hodinkee
Voutilainen Jun 2, 2026

Introducing: The Zenith G.F.J. Calibre 135 Double Signed with Naoya Hida & Co

What We Know Today, Zenith introduces a new "Double Signed" program for its Calibre 135-powered G.F.J. collection, and its first entry in this series is a collaboration with a Japanese independent that might not require all that much introduction around these parts—Naoya Hida. The evolution of the G.F.J. line has not taken all that long, with its origins starting in 2022 with the Zenith Caliber 135 Observatoire Limited Edition, where ten Calibre 135 movements from the 50s were restored by Kari Voutilainen and introduced in watches done as a triple collaboration between Zenith, Voutilainen, and auction house Phillips. Just three years later, the Calibre 135 was revived as a modern caliber for a line called the G.F.J. (after Zenith's founder Georges Favre Jacot). In just a little over a year, we've seen three small runs of this watch introduced in different stone-dial and metal combinations—platinum with a lapis lazuli dial, tantalum with an onyx dial, and an upcoming yellow-gold GFJ with a bloodstone dial. In the meantime, this new Double Signed concept with Naoya Hida takes the G.F.J. in a very different visual direction. The hefty 39.15mm platinum case, with a thickness of 10.5mm and a compact lug-to-lug of 45.75mm, remains the same as other G.F.J. models. But that dial is unabashedly Naoya Hida, constructed out of solid silver with the distinctive hand engraving coming from the hand of master engraver Keisuke Kano, the man responsible for the hand engraving across al...

Read article
Introducing: The Aria Manufacture Chronometer From Formex Hodinkee
Formex What We Know Jun 1, 2026

Introducing: The Aria Manufacture Chronometer From Formex

What We Know The last time I covered something from Formex was over a year ago, when the brand released a highly finished, full-ceramic sports watch, complete with a ceramic bracelet and even a ceramic micro-adjust clasp, at an unrivaled price point. Today, the brand continues its upmarket trend with a brand-new watch design called the Aria. The Aria takes the form of a broad, integrated-bracelet design in full grade 5 titanium. The 40mm case feels broader than normal, thanks to an impressively thin case height of 6.9mm, even though the lug-to-lug is still quite reasonable at 45.45mm. While the silhouette gives a smooth look, there's quite a bit of contrasting finishing going on here, with brushing of the titanium case and bracelet links done entirely by hand. Though the styling certainly leans towards its identity as a bold sports watch, there's a lot of subtlety in the design, for example, with the individual bracelet links being slightly curved or the extra dimensionality of the layer of titanium peeking out from each link's milled-out spaces. The clasp includes Formex's proprietary micro-adjust system, which provides extra space on both sides of the bracelet by pulling or pushing each side. There are three dials for the Aria: "Selva Green," "Ardesia Grey," and "Denso Blue." All three have a certain muted look to the hue, matching the slightly darker nature of titanium. Dimensionality is achieved through contrasting indices in rose-gold coloring, set on applied raised p...

Read article