Hodinkee
Introducing: With Nine New Models, Raymond Weil Expands Its Award-Winning Millesime Collection
A vintage-inspired evolution bringing luxury watchmaking to a broader audience.
Results for Vallée de Joux
23,020 articles · 2,417 videos found · page 471 of 848
Hodinkee
Worn & Wound
“Patina” or Damage? Scrutinizing the Fine Line Between Pleasing and Pesky Imperfections
The Ship of Theseus paradox involves the legendary vessel that Theseus––a Greek mythological hero who rescued the children of Athens and slayed the Minotaur of Crete––traveled on. To honor his valiant efforts, the Athenians preserved the ship and, over time, swapped parts that decayed or had become damaged, eventually replacing all of its original components. This, in turn, begs the question: is it still Theseus’ ship even if all the parts have been replaced? If not, at what point did it cease to be the original? Now that our history lecture is over, I want to utilize this idea of time and identity to talk about a topic near and dear to our watch-collecting hearts: patina. A number of journalists and enthusiasts have discussed what patina is, how it can be defined in a horological sense, and the many forms it can take, but no one (to my knowledge) has discussed when deterioration or damage becomes patina. This may seem like a rather abstract subject to discuss, but most, if not all, collectors take condition into consideration when shopping for a watch. The two main questions that will help get to the bottom of this patina paradox are: 1.) At what point does damage become patina? and 2.) Is patina just a buzzword to market a watch with lots of aesthetic flaws? The Evolution of Flaws to Patina One of patina’s most essential characteristics is its dependability on age. The natural degradation of luminous material, the color-changing properties of a dial often...
Teddy Baldassarre
Zenith Defy Skyline Review
While the El Primero movement architecture may serve as the face of the Zenith brand, it is the Defy collection that remains its soul. The Defy represents an historically significant ethos for Zenith, a creative foundation that is just as important to the Swiss brand’s past as it is to its future. Originally meant to be a showcase of innovation and ideas, the Defy collection serves dual purposes: to preserve and celebrate innovations of the past in the “Revival” subfamily, and to continue innovating for the future in the series’ other branches. In 2022, the brand took a big step toward the future of the collection with the release of the Zenith Defy Skyline, a watch that simultaneously looked to build on successful elements of the past and also to capitalize on the integrated-bracelet sport watch trend that had taken hold of the industry. The Zenith Defy collection has roots in the 1960s and ‘70s, when many of the brand’s most iconic and exciting references were released (you can read a more in-depth history here). Many of these have been reborn in the form of modern Revival references, allowing a new generation of enthusiasts to discover them again, or for the first time. These designs weren’t afraid to take risks, from the shape of the case, to the bracelet integration, right into the dial colors and textures. The Defy name quickly came to signify a huge amount of character, and that’s on full display within the brand’s current stable. In finding a mo...
Monochrome
First Look – The new 36mm Seiko Presage Classic Series “Edo Silk” Models
While the name Presage has been around since the 1960s, it remains one of these hidden gems that only Japan could enjoy, being one of the numerous JDM-only (Japan Domestic Market) ranges. Things changed in 2016, as Seiko decided to revamp the collection entirely and open it to the world. Since then, this collection has […]
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: the echo/neutra Chrono GMT
Sometimes, no matter how many hours we spend scrolling on Instagram and monitoring various watch-focused group chats, things slip through the cracks. Watches that check all the right boxes to rise above the noise of a crowded market go unnoticed and become sleeper hits instead of hits, and creativity that deserves widespread celebration instead receives a splattering of quiet applause. For collectors that enjoy witnessing brands evolve and develop distinct design DNA in real time, it can be a bummer to discover your radar missed something great. But on the bright side, this scenario allows for instant gratification and the opportunity to speed run a brand’s evolution to the present day. This was my experience when Italian microbrand echo/neutra released the Rivanera at the end of last year. Like many of you, I was pleasantly caught off guard by the rugged take on the classic rectangular dress watch, but didn’t recognize the name divided by a distinct slash on the dial. This sent me digging through surprisingly sparse reviews and forum threads where I discovered that the Rivanera was far from beginner’s luck, and was actually the result of a year’s long evolution that began in the way many do, with a safe and somewhat generic field watch on Kickstarter. Watching aging YouTube videos, this actual first release called the Averau (which later included a very cool moon phase) looks like exactly the type of watch I would’ve chased in 2019 when specs and MSRP were my pr...
Video
This or That: Sports Watch Edition
Do you agree with Jason’s picks?
Deployant
Walkthrough video of the new Gerald Charles Museum
We were invited to the Gerald Charles. Federico Ziviviani, the CEO showing us the new museum, the watchmaker's atelier and his office.
Monochrome
Introducing – The New ZRC Grands Fonds Heritage Smoke
Except if you’re a hardcore dive watch enthusiast, ZRC might not immediately ring a bell. And yet, it is a rather important name for divers, particularly in France. An old company that once created a watch for the French Navy and delivered them for a good 35 years, the whole concept was brought back to […]
Quill & Pad
WatchCharts May 2025 Market Update: The Big Three Still Performing Relatively Well
Today, secondary prices for many brands sit are at 4-year lows, while retail prices climb ever-higher – particularly due to the impact of tariffs in the US. As the gap between retail and market widens, the secondary market now offers some of the best deals seen this decade.
Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko Snowflake Review
The Grand Seiko “Snowflake” is not just a watch that helped define Grand Seiko as a luxury brand to be reckoned with in the 21st Century: it is also at the vanguard of an industry-wide movement toward making dials more beautiful, enticing, and unique - not only with the bold use of color, but with textures that play with the concept of 3D space and the interplay of light and shadow. Nearly every Grand Seiko model of note can claim a dial (and often a nickname) with a distinctly eye-catching motif, usually inspired by the breathtaking natural wonders of the company’s native Japan. Other luxury watch brands have noticed and followed suit - from luxury leaders like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet, to attainable brands like little-brother Seiko and its main competitor, Citizen. The “Snowflake,” Grand Seiko’s first and still most famous textured dial, is arguably the OG of this trend; here is the story of how it came to be and where it stands today. As success stories for new watch brands go, it’s hard to find a better case study in the past decade than Grand Seiko. The Japanese high-luxury watchmaker has, in its relatively short stint in the international market, elevated itself in the eyes of many collectors to the upper echelon of watchmaking prestige and collectibility, competing for connoisseur attention and dollars with well-established maisons from Switzerland and Germany. This plaudit, of course, comes with a caveat: Grand Seiko is not ...
Monochrome
Introducing – The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Skeleton 8 Days Gübelin Special Edition
Collaborations are one of the hottest trends in watchmaking today, as brands, high and low, team up with artists, retailers, collectors – you name it – to create special customised editions. The latest collaboration involves Italian powerhouse Bulgari and Gübelin, the Swiss, family-owned jewellery and watch retailer. The model selected is the Octo Finissimo Skeleton […]
Video
Finding a White Gold Cartier Crash & Insane Watches in London 🔥
Four days in London flew by, and the watch spotting was absolutely unbelievable!
Monochrome
Portrait – Löbner Watches, “Vom Guten das Beste” or The Best of The Best
Swiss watchmaking captures all the attention. The most prestigious brands, trusted by the market, are “Swiss Made”, which acts as an absolute guarantee. The only one to dominate the watch landscape, historically, outside of Switzerland, is the great Japanese classic: Seiko. On closer inspection, however, watch-related know-how has developed outside of Switzerland, particularly in Eastern […]
Monochrome
Introducing – The Impressive Hublot MP-10 Tourbillon Returns in Black Ceramic and Sapphire Crystal Cases
Hublot has never shown a reverence for conservative watchmaking. Starting with its explosively named Big Bang collection, Hublot revels in innovative material combinations and loud, audacious designs. However, when it comes to showing off its horological muscles, Hublot’s Masterpiece suite is where you’ll find the most technically complex models. Last year, Hublot inducted another Masterpiece […]
SJX Watches
Hands On: Tudor Pelagos Ultra
Tudor has been busy expanding the Pelagos collection in recent years, focusing primarily on military and racing associations. But until now, none exceeded the 500 m depth rating of the debut model from 2012. Just launched at Watches & Wonders 2025, the Pelagos Ultra (ref. 2543C1A7NU) can dive to double that depth, making it the deepest diving watch in Tudor’s current collection. The Ultra is differentiated primarily by its headline 1,000 m depth rating and teal accents, and is otherwise a familiar mix of elements from the Pelagos range including the lumed ceramic bezel, a fully brushed grade 2 titanium case and bracelet, and legible snowflake hands. Initial thoughts I personally enjoy overbuilt dive watches, despite the fact that I don’t dive. Practicality aside, there’s just something fun and reassuring about wearing what feels like a vault on the wrist. And that’s what the Ultra feels like – it’s tangibly overbuilt but still wearable thanks to its titanium construction. The biggest, baddest Pelagos yet, the Ultra measures 43 mm and 14.5 mm thick. But it doesn’t look overly large thanks to its 22 mm lug width, which gives it the visual proportions of something a little smaller. That said, the sizing may be too much for some, who would likely find a better fit with the standard Pelagos or Pelagos 39. The dial design is similar to that of the Pelagos 39, with applied polymer-ceramic lume plots. But the Ultra is a little more extreme, with beefier hands and ma...
Deployant
Elevate your watch collection: six top watches priced below S$10,000
Looking to elevate your watch collection without breaking the bank? We have six watches that may be worth your consideration.
Monochrome
Buying Guide – Five Watches With Flyer GMT Functionality, And Then Some…
To function properly, a watch first and foremost needs to tell time. On top of that, there’s a world of complexity and practicality to be discovered. One such complication is the GMT function, preferably of the Flyer kind. But what if you want something more than that? What if you want, let’s say, an alarm […]
Video
NEW Tudor Watches: The Monarch, Blue Black Bay 54 & Black Bay 58 GONE?
Tudor Novelties 2026 are here — and this is a big year for the brand. With the debut of an entirely new collection, major updates to the Black Bay lineup, and meaningful technical upgrades across the catalogue, Tudo...
SJX Watches
Breaking News: F.P. Journe Buys Breguet Sympathique No. 1
In a surprising turn of events, the Breguet Sympathique no. 1 has been acquired by its primary creator, Francois-Paul Journe, for the princely sum of CHF5.51 million including fees (equivalent to US$6.61 million). Notably, Sympathique no. 1 sold for almost as much as the Sympathique made for the Duc d’Orléans. Completed in 1991 for the Art of Breguet thematic auction, the clock was completed in 1991 by Techniques Horlogères Appliquées (THA), a complications workshop founded by Mr Journe, who also recruited Denis Flageollet and clockmaker Dominic Mouret. And now it will soon become one of the key exhibits in the upcoming F.P. Journe Museum, which will be located near its manufacture in downtown Geneva. Determined bidding The impressive result for the clock exceeded most expectations, including mine. I had expected a result in the region of CHF2.5 million. And in a bit of intrigue before the auction, F.P. Journe sent out an announcement to its clients before the auction stating that it would not repair or service Sympathique no. 1; the buyer of the clock would have to go to Breguet. Getting to the hammer price was not difficult, illustrating the strength of the F.P. Journe name today. While there were a handful of bidders under the million-franc mark, it was eventually down to a gentleman in the room and Mr Journe himself. Past the CHF2 million mark it then turned into a contest between a phone bidder represented by Alex Ghotbi and Mr Journe. Bidding proceeded at a stea...
Worn & Wound
Watches, Stories, & Gear: Video Games Galore, Screeching Seagulls, and Leica’s Newest Safari Model
“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. Retro Gaming Inspired EDC Whether you’re matching a few pieces or building out an entire carry, choosing a theme can make those decisions just a tiny bit easier. Our good friends over at Tactile Turn and Tactile Knife, fueled by 90’s nostalgia, have crafted up two new pieces for your retro inspired EDC. As part of their “Seasonal Release” series, Tactile Turn created the “16-Bit” pen and pencil, a worthy successor to their 2023 8-bit release. Built from their titanium models, both the pen and pencil feature a grey cerakoted body with purple cerakoted accents, reminiscent of the SNES console, a custom engraved “scope” pocket clip, and “Eject” engraved near the pen release / lead advancement button. Complementing these models is a limited release Bexar slipjoint from Tactile Knife that features a similar colorway (grey scales, purple accents), with the “scope” pattern engraved on the scales, magnacut blade and a titanium lanyard bead. While orders for the pen and pencil will be open until June 30th, Tactile Knife has stated that only one run of the 16-bit Bexars will be made, and that they are “one and done”. More information for the pen...
Deployant
New: Sinn 1739 Römerberg
The Sinn 1739 Römerberg is a thoughtfully designed timepiece that pays tribute to Frankfurt's historic architecture. Its deep red sunburst dial reflects the red Main sandstone of the Haus zum Goldenen Rad, a building recognized for its restoration efforts. While visually striking, the polished stainless steel case and understated appliques maintain an elegant simplicity. The exhibition case back, featuring an engraving of the Frankfurt Römer, reinforces the watch’s connection to the city’s heritage.
Time+Tide
Doxa refreshes the SUB 200 range with a new steel bezel, proving that small changes can offer a big impact
The new bezel offers a more traditional and technical look, bringing a brighter aesthetic but remaining true to the brand's heritage.The post Doxa refreshes the SUB 200 range with a new steel bezel, proving that small changes can offer a big impact appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
The Seiko SKX173: An Owner’s Retrospective
It was December of 2011 when I picked up the Seiko SKX173 – the watch that got me into watches. I’d say it was all downhill from there, but I think I’ve managed to contain myself relatively well when it comes to watch enthusiasm – I’m more practical when it comes to collecting (don’t even consider myself a collector) since I really like to wear what I have. I do tend to lean towards the sentimental side, hence the Seiko SKX173 on my wrist today that’s been a part of my horological journey for the better part of the last 14 years. Although a lot has happened between then and now, I remember choosing the Seiko after hitting the watch forums and getting a better idea of what kind of watch I wanted. I wanted something that was rugged, durable, cool looking, and mechanical. At the time, I only had limited experience with some Timex quartz watches, and the SKX felt like a huge bump up. I paid roughly $250 for the SKX on Amazon and in a few days, the watch arrived. It came on a rubber strap, which immediately got me searching around for other options. I ended up buying a WJean Super Oyster bracelet (which looking at it now is more jangly than it is super), a single pass leather nato (didn’t know that leather on a diver was a faux pas), and a chunky military-style nato from CountyComm. For me, that was all I needed. A solid watch, a few strap options, and that’s all. Man, how times were simpler. The Seiko SKX was a springboard for me, launching me into the worl...
Video
New Rolex 2026, the WORST Rolex I've ever seen & BLRO is GONE
Rolex Novelties 2026 are here — and this might be one of the most talked-about releases in recent years. From a controversial new Oyster Perpetual to the return of the Yacht-Master II, plus the apparent discontinuat...
Monochrome
The Evergreens – The History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore – Redefining Luxury Sports Watches Since 1993
The story of the origins of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore has been told many times, typically casting Stephen Urquhart, then co-CEO of Audemars Piguet, as the visionary mind behind the watch. According to the commonly accepted version, Urquhart’s sharp commercial instincts led him to assign a young designer, Emmanuel Gueit, the task of […]
Teddy Baldassarre
A-11 Watch: Bulova Reimagines The World War 2 Field Watch
Anyone with an interest in watches and military history is likely familiar with the A-11 watch aka “The Watch That Won The War” due to its role as the standard issue timepiece for the American military during World War II. Elgin, Waltham, and Bulova were the three American watchmakers tapped to produce these watches which came in a few variants with some differentiation in case style with some having coin edge bezels while others didn’t, some with lume and others without, some waterproof and some dustproof. It was the durability, reliability, and the ever-useful hacking seconds function that gave these watches their reputation and we’ve seen our fair share of tributes and rereleases. One that caught my eye when it was released a couple of years ago is likely the least “faithful” to the traditional design but succeeds in presenting something a little different and done a red, white, and blue dial color scheme. The watch, of course, is the Bulova Hack A-11. Bulova A-11 Watch Case: Done in a 37mm wide and 14.5mm thick steel case with a 44.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, the Bulova Hack A-11 is quite conservative in its sizing (even though the original was a now-diminutive 32mm) and works as a versatile unisex field watch. Still, those nice long curved lugs do add some wrist presence that make the watch wear a little bigger than its specs would lead you to think. The case thickness and the added heft of a NATO strap also adds to the substantial feeling of the watch. Th...
Worn & Wound
Introducing the Swatch SCUBAQUA Collection, a Series of Colorful Divers, Just in Time for Summer
If there’s one drum I’m constantly banging in the watch enthusiast discourse, it’s that the Swatch MoonSwatch is probably among the least interesting watches made by the brand. I know, I know. They are a phenomenon. They have probably introduced untold numbers of new collectors to our hobby. And they are meant to be fun and I should just chill out. This is all incredibly valid. But as a somewhat older, somewhat more grizzled watch collector who fondly remembers a pre-MoonSwatch era, I’m very much of the opinion that Swatch remains on the vanguard of creativity, you just have to walk past that MoonSwatch display briefcase in the boutique. This week saw the release of what I think is a great example of a watch that is more impressive in just about every way than a run of the mill MoonSwatch. The new SCUBAQUA Collection even uses the same Bioceramic material found in the MoonSwatch, but in a way that, to my eye, is more uniquely Swatch. Based on the classic Swatch Scuba collection, the new SCUBAQUA watches are a thoughtful update using new materials with enhanced specs and a more contemporary feel. The new SCUBAQUA watches are all about color and transparency, achieving what the brand calls the “jelly effect,” a principle common to many similarly transparent and colorful Swatches over the years. Each watch combines Bioceramic in the solid color sections of the case with castor oil derived biosourced materials for the transparent components. The dials in each v...
Monochrome
First Look – The New Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Edition
The announcement two years ago of the comeback of Daniel Roth under Louis Vuitton’s direction gave us great hopes. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long to see the first result of this anticipated return, which started with a yellow gold Tourbillon Souscription, a faithful tribute to the late-1980s reference C187 Tourbillon watch by Mr […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Brew Metric Manual Wind: A Decade In, Brew Drops the Hammer (and the Rotor)
The Brew Metric Manual Wind blends Swiss mechanics with Brew’s signature design language-limited to 125 pieces and already selling fast.
Video
SAINT BONES ELEMENT 22X - featherlight and thin
A special thank you to all the channel members: