Results for WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Program)

Kicking Off 2016 European Championships

Announcements: You Can Now Reserve The New Watches From Universal Genève Right Here

If there's one brand that remains near and dear to the heart of Hodinkee, it's Universal Genève. In some ways, my own love of watches may not have flourished the way it did without the incredibly broad range of designs and concepts from Universal in that period. Simple chronographs, calendar chronographs, calendar watches, dress watches, oversized Aviator watches, and even convertible watches were all part of the Universal story. It just did SO many things back then, and when it was announced that the House of Brands (the parent company of Breitling, and now Gallet and Universal) would be re-launching it in full force, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. And I think it's fair to say that many felt that way. But Mr. Kern, who led the project along with a great team of young enthusiasts, knew they needed feedback from the long-standing group of collectors to ensure what they made hit all the right notes. So they assembled a group of advisers to give feedback along the way. The group included Mr. Fred Mandelbaum, Mr. Eric Wind, myself, Mr. Alessandro Fanciulli (Mr. A), Mr. Auro Montanari, and many more die-hard Universal lovers. You can see some photos of one of our meet-ups right here, dating back more than two years ago. The advisory board would give notes, and the internal team would process them accordingly – mostly in design details. And in the end, Universal Genève was fully reborn with an astonishingly wide range of watches just last month in Geneva. It includes tw...

Introducing: The New, Smaller Awake Sơn Mài Guilloché Main Lineup

We’ve been following Awake since well before the 2024 introduction of its Sơn Mài collection. The watches, which feature painstakingly layered Vietnamese lacquer over silver leaf, have vaulted the brand into new territory. Each release is greeted with fervor from fans, and the limited editions frequently sell out quickly. Until now, the watches have featured […] Visit Introducing: The New, Smaller Awake Sơn Mài Guilloché Main Lineup to read the full article.

Introducing: Awake Sơn Mài Guilloché Main Collection

What We Know Awake is launching three new watches today, along with a new visual identity for the young brand. The three references—"Sunset," "Alba," and "Borealis"—take their names and color palettes from celestial phenomena: an ocean sunset, an incandescent dawn, and the Northern Lights, respectively. "Alba" The dials are the story here, and the story behind them is quite fascinating. The process begins in Hanoi, Vietnam, where master lacquerers apply multiple ultra-thin layers of Sơn Mài lacquer—derived from the sap of the Rhus Verniciflua tree—then meticulously polish each coat to build up the dial's color. Sunset gets pink, violet, and blue.  Alba gets red, yellow, and orange. Borealis gets green and yellow. Once the lacquer work is complete, the dials travel to Italy, where they're handed to the Renzetti family—one of the last workshops in Europe still practicing hand guilloché—who work them on traditional rose and straight-line engine lathes, entirely by hand, for approximately 15 hours per dial. Each groove is unique to the individual artisan and the individual piece. "Sunset" The hands and indices are constructed with a steel cap system finished in polished, brushed, and engraved textures, filled with Super-LumiNova BGW9. The result is a lume solution that's discreet in daylight but comes alive in the dark, casting a soft halo over the lacquer and guilloché beneath. All of this sits inside a new 38mm stainless steel case, a first for Awake. It fea...

Hands-On With The Sero Silver Signature

The Netherlands is not exactly known as a traditional watchmaking powerhouse. This is a small country of people practical by nature and generally not inclined toward excessive displays of luxury. Over the years, though, several Dutch watch brands have built impressive international reputations. Names like Christiaan van der Klaauw, Grönefeld, and Holthinrichs immediately come to […] Visit Hands-On With The Sero Silver Signature to read the full article.

Introducing – The Updated Charlie Paris Alliance Collection, Now With Sapphire Dial Models

If you have been following French watchmaking lately, chances are you have come across Charlie Paris already. They have a promising catalogue of everyday mechanical watches that do not get too expensive. The brand’s line-up today covers everything from the sporty and travel-ready Concordia GMT Automatic to more classic designs such as the Initial Collection. […]

First Look – The Favre Leuba Deep Raider Power Reserve Collection

When you are a historic watchmaker like Favre Leuba, you can go back to the archives and return with a slice of the past and new ideas. That is exactly what happened with the Deep Blue, the brand’s six-decade-old dive watch known for its crosshair dial and 200m water-resistance. Stylish and genuinely capable at the […]

Experiencing The A. Lange & Söhne Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold At The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este

When we write about watches at Fratello, we typically have three levels of engagement with the product. First, we have our basic introduction articles, for which we base our writing solely on press materials, keeping it brief and factual. Second, we have our hands-on reviews, which allow us to spend time with the watch before […] Visit Experiencing The A. Lange & Söhne Cabaret Tourbillon Honeygold At The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este to read the full article.

Revisting The Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar Ice Blue Review

The first standard production watch with the Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar movement, of course, had to be a Navitimer. We have gone hands-on with it to see how it stacks up! What We Love That ice-blue dial is stunning! Has an amazing wrist presence and an iconic design Easy to use and adjust movement with the perpetual calendar What We Don’t The reverse-style strap can get in the way, depending on your wrist size The 30m water resistance is on the low side The 43mm size will not suit all wrist sizes if you have a smaller wrist Overall Rating: 9 / 10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Originally published as: Reviewing The New Breitling B19 Perpetual Calendar In Ice Blue When you think of Breitling, one of the first, if not the first, model that comes to mind is the Navitimer. Not only is it one of Breitling’s most iconic models, but it is also one of the most iconic watches out there, thanks to its history, unique slide-rule bezel and overall design cues that make it stand out. You can easily recognise a Navitimer on the wrist from a distance. In that regard, it’s up there with the Submariner, the Speedmaster, the Luminor, and the Royal Oak, to name but a few. So it stands to reason that it was one of the models to receive the new in-house B19 Perpetual Calendar movement as part of Breitling’s 140th Anniversary Collection. The 18k Rose Gold 140th Anniversary Navitimer B19 Chronograph Perpetual Calendar. This was my p...

Introducing – The Kurono Tokyo Malachite 2026 Special Projects

Created by Japanese independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, a man capable of creating superb watches and movements, Kurono Tokyo aims to apply his design language to a more accessible price range. While the entire production of the brand is limited and relatively difficult to obtain, the “special projects” collection adds a sense of exclusivity through the […]

In Memoriam: the great Jean-Marie Schaller passes away on May 16, 2026

It is with great sadness that we join the Schaller family and staff of Louis Moinet to mourn the loss of Jean-Marie Schaller.

First Look – The Bremont Altitude Air Force Blue Capsule Collection, Including a New MB Meteor Time Zones

The Terra Nova and Supermarine collections are an important part of Bremont‘s catalogue, and the brand even looks up to the stars with the recently released Supernova Chronograph. Still, aviation remains central to the British watchmaker’s identity, and the new Air Force Blue capsule collection reinforces this focus with a unified lineup, introducing a distinctive […]

Introducing: Breitling Refreshes The Chronomat Collection

What We Know Today, Breitling relaunches the Chronomat lineup with an updated design language that builds on the collection's major 2020 revamp and makes a few small adjustments that feel quite consumer-friendly. The refreshed collection spans the gamut of sizes and complications, with 22 variants, from chronographs to time-and-date models, in many dial colors and metals. There are three models in the new lineup: the Chronomat B01 42 chronograph, the Chronomat Automatic B31 40, and the Chronomat Automatic 36.  The steel Chronomat B01 with ice blue dial and platinum bezel. In steel, the Chronomat B01 comes with a white, blue, or green dial and contrasting black subdials, while in two-tone steel and red gold, it features a grey dial. A full red gold variant features a brown dial, while a steel case with a platinum bezel comes with an ice blue dial. Chronomat Automatic B31 40mm. There is also a new model in this update, the Chronomat Automatic B31 40. It's the first time-and-date Chronomat in a 40mm diameter, which I think hits the sweet spot for the more sporty, aggressive Chronomat design and a wide range of wrists. It's also the first time we've seen the Caliber B31 on a Chronomat, as it was previously used in the Top Time B31 and a few SuperOcean Heritage models. In steel, there are three dial colors: blue, green, and white, while a steel case with a platinum bezel comes with an ice blue dial.  For the Chronomat Automatic 36, a steel version is available in a classic bl...

Hands On: Nouvelle Chronometrie Montre Ordinaire

One of the most intriguing debuts in independent watchmaking this year is Nouvelle Chronometrie with its Montre Ordinaire. Despite the name, Nouvelle Chronometrie is actually Japanese, and the “ordinary” watch is a tourbillon chronometer inspired by 20th century observatory chronometer watches and dressed in formal Breguet attire. With its rigorously classical design, evident on both the front and back, the Nouvelle Chronometrie is distinctly Japanese at heart in how it careful reproduces and enhances traditional watchmaking – executed with a great deal of attention to detail. Moreover, the manufacturing of the watch is a combination of both old school manual methods and modern technology, reflecting a typically Japanese embrace of technology, not for cost efficiency, but for the sake of quality. Initial thoughts I first came across Nouvelle Chronometrie on Instagram. It was just images of the watch, with no information on the brand’s origins. Then I learnt Nouvelle Chronometrie was founded and led by Noritaka Sakurai, a longtime collector who pivoted to join the industry – which ironically left me a little sceptical. Though I have known Mr Sakurai for a long time and regard him highly as a collector, he was chief executive at Hajime Asaoka’s watchmaking outfit until 2020 – that employer was a red flag for me. Fortunately, Mr Sakurai has left that behind, and has now gone all in with Nouvelle Chronometrie, a project that deserves recognition and praise. Accor...

First Look – Moritz Grossmann Unveils Two Special Backpage Tremblage Editions

Moritz Grossmann celebrates the 200th anniversary of its founder, a pivotal figure in Glashütte’s proud watchmaking tradition. Revived in 2008 by watchmaker Christine Hutter, the brand has been steered down the path of high-end, technically serious Saxon watchmaking with in-house calibres and a dedication to Schönstes deutsches Handwerk – the “most beautiful German craftsmanship”. Feted with […]

Hands-On With The New Cartier Santos-Dumont In Full Gold Or Platinum With A Bracelet

At Watches and Wonders, we see many watches, of course. It’s actually not the best place to see watches, though. During the “touch & try” sessions, watches are passed around quickly as everyone tries to take as many pictures as possible. Cartier is notoriously one of the most watch-heavy sessions, as the brand usually presents […] Visit Hands-On With The New Cartier Santos-Dumont In Full Gold Or Platinum With A Bracelet to read the full article.

Getting A Feel For The King Seiko Vanac HKF004 145th-Anniversary Limited Edition

Seiko continues its 145th-anniversary celebrations with a special version of the King Seiko Vanac. Since the Vanac’s reintroduction in 2025, the series has grown quickly. At this point, you can choose from nine steel and titanium models that sport a stylish ’70s look. With the new Vanac HKF004, Seiko has created a version that immediately […] Visit Getting A Feel For The King Seiko Vanac HKF004 145th-Anniversary Limited Edition to read the full article.

First Look – The King Seiko Vanac Limited Edition HKF004 in Seiko Blue Dial

King Seiko, the other higher-end arm of the Group, has had an interesting comeback run since Seiko revived the collection in 2020, bringing back one of its classic higher-end names from the 1960s. This family also introduced the Vanac sub-collection during the 1970s. These were some cool watches that were more colourful, faceted, and much-liked […]

First Look – Sino-French Brand Atelier Wen Refines its Core Collection with the Perception V3

In less than 10 years, Atelier Wen has built a rather impressive collection, merging refined watchmaking with Chinese culture. The Sino-French company founded by Robin Tallendier and Wilfried Buiron quickly moved from accessible watches with a strong Chinese identity to something less caricatural, much deeper in substance, to the point of creating a full tantalum […]

How our £800 GMT with a dial unlike anything else was made

Our Beaucroft × Time+Tide Solaris GMT Limited Edition just launched, and this documentary takes you every step of the way of how it was made.

Introducing the Longines Legend Diver 59

Someday, when the history of the contemporary vintage inspired sports watch is written, the Longines Legend Diver will need an entire chapter devoted to it. It’s an incredibly important watch not just in this very specific genre (which at times over the last decade or so has been the most important segment in watchmaking) but in the annals of modern watch history. I sometimes think its influence is not quite given enough credit as it is often compared and lumped in with the Tudor Black Bay, but the Legend Diver is very much its own thing and set a course for Longines upon its introduction that the brand is still very much following to this day.  There have been a number of iterations on the original Legend Diver format over the years, including limited editions and a very well received line of smaller, more compact Legend Divers in easy to wear 39mm cases. The latest Legend Diver, the Legend Diver 59, arrives today and feels like a return to the original reissue of the iconic diver in a number of ways.  The most notable thing about the Legend Diver 59 (besides the name, which will likely invite even more comparisons, and probably some memes, comparing the watch to various numbered Tudor Black Bays) is the watch’s size. The case here measures 42mm, the same as the original reissue of the Legend Diver, as well as the actual original Legend Diver, which first appeared in, you guessed it, 1959. When I saw this watch in person at a Longines preview event in Dallas earlier...

Introducing the Horologically Unique HU-01 “Finale”

Last year’s HU-01 took the watch world by storm, paying homage to Patek Philippe’s Calatrava 96 and offering it for a fraction of the source material’s price. Horologically Unique stuck closely to the Calatrava’s design language but added their own embellishments and twists. The original HU-01 modernized a classic to some degree, taking the original’s case dimensions of 31mm and bulking them up to 36mm, using a high-domed sapphire crystal, and installing an exhibition case back. Horologically Unique’s newest model, named the HU-01 Finale, takes the same general formula but adds a hint of luxury and a dash of more historically-accurate design elements. The Finale positions itself somewhere between the first HU-01 and the original Calatrava 96, both in aesthetics and pricing. So what makes the Finale a cut above its predecessor? The first notable difference can be seen with the two dials on offer: one in a brushed grey finish and the other with a stone dial made of jade. The latter model, nicknamed the “Yu” or “玉” meaning jade in Chinese, exhibits a gorgeous greenish-blue hue courtesy of the Burmese jade. It’s unlike most other stone dials I’ve seen, and I’m sure it will be a sight to behold in-person under direct lighting. Adorning both dials are a series of lab-grown diamonds, three baguette cut and eight round brilliant cut. Adding a bit of bling to a sterile dial is a unique choice, one I think helps add more character to what otherwise would ...

Business News: Royal Pop Sales Resume After Launch Rush For Audemars Piguet X Swatch Collaboration Forced Store Closures

Sales of the Royal Pop, the bioceramic pocket watch collaboration from Audemars Piguet and Swatch, resumed in some locations on Monday after the Saturday launch was marred by overwhelming crowds that forced store closures across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. Customers were seen buying the $400 watch in Geneva on Monday as the Swatch boutique resumed sales of the timepiece.  Swatch boutique in Geneva on Saturday saw a heavy police presence to control crowds. Swatch closed at least 20 of its stores on Saturday as launch-day crowds and demand for the Royal Pop pocket watch overwhelmed security and staff. Stores in the U.A.E, India, the U.K., Europe, and at locations in the U.S. and Canada were closed on May 16, according to social media posts, after crowds seeking to buy the pocket watch collaboration surged, queues collapsed, and sporadic scenes of violence broke out. Police were on hand at dozens of locations to control crowds. The line at the Swatch boutique in Wales (photo: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images). The sign on the window of the Wales Swatch boutique following the temporary store closure (photo: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images). The Biel/Bienne-based company, in a statement, said Monday that "the response to the Royal Pop Collection has been phenomenal worldwide," and demand is extremely high. Swatch said that in "around 20 Swatch stores" out of a total of 220 stores globally where the Royal Pop was launched, "challenges arose on launch day because ...

Introducing – The Ochs und Junior Calendario Quattro Anni, Oechslin’s Four-Year Calendar Watch

Ochs und Junior, the brand founded by mastermind watchmaker Dr Ludwig Oechslin, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary with the release of a remarkable, highly efficient calendar watch. Dr Oechslin’s talent for tackling complications with ingenious solutions using as few components as possible, and his minimalist, Bauhaus industrial design style are clearly at work in the […]

The Delugs Micro-Adjust CTS Deployant Clasp Is A Small Upgrade That Makes A Big Difference

I reviewed some Delugs straps back in 2024, and since then, I’ve added a decent selection of the brand’s rubber CTS straps and sailcloth straps to my rotation. In fact, I recently bought a couple of sailcloth straps for some of the newer watches in my collection. So when Delugs kindly offered to send over […] Visit The Delugs Micro-Adjust CTS Deployant Clasp Is A Small Upgrade That Makes A Big Difference to read the full article.