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Celebrating a New Home for Watch Enthusiasts in Eastern Montana with Citizen Watch America and Riddle’s Jewelers Worn & Wound
Accutron Frédérique Constant Sep 24, 2026

Celebrating a New Home for Watch Enthusiasts in Eastern Montana with Citizen Watch America and Riddle’s Jewelers

Last week, Worn & Wound and Citizen Watch America headed west to Billings, Montana, for an evening of watches, conversation, and a little bit of Windup Watch Fair previewing at Riddle’s Jewelry’s Shiloh location.  Following our enthusiast night in Salt Lake, the Billings event was another chance to bring the Windup experience to a community that doesn’t always get the opportunity to see this kind of collection of watches in person. But more than anything, the evening was about establishing Riddle’s Jewelers as a welcoming home for watch enthusiasts in Eastern Montana—and kicking off what we hope becomes a new tradition of getting together, talking watches, and, naturally, buying a few new timepieces along the way. The evening welcomed local enthusiasts, longtime collectors, curious newcomers, and Riddle’s clientele, all with one thing in common: an appreciation for a good watch and an excuse to talk about them. With food and drinks on hand, the evening had the easygoing feel we love about enthusiast gatherings. Watches came off wrists, new ones went on, and conversations bounced from movements and materials to personal favorites and the watches everyone had been quietly keeping an eye on. Of course, there was plenty to get excited about on the watch front. The collection included standout pieces from Citizen, Bulova, Accutron, Frédérique Constant, and Alpina, including several watches that aren’t exactly easy to find sitting in a display case. And our new ...

A Personal Trip Down Memory Lane With The New Glashütte Original 70s Series Fratello
Glashütte Original 70s Series Immediately after Sep 24, 2026

A Personal Trip Down Memory Lane With The New Glashütte Original 70s Series

Immediately after I saw the images of the new Glashütte Original 70s series, I was intrigued. With the square case shape and textured dials, these new watches instantly reminded me of a classic Citizen watch my father wore in the 1980s, which I still have at home. As you’ll understand, a connection like that is […] Visit A Personal Trip Down Memory Lane With The New Glashütte Original 70s Series to read the full article.

Héron Introduces the Continental, a New Vintage Inspired “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” Watch Worn & Wound
Albishorn Sep 23, 2026

Héron Introduces the Continental, a New Vintage Inspired “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” Watch

Héron, the Montreal-based microbrand that had a legitimate hit on its hands with the release of the Mirabel GMT last year, is back with their take on the classic “go anywhere, do anything” sports watch, met with the brand’s typically refined design codes. Héron exists at a time when the straight up vintage inspired watches that dominated the scene a decade ago are fading in popularity, but they remain distinct and relevant for putting a truly personal and distinctive spin on the genre. These are not recreations of well known vintage references, but seem to exist in that type of “alternate reality” space imagined by brands like Serica, Albishorn, and others. There’s just a little extra charm to these watches that sets them apart, and make them feel like they aren’t part of a playbook.  The new Héron Continental is, according to the brand, inspired by watches worn “during the great age of exploration.” They want us to think of early transcontinental flights, mountaineering expeditions, and important midcentury scientific breakthroughs. This, of course, is not new ground for watch brands. Many that existed during this age of exploration remind us of it on a regular basis, and newer brands do their best to conjure. To Héron’s credit, they make their inspiration explicit in their press materials, citing watches like the Rolex Explorer, Universal Geneve Polerouter, and Longines Conquest as touchpoints. But the Continental is its own thing, borrowing cert...

First Look - The New Ulysse Nardin Freak One Blue Enamel and Freak One Guilloché Monochrome
Ulysse Nardin Freak One Blue Enamel Sep 23, 2026

First Look - The New Ulysse Nardin Freak One Blue Enamel and Freak One Guilloché

With Rolf Schynder at the helm, Ulysse Nardin released an unorthodox timepiece in 2001 that smashed conventions and rewrote watchmaking in one fell swoop. With no dial, no hands and no crown, the Freak, master watchmaker Dr Ludwig Oechslin’s renegade watch, indicated time with its linear gear train featured on the dial. The Freak also […]

Hands On: Blancpain Lady B SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre cal 101 which Sep 23, 2026

Hands On: Blancpain Lady B

The charming and compact Lady B extends Blancpain’s collection of elegant ladies watches while upholding the brand’s longstanding commitment to mechanical calibres. At just 19 mm in size and almost spherical in form, the Lady B contains an upmarket automatic movement that transcends the quartz-powered norms for this segment of watchmaking. Initial thoughts The Lady B is the spiritual successor to the Ladybird Bullet, which introduced the world’s smallest round mechanical movement when it debuted 70 years ago under the leadership of Betty Fiechter, the first woman to lead a major Swiss watch brand. The “round” qualifier is important because the smallest mechanical movement — then, as now — was the Jaeger-LeCoultre cal. 101, which is still in production but in extremely limited numbers, and reserved for high jewellery collections. The Lady B (left) with the original Ladybird Bullet from 1956 The Lady B is larger than the vintage Bullet, but at just 19 mm it’s still small enough that the size is the main point of intrigue. The watch is almost spherical being 13 mm thick, but rather than feeling too thick this aspect gives the watch a charming bead-like feel similar to the original Bullet. The spherical feel is completed by the absence of conventional lugs; the Lady B instead features a pass-through channel for a selection of interchangeable straps. This hypothetically allows multiple Lady B’s to be “stacked” on the same strap for a jewellery-like look, b...

Both Online And Offline: The New H. Moser & Cie. Off-Grid Is The Digital Watch For Enthusiasts Fratello
H. Moser & Cie Off-Grid Sep 21, 2026

Both Online And Offline: The New H. Moser & Cie. Off-Grid Is The Digital Watch For Enthusiasts

Today, H. Moser & Cie. is going digital with the new Off-Grid, a watch that takes the brand’s minimalist approach into some untapped territory. Available in two versions, the Off-Grid combines a 42.6mm PVD-treated steel case with a skeletonized dial and a digital display at 6 o’clock. One version pairs blue PVD with a Blackor […] Visit Both Online And Offline: The New H. Moser & Cie. Off-Grid Is The Digital Watch For Enthusiasts to read the full article.

Complicated Collectors: Lord Sandberg SJX Watches
Sep 21, 2026

Complicated Collectors: Lord Sandberg

This weekend’s results at Sotheby’s Hong Kong typify contemporary interest in independent watchmaking, and in special editions of series-produced watches. In contrast, the Sandberg Collection, assembled by former HSBC chairman Baron Michael Sandberg, paints a picture of another era of watch collecting, when elaborately decorated pocket watches and exotic automata ruled the auction room. The latest chapter in our Complicated Collectors series explores some of the most emblematic pieces of this extraordinary collection. Before it was dispersed at Antiquorum in 2001, the Sandberg Collection ranked among the most ambitious private assemblies of horological art formed in the latter half of the 20th century. Comprising over 400 timepieces, it reflected sustained engagement with both the mechanical and symbolic dimensions of watchmaking. Lord Sandberg, in his office in Hong Kong. Image – South China Morning Post The holdings spanned time and geography, from Geneva enamels and French musical complications to English automata and Islamic and Chinese adaptations, alongside early German and English forms, yet they build a coherent whole.  Instead of building around a single school or brand, Sandberg assembled a collection participating in a larger conversation: between European and Oriental markets, between religious and secular symbolism, and between utility and ornament. Lord Sandberg’s long residence in Hong Kong likely shaped both his access and his perspective. Chinese...

Harnessing Nature: The Awake Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Blood Moon, Storm, And Lagoon Fratello
Sep 20, 2026

Harnessing Nature: The Awake Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Blood Moon, Storm, And Lagoon

Since 2024, Awake has built a strong following with its Sơn Mài dials. These time-intensive creations layer Vietnamese lacquer over silver leaf and natural pigments. Last year, the Frosted Leaf technique debuted and won two awards, including first prize in the Jewellery and Artistic Crafts category at the Timepiece World Awards 2025. The brand now […] Visit Harnessing Nature: The Awake Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Blood Moon, Storm, And Lagoon to read the full article.

F.P. Journe Supports Paris Brain Institute with Unique Chronomètre Furtif SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Supports Paris Brain Institute Sep 18, 2026

F.P. Journe Supports Paris Brain Institute with Unique Chronomètre Furtif

Having recently unveiled a unique burgundy chronograph to benefit the Fondation Prince Albert II De Monaco, F.P. Journe is back with the unique Chronomètre Furtif ICM that will be auctioned later this month to support the work of the Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièhe (ICM), better known internationally as the Paris Brain Institute. The black enamel dial of the CF ICM. Image – F.P. Journe Initial thoughts F.P. Journe is a watchmaker at the height of its market influence, so its nice to see the brand use its considerable power to continue its longstanding practice of contributing to worthwhile causes. ICM was founded by former FIA president Jean Todt, a longtime friend of François-Paul Journe who also informed the concept behind the Centigraphe. The unique Centigraphe from 2016 featured a blue mother-of-pearl dial with the ICM logo at 12 o’clock. Image – F.P. Journe The Geneva-based watchmaker was the ICM’s first private donor, and has contributed significantly over the past two decades. The brand’s first contributions arrived in 2004 by way of a trio of unique Vagabondage watches auctioned by Antiquorum. The three lots hammered for between CHF63,250 and CHF80,500, with all proceeds going to ICM. A unique Centigraphe was produced for the charity in 2016, when it hammered for the equivalent of about US$136,000 at the time. An impressive sum for that era, but a number that highlights just how much demand for independent watchmaking — and F.P. Journe ...

F.P. Journe Supports Brain Research with Unique Chronomètre Furtif SJX Watches
F.P. Journe Supports Brain Research Sep 18, 2026

F.P. Journe Supports Brain Research with Unique Chronomètre Furtif

Having recently unveiled a unique burgundy chronograph to benefit the Fondation Prince Albert II De Monaco, F.P. Journe is back with the unique Chronomètre Furtif ICM that will be auctioned later this month to support the work of the Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièhe (ICM), better known internationally as the Paris Brain Institute. The black enamel dial of the CF ICM. Image – F.P. Journe Initial thoughts F.P. Journe is a watchmaker at the height of its market influence, so its nice to see the brand use its considerable power to continue its longstanding practice of contributing to worthwhile causes. ICM was founded by former FIA president Jean Todt, a longtime friend of François-Paul Journe who also informed the concept behind the Centigraphe. The unique Centigraphe from 2016 featured a blue mother-of-pearl dial with the ICM logo at 12 o’clock. Image – F.P. Journe The Geneva-based watchmaker was the ICM’s first private donor, and has contributed significantly over the past two decades. The brand’s first contributions arrived in 2004 by way of a trio of unique Vagabondage watches auctioned by Antiquorum. The three lots hammered for between CHF63,250 and CHF80,500, with all proceeds going to ICM. A unique Centigraphe was produced for the charity in 2016, when it hammered for the equivalent of about US$136,000 at the time. An impressive sum for that era, but a number that highlights just how much demand for independent watchmaking — and F.P. Journe ...

No Rush, Here’s The Anoma A1 Core Collection In Abyss Blue And Stone Gray Fratello
Anoma A1 Core Collection Sep 18, 2026

No Rush, Here’s The Anoma A1 Core Collection In Abyss Blue And Stone Gray

Microbrand watch releases can often be both fun and frustrating at the same time. You get all excited about the original design, the attractive price point, and the brand’s sympathetic founder. However, if there’s only a limited number of pieces available or a tight order window, you need to decide quickly, and that’s not always […] Visit No Rush, Here’s The Anoma A1 Core Collection In Abyss Blue And Stone Gray to read the full article.

Introducing: The Studio Underd0g x Ahmed Seddiqi "Chan3ad" (Kingfish) Limited Edition Hodinkee
Studio Underd0g x Ahmed Seddiqi Chan3ad Sep 17, 2026

Introducing: The Studio Underd0g x Ahmed Seddiqi "Chan3ad" (Kingfish) Limited Edition

What We Know Two years after Studio Underd0g released its Series03 chronograph—an upgraded monopusher with a Sellita movement—they've teamed up with the Dubai-based powerhouse Ahmed Seddiqi for a new version with a twist. The new Chan3ad (Arabic for "Kingfish") comes on the heels of Studio Underd0g's first appearance at Dubai Watch Week last year. The dial features two contrasting layers, inspired by the UAE's most prized gamefish, the kingfish. The fish has a blue-grey color with distinctive scales, represented by the top dial, which is also very textured. The lower layer is a sunburst brushed pink, representing the meat underneath, while the tip of the chronograph hand and 30-minute counter hand are yellow, like the lemon you'd squeeze over the top after you cook it. A fish-themed watch is in keeping with the existing Series03 "Salmon" but the tones are slightly different. All the numerals are in Eastern Arabic script. Cased in stainless steel, the watch measures 38.5mm by 13.6mm (almost 2mm of which is the domed sapphire crystal), with a 20mm lug width and 44.5mm lug-to-lug. As noted on the dial (a curious quirk of Studio Underd0g), the watch uses the manually wound Sellita SW510 M movement, a "Custom Special" version running at 4Hz and regulated to +/- 5 seconds per day. The movement has a 63-hour power reserve and a hacking system. The Studio Underd0g x Ahmed Seddiqi Chan3ad is delivered with two straps: one is a 20-to-16mm tapered stainless steel Milanese mesh, a...

The Foundation Haute Horlogerie Expands the FHH Academy by Partnering with the Gemological Institute of America Worn & Wound
Sep 17, 2026

The Foundation Haute Horlogerie Expands the FHH Academy by Partnering with the Gemological Institute of America

In 2014, the Foundation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) introduced the FHH Academy, a series of courses that span the fundamentals of watchmaking to culture and heritage as well as more advanced technical curriculums, catering to both industry professionals and enthusiasts. One of the most unique aspects of the program is that it’s offered entirely online in 11 different languages, resulting in participants across 20 countries worldwide. While accessibility has been at the FHH Academy’s core, there are also select courses offered in-person at the FHH headquarters in Geneva as an extension of the platform. Now, the academy is expanding once again as the FHH announces a new partnership with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The GIA is globally acknowledged as the foremost authority in gemology and a leader in the gem and jewelry sector. Since its founding in 1931, the organization has set the standard, educating more than 200,000 professionals worldwide across its seven campuses throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. With its longstanding commitment to education and the dissemination of specialist knowledge within the luxury jewelry industry along with its global reputation and reach, the GIA presented itself as an incredible partner to expand its offerings into the world of horology and for the FHH to expand its in-person training. The partnership marks the first time the GIA has worked with an external entity and allowed trainers outside the institute to teac...

First Look - The Blancpain Lady B, a Small, Spherical and yet Mechanical Wrist-Worn Jewel Monochrome
Blancpain Lady B Sep 17, 2026

First Look - The Blancpain Lady B, a Small, Spherical and yet Mechanical Wrist-Worn Jewel

With its motto of never producing quartz watches, its manufacturing capabilities and its rich heritage in dive watches, Blancpain is often spontaneously associated with technical, masculine watchmaking. But this overlooks an important chapter in the brand’s history. In the middle of the 20th century, its development was driven by Betty Fiechter, a remarkable figure at […]

Introducing: Blancpain Celebrates The 70th Anniversary Of The Ladybird Collection With The Mini "Lady B" Revival Hodinkee
Blancpain Celebrates Sep 17, 2026

Introducing: Blancpain Celebrates The 70th Anniversary Of The Ladybird Collection With The Mini "Lady B" Revival

What We Know In 1932, a 36-year-old woman took a massive gamble early in her career at Blancpain. Betty Fiechter, who had worked for the brand since she was 16, faced a dilemma after the sudden death of the brand's owner, Frederic-Emile Blancpain. Together with commercial director Andre Leal, she helped secure loans to buy the company, even navigating the need to rename the manufacture because the Swiss government prevented anyone but someone with that name from using Blancpain. Fiechter would eventually mentor her nephew, Jean-Jacques Fiechter, and together they would inaugurate two of the brand's most successful icons: the Fifty Fathoms and the Ladybird. The original Ladybird Bullet The launch of the Ladybird in 1956 was a big deal, not just because a woman led a manufacturer in an era when women couldn't even vote in Switzerland. Inside the original Ladybird "Bullet" was the R55, the smallest round mechanical movement, and one with extra durability, with a fifth wheel to limit the force on the escapement and a shock protector on the balance wheel. It remains the smallest round mechanical movement to this day. To honor that watch, Fiechter, and the 70th anniversary of the Ladybird, Blancpain is releasing a new Lady B (for bullet, I'm sure, but also Betty and, according to the brand, bijou or "jewel") with very tiny dimensions. The watch measures a tiny 19mm by 13.2mm in either stainless steel or 18k red gold, with a total volume of only 2.9 cm³. Despite its size, it has...

Hot Take: Rolex’s Perpetual Padellone Annual Calendar Takes A Nod From The Past Fratello
Rolex s Perpetual Padellone Annual Sep 15, 2026

Hot Take: Rolex’s Perpetual Padellone Annual Calendar Takes A Nod From The Past

Rolex has added a rather unexpected complication to its Perpetual collection with the new Perpetual Padellone. Taking its name from the vintage reference 8171, the watch combines a 39mm case with an annual calendar and a moonphase display. At first glance, it is perhaps the dial that grabs your attention, particularly the blue enamel moonphase […] Visit Hot Take: Rolex’s Perpetual Padellone Annual Calendar Takes A Nod From The Past to read the full article.

Six Omega Stopwatches And A Lost NZ Racetrack Fratello
Omega Stopwatches Sep 15, 2026

Six Omega Stopwatches And A Lost NZ Racetrack

Here at Fratello, we get to cover all manner of watch-related stories. These include so many different watchmakers, from Rolex to Seiko to IWC. Omega, however, occupies a special place within the pantheon of watch brands for us. Today, we have a slightly different Omega story featuring stopwatches and a slice of New Zealand history. […] Visit Six Omega Stopwatches And A Lost NZ Racetrack to read the full article.

Three Times Tudor Got The Design Brief Completely Right Fratello
Tudor Got Sep 14, 2026

Three Times Tudor Got The Design Brief Completely Right

After writing about Tudor’s habit of arriving at a genuinely excellent design and then quietly undercutting it, it felt only fair to go looking for counterexamples. I wanted to find watches that show Tudor committed fully, finished the thought, and ended up with something that competes on its own terms rather than gesturing at somebody […] Visit Three Times Tudor Got The Design Brief Completely Right to read the full article.

Is A. Lange & Söhne’s Saxonia 36 Annual Calendar The Best Dress Watch Ever? (Hands-On) WatchAdvice
A. Lange & Sohne Sep 13, 2026

Is A. Lange & Söhne’s Saxonia 36 Annual Calendar The Best Dress Watch Ever? (Hands-On)

A. Lange & Söhne put their best foot forward at Watches & Wonders 2026, but does it hit all their exacting standards? Let’s find out! What We Love: A compact watch that makes its presence known Legible despite its size Highly complex & beautifully finished What We Don’t: Little negative space; a consequence of compaction Date corrector disrupts symmetry Would you request the price? Overall Rating: 9.25/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality:9.5/10 Of all the richness within German watchmaking, A. Lange & Söhne could be considered the most emblematic of the region. The veritable golden boy of German horology, it has often been cited as the mainstream leader in what best comprises the country’s ethos around mechanics and craftsmanship. Depending on who you ask, the history of the brand does get fuzzy, though not for any fault of their own. The realities of the Second World War, Soviet occupation, and consolidation under the Iron Curtain may never unscramble Glashütte’s complex past. What cannot be questioned, however, is the quality of work A. Lange & Söhne routinely produces. It’s why they’re often cited as the first step into luxuriously acquired taste, the first bold venture beyond the grip of the Swiss or Japanese industries, opening the veritable Pandora’s box that is haute horlogerie. As of late, though, they’ve even been shirking that archetype, rising to compete as one of the greatest watch brands around, regard...

Bangkok Watch Week 2026: A Growing Destination For Watch Collectors Fratello
Sep 12, 2026

Bangkok Watch Week 2026: A Growing Destination For Watch Collectors

Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week returns from September 22nd to 27th, 2026, for its second edition. The six-day event brings together more than 45 watch brands, over 200 new and rare timepieces, collectors, and watch enthusiasts at Siam Paragon in Bangkok. The program includes exhibitions, special showcases, watchmaking experiences, masterclasses, and The Symposium, which will […] Visit Bangkok Watch Week 2026: A Growing Destination For Watch Collectors to read the full article.

eBay Finds: Incredible Vintage Watches from Omega, Eterna, and Longines Worn & Wound
Longines eBay Finds Sep 11, 2026

eBay Finds: Incredible Vintage Watches from Omega, Eterna, and Longines

eBay Finds is back! This bi-weekly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Seiko 6139-6009 “Pogue”  There are many famous vintage Seikos, but few are as iconic as the 6139 “Pogue” automatic chronograph with the yellow dial. Made famous of course by Col. William Pogue wearing one on his Skylab 4 mission in 1973, making it the first automatic chronograph worn in space! While this example isn’t the exact model, pretty much all the vintage 6139-600X models with a yellow dial are considered a “Pogue” by collectors. This example looks all original and in good shape. The case is unpolished with crisp edges and the original brushed finish, but it does have a few dings from honest use. The bright yellow dial is nice, and there is some aging to the lume on the dial and hands, not uncommon. The watch comes on the original and correct Seiko H-link bracelet. No movement picture but the watch runs per the seller.  View auction here Vintage Eterna KonTiki  Here’s a fantastic vintage Eterna KonTiki 20 with the original bracelet. Eterna made a plethora of various KonTiki models, both divers and sport/dress models. This version is the latter. The steel case is probably in the 36mm range although the seller doesn’t specify. But the case is in great sh...

First Look - The ArtyA Complexity Métiers d’Art with Double Inclined Tourbillon Monochrome
Sep 11, 2026

First Look - The ArtyA Complexity Métiers d’Art with Double Inclined Tourbillon

Indie brand ArtyA, founded by Yvan Arpa, is known for its expressive designs and technically ambitious watches, often combining traditional craftsmanship with an unmistakably contemporary attitude. Earlier this year, the brand presented the Complexity, a spectacular mechanical piece with a world-first architecture of two inclined tourbillons at 12 and 6 o’clock, connected by a differential. […]

Alpina Expands their Solar Quartz Offerings with New Startimer Pilot Solarmetre References Worn & Wound
Citizen Group who Sep 10, 2026

Alpina Expands their Solar Quartz Offerings with New Startimer Pilot Solarmetre References

As part of their Geneva Watch Days presentation, Alpina unveiled several new solar quartz references in their Solarmetre line, which effectively places solar quartz movements made by La Joux-Perret in familiar Alpina references. It’s about the most natural move possible from a business perspective. Alpina and La Joux-Perret are both owned by the Citizen Group, who of course make Citizen watches and have been leaning heavily into solar quartz technology for years. The Alpina watches sit at a higher price point than the average Citizen, so the expansion of solar quartz across Alpina’s collection naturally begins an interesting conversation about value for enthusiasts who might have an interest in both brands.  The core of the release last week would have to be a trio of new Startimer Pilot Solarmetre watches. These are solar quartz powered versions of the still new Alpina pilot watch introduced earlier this year at Watches & Wonders. I think the value here is in the particular way these watches take advantage of the smaller La Joux-Perret quartz movement compared to their mechanical counterparts. The mechanical versions of these watches measure 40mm in diameter and a hair over 10mm tall, while the Solarmetre watches come in at 38mm wide and 9.3mm thick. That’s a meaningful difference in size, with the added grab and go benefits of solar quartz (Alpina says the AL-140 movements here will run for 10 months in total darkness, and of course it doesn’t take much light to...

Hands-On: The Pattern Recognition B-Theory Series 1 Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Sep 10, 2026

Hands-On: The Pattern Recognition B-Theory Series 1

About a year ago—or maybe two—I remember sitting in an Uber with Ben and some of the Hodinkee team as we drove down the Rue de Lausanne in Geneva, heading to Watches & Wonders. We had just grabbed a quick breakfast when Michael Friedman unexpectedly joined us. Yes, that Michael Friedman. The "AP, Michael Friedman, my friend's cooler" rap lyric guy. The guy who just so happened to have also formerly been a curator at the Willard House & Clock Museum and the National Watch & Clock Museum, Head of Watches at Christie's New York, a client advisor to people like Eric Clapton (during his pièce unique Patek years), and most recently the Head of Complications at Audemars Piguet. Okay, maybe you don't know Michael Friedman. But I knew him well and had some formative early-career experiences bumping into and getting to know him. I also knew he was working on a new brand, but had absolutely zero idea what it was. "It's wild," said Ben—or some approximation of that. "It's not so much a watch as a cuff, with a bunch of diamonds." What could that even mean? I had ideas in my head, but as they spiraled, they got further from the truth. As of a few months ago, we have the answer, and it's not what I had envisioned. The B-Theory Series 1 from Friedman's new brand Pattern Recognition is, as Ben said, far from a watch in most respects, but closer than I expected. Yes, it's jewelry. There are diamonds. And yet it's got the bona fides of technical watchmaking and connections with the pa...

Recommended Reading: "Bubble Backs" By Masahiro Endo Is An Education On The Original Rolex Collectors' Watch Hodinkee
Rolex Collectors Watch If you've Sep 10, 2026

Recommended Reading: "Bubble Backs" By Masahiro Endo Is An Education On The Original Rolex Collectors' Watch

If you've never collected Rolex Bubblebacks before, you should probably forget nearly everything you know about vintage watches. At least, that's what it feels like you should do when you start wading into the space. Things like reference numbers are much less valuable to remember than movements, case designs, printing details, and a general ability to just remember everything you've seen to get a sense of feel for what is right and what isn't. And trust me, a lot isn't. You could spend decades looking at these watches, but "Bubble Back" by Masahiro Endo, the owner of vintage retailer Private Eyes in Tokyo, is a great reference to jump-start your understanding of an iconic (and currently underappreciated) model. I mentioned this in last week's review of John Nagayama's "96," but the only watch I'd be more afraid to deep-dive into than the Patek ref. 96 is the Rolex "Bubbleback." It's not even an official model, but a nickname for Rolex watches made from 1933 to the mid-1950s with a domed, "bubble-like" caseback. So when you open Endo-san's book, you'll probably immediately be struck by the fact that none of the examples (except the later ref. 6062 and ref. 8171) have reference numbers. According to collectors, that's not the most useful thing for understanding the Bubbleback. Basically, every other detail matters more. We've previously published a story about the bubbleback with a lot of thoughts and tips for understanding these models, courtesy of Ken Jacobs and Justin Gr...

A Night of Watches and Enthusiasm in Salt Lake and Officially Introducing Worn & Wound Recommended Worn & Wound
Accutron Alpina Sep 9, 2026

A Night of Watches and Enthusiasm in Salt Lake and Officially Introducing Worn & Wound Recommended

On August 27, Worn & Wound headed west for an evening of watches, good conversation, and plenty of time spent with fellow enthusiasts. Hosted with Citizen Watch America at Morgan Jewelers’ Center of Brilliance in Murray, Utah, the event brought together members of the local watch community and Morgan Jewelers’ clientele for a night of exploring, learning, and, of course, talking watches. With rare and unique watches from Citizen, Bulova, Accutron, Alpina, and Frédérique Constant on hand, there was plenty to see and plenty of reasons to linger. Attendees were able to get watches out of the case and onto their wrists, compare notes, ask questions, and learn from both the brands and one another. And, as tends to happen when a room is full of watch people, the conversation quickly moved well beyond the watches on display. There were plenty of highlights, including the Citizen Eco-Drive Photon, celebrating 50 years of Eco-Drive, as well as the limited-edition Hand-dyed Indigo Washi Paper Dial. Accutron brought its Spaceview 314, while Bulova showed off the retro-styled Super Seville Precisionist. Frédérique Constant and Alpina rounded out the mix with everything from an in-house worldtimer to the solar-powered Alpiner Extreme. But the watches were only half the fun. Enthusiasts mixed and mingled with Morgan Jewelers’ clientele throughout the evening, sharing collecting stories, swapping wrist shots, and helping one another discover something new. Some left with new kn...

Hands-On Impressions of the New M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese Worn & Wound
MB&F; Sep 9, 2026

Hands-On Impressions of the New M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese

One of the splashiest Geneva Watch Days releases this year was the all new M.A.D.3, the latest entry in the ongoing series from M.A.D.Editions, the popular MB&F; spinoff. You’re probably pretty familiar with the M.A.D. project at this point, but just in case you’re stumbling onto it here for the first time, a brief primer.  Coming from many of the same people behind MB&F;, M.A.D.Editions was originally conceived as a way for brand founder Max Busser to thank his many longtime collaborators with an affordable watch that kept to the same avant-garde spirit of the high end luxury watches MB&F; has been making for years. That first watch was, apparently, not intended to ever be made widely available, a story that is perhaps apocryphal given the incredible success of the project across several release cycles. M.A.D.Editions is now a full fledged microbrand, with watches made available via highly competitive raffles on a regular basis. The brand has pledged to keep their watches affordable, relatively speaking, even as the overall quality of the pieces has been leveled up since the first watches appeared (they have moved to Swiss movements, and the finishing is noticeably nicer on newer watches, including the M.A.D.2 introduced last year).  The new M.A.D.3 leans deeper into an idea we saw with the M.A.D.2, which is to make these watches a genuine collaboration with a friend of the brand. That watch was designed by Eric Giroud, a longtime MB&F; collaborator and one of the more ...

The Business of Watches Podcast: A Market Roundup Of Geneva Watch Days Releases With Tim Jeffreys And TanTan Wang Hodinkee
Frederique Constant Girard-Perregaux MB&F; Sep 9, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: A Market Roundup Of Geneva Watch Days Releases With Tim Jeffreys And TanTan Wang

This week on The Business of Watches: a fresh take on the new releases we saw at Geneva Watch Days and what they might mean for the market. Ahead of a special request summer fondue dinner, Tim, TanTan, and Andy discuss what they saw, what they liked and didn't like from the slew of novelties presented during the event.  We go deep into the debut of Gallet, discussing how the entry-level offering from Breitling's House of Brands will stack up against the competition and how it will re-enter the company into the cut-throat $3,000 to $6,000 price category at a time when the Swiss industry is struggling to halt the slide in volumes.  We also talk about Bulgari, Oris, Frederique Constant, Girard-Perregaux, MB&F;, and the latest MAD Editions, and why, when it comes to Doxa, you can't have just one. Plus, what the return of a new Northflag (now one word) heralds for Tudor.  There's plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Please leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes 0:30 Tim Jeffreys0:32 TanTan Wang 3:38 Gallet (brand website) 5:28 Introducing: The Gallet Flying Officer (Hodinkee) 5:50 Gallet Revives Vintage Fan Favorites With New "Classics" Multichron...