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Results for Three-Quarter Plate (3/4-Platine)

2,761 articles · 39 videos found · page 80 of 94

Out of Office: Exploring Japan with Citizen Watch Company Worn & Wound
Citizen Watch Company Aug 13, 2026

Out of Office: Exploring Japan with Citizen Watch Company

By now, you’re probably well aware of the incredibly enriching experience I had with Citizen Watch Company at their manufacturing facilities getting a peek behind the curtain at the genius that is the brand’s proprietary Eco-Drive technology. However, as I teased on a podcast episode, the warmth and transparency of every member of Citizen’s team was not the only thing that made this press trip so unique and special. Flying us quite literally halfway around the world, Citizen created an incredibly generous itinerary that left space for cultural experiences and personal exploration. The trip both kicked off and concluded in Tokyo, and here, there are three activities not to be missed. We were fortunate that Citizen planned the trip during one of the most beautiful and remarkable times of the year in Japan – cherry blossom season. It was essential to have a proper viewing experience of the breathtaking trees before the blooms fell for the season, which is only a short window. This is what makes the cherry blossoms so special – their impermanence and their beauty serve as a reminder to cherish the good moments while they last. With this relationship to time, it’s no wonder the color and delicate texture of the blossoms have long been a muse for Japanese watchmakers. I took in this experience at the Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, which is just a short 30-minute train ride from Tokyo’s city center and mere steps from the platform of the Shinjuku Station. Let me pause here ...

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Seiko’s Latest Presage is a Handsome Surprise SJX Watches
Breguet style numerals Aug 13, 2026

Seiko’s Latest Presage is a Handsome Surprise

The Presage is Seiko’s line of affordable dress watches that boasts impressive diversity, but there can be too much of a good thing; sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish one Presage model from another. The fresh-off-the-press Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Enamel (HCC005) and Urushi (HCC006) are a pair of appealing watches, especially the striking HCC006 with its black and gold livery, which might be one of the best looking Presage watches ever. The HCC005 in enamel Initial thoughts The HCC006 caught my eye as soon as I saw it; the high-contrast colours set it apart from all other Presage models. It’s a strong proposition for anyone looking for an affordable dress watch that isn’t in the typical, conservative pale colours. Moreover, the Breguet-style numerals in gold powder lacquer add a degree of refinement rarely found in watches at this price. The only downside of the HCC006 is the gold plated case. Though it adds to the look, I generally dislike plated cases since they feel inexpensive. That said, given the accessible price, it’s forgivable. The HCC005 with an enamel dial is similarly good value, but less interesting visually as it’s similar to past Presage models. It is, however, a good, low-key alternative to the black and gold of the HCC006. The HCC006 with an urushi dial Artisanal craft for less The new pair stick to the familiar template of the Presage Craftsmanship series – making traditional artisanal crafts affordable. As is conven...

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Magical Timekeeping: Why the Harry Potter x Timex Weekender Collection is the Ultimate Fan Gift WatchRider
Timex Weekender Collection Aug 7, 2026

Magical Timekeeping: Why the Harry Potter x Timex Weekender Collection is the Ultimate Fan Gift

Finding the perfect gift for a Potterhead can be as tricky as catching the Golden Snitch. But if you are looking for something that seamlessly blends everyday practicality with a genuine touch of magic, the Harry Potter x Timex Weekender collection hits the mark perfectly. Timex took their beloved, utilitarian Weekender silhouette and injected it with just the right amount of Hogwarts charm. Far from feeling like cheap merchandise, these are solid, reliable timepieces with a delightful horological trick up their sleeve: spinning second-hand discs. Let’s break down three standout models from the collection—the TW2Y77000, TW2Y76100, and TW2Y76200—and see why they deserve a spot on any fan’s wrist. The Magic is in the Seconds What makes this specific lineup so endearing is the creative use of the sweeping second hand. Instead of a traditional ticking hand, Timex replaced it with a transparent rotating disc featuring an iconic Harry Potter element. As the seconds tick by, the icon playfully floats around the dial, making the watch feel alive and animated. Here is a closer look at the three must-have models: The Sorting Hat (Ref. TW2Y77000) If you can’t decide which House you belong to, let your watch do the talking. The TW2Y77000 embraces a rustic, academic aesthetic fitting for Hogwarts. The Vibe: Dark academia. It features a bronze-tone stainless steel case and a rich, earthy brown dial.    The Dial Details: The background features subtle line art of Hogwar...

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The Lightweight Casio F-91WF Watch on Cloth-Strap WatchRider
Casio F-91WF Watch Aug 7, 2026

The Lightweight Casio F-91WF Watch on Cloth-Strap

The Casio F-91W does not need a complicated introduction. It is one of the simplest digital watches you can buy and one of the easiest to recognise. The new F-91WF collection keeps that familiar formula but changes the part that has the greatest effect on comfort and character: the strap. Instead of the usual resin band, each watch comes with a lightweight cloth strap made from recycled PET. There are three models in the collection. The F-91WF-1A is black, the F-91WF-2A is navy blue and the F-91WF-3A is olive green. The case colour is matched to the strap on each version, so none of them looks like an ordinary F-91W with a random replacement strap. They feel like a complete collection with three clear personalities. Why the F-91WF is more than a strap change The cloth strap is the main news but it is not only a visual detail. Casio describes it as lightweight, comfortable, resistant to scratches and resistant to stains. It should also feel less rigid than a resin strap, especially during hot weather or when the watch is worn for a full day. Its recycled PET material gives the range a practical environmental benefit without changing the affordable and uncomplicated nature of the F-91W. The strap fits wrists from 145 to 215mm. That broad range matters because the case itself is very compact. It measures 38.2mm from top to bottom, 35.2mm across and only 8.5mm thick. Each version weighs just 21 grams. On the wrist it should almost disappear, which remains one of the strongest ...

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GRØNE Introduces the Horologium, a New Limited Edition in “Quirky” and “Classic” Variants Worn & Wound
Kurono Tokyo Aug 6, 2026

GRØNE Introduces the Horologium, a New Limited Edition in “Quirky” and “Classic” Variants

The GRØNE brand was introduced in the fall of 2024 at the absolute height of what I think can fairly be called the diffusion line craze. Between MB&F; with their M.A.D. Editions, Hajime Asaoka with Kurono Tokyo, and a host of others, high end watchmakers making accessible products in a well understood design language has been one of the more interesting developments across the independent watchmaking landscape over the past few years. The pace of these projects coming to market has slowed down somewhat, but that’s only helped us understand which ones are taken seriously as brands unto themselves by their founders and operators. GRØNE, I think, falls into the category of a brand that the founders, Bart and Tim Grönefeld, who also of course run their eponymously named brand, take seriously, or at least as a labor of love for their friends and family who are priced out of their largely handmade luxury watches.  The latest from GRØNE is a new three-hander in two variants, one meant to be serious and the other a little more playful. Both, I think, do a nice job of capturing the aesthetic cues of the Grönefeld brand in a way that previous efforts did not, while also acting as a showcase for the personalities of Bart and Tim.  The new Horologium is available in two variants: “Quirky” and “Classic”. The Quirky variant has a bright orange dial that points to the brand’s Dutch heritage with complementary baby blue accents. The Classic is a more refined salmon dial ...

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Casio Adds Dark Blue and Grey to Its Bluetooth ABL-100 Vintage Line WatchRider
Casio Adds Dark Blue Aug 2, 2026

Casio Adds Dark Blue and Grey to Its Bluetooth ABL-100 Vintage Line

Casio has officially added two fresh colours to its connected ABL-100 Vintage line. The ABL-100WE-2A arrives with a dark-blue dial surround, while the ABL-100WE-7A takes the quieter route in grey. Casio’s European pages label the pair as August 2026 releases, and both are already available through the brand’s Spanish online shop. The important point is that the colours are new; the watch and its technology are familiar. New Colours, Familiar Hardware The dark-blue ABL-100WE-2A brings a little more contrast around the positive LCD display, but it remains restrained rather than loud. The grey ABL-100WE-7A blends more closely with the silver-tone case and bracelet. Neither version is trying to reinvent Casio’s rectangular digital formula. They simply make the connected ABL-100 easier to match with different clothes, which is often all a good colour update needs to do. The ABL-100WE-2A introduces a dark-blue dial surround. Image: Casio. The chrome-plated resin case measures 41.6 mm long, 37.9 mm wide and only 8.2 mm thick. Weight is 60 grams, including the stainless-steel multi-row bracelet and adjustable clasp. A resin crystal covers the display. Those compact proportions should sit easily on my 6.5-inch wrist, although I have not handled either watch. Casio describes the model simply as water resistant, without advertising a swimming depth, so this is one retro accessory I would not volunteer for pool duty. A Step Counter Wearing Vintage Clothes An accelerometer record...

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Windup Watch Fair Chicago 2026 Recap: Our Biggest Midwest Celebration Yet Worn & Wound
Ming community-first atmosphere Jul 28, 2026

Windup Watch Fair Chicago 2026 Recap: Our Biggest Midwest Celebration Yet

Long before the doors opened on Friday morning, a line had already formed outside Morgan MFG. Some attendees had traveled across the city, others across the country, all eager to see more than 70 watch brands, reconnect with friends, meet the people behind their favorite companies, and spend a weekend immersed in watch enthusiasm. By the time the doors closed on Sunday afternoon, one thing was clear: this was our biggest Windup Watch Fair Chicago ever. Over three incredible days at our new home in Morgan MFG, Windup Watch Fair Chicago welcomed its largest attendance to date, setting a new benchmark for the event. Thousands of enthusiasts, collectors, industry professionals, and first-time visitors filled the show floor, creating the unmistakable energy that has come to define Windup. The move to Morgan MFG proved to be the perfect next chapter for Chicago. The spacious venue gave us room to grow while maintaining the welcoming, community-first atmosphere that makes Windup special. Flooded with natural light and just steps from Fulton Market, it quickly became one of our favorite venues yet. More than 70 exhibiting brands brought hundreds of new releases, fan favorites, prototypes, and limited editions for attendees to experience firsthand. Whether someone was buying their first mechanical watch or comparing the latest releases from independent brands, every table offered the chance to discover something new. Incredible Partners Helped Make It Happen A weekend like this sim...

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The Best Watches for Summer 2026 SJX Watches
Seiko Jul 24, 2026

The Best Watches for Summer 2026

As Swiss watchmakers prepare for their summer holidays, we’re taking a look at some of the best beach-ready watches released in the first half of 2026. While the definition of a “summer watch” is subjective, the best examples tend to be robust, comfortable, and colourful, with enough personality to work well with short sleeves. We round up the most promising candidates of the year, spanning nearly all price categories. Under US$5,000 Seiko is a perennial favourite when it comes to value-oriented watchmaking, and so it’s no surprise that the brand has more than one candidate in the entry level pricing tier. First up is the Seiko 5 Sports HUF Limited Edition, a collaboration with the American streetwear brand founded by the late professional skateboarder Keith Hufnagel. But the appeal of the translucent green dial — which reveals parts of the day and date mechanism below — is obvious even if you plan to summer at the beach rather than the skate park. The look is inspired by Seiko’s Time Sonar flyback chronographs of the 1970s, though the new watch is a conventional three-hander powered by the cal. 4R36. It is robust enough for almost anything one might reasonably do on holiday, and cheap enough — just US$400 — that its owner can actually relax while wearing it. The ‘Seiko summer’ theme continues with the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster 1968 Heritage Diver’s Watch HBF001, the latest evolution of the brand’s no-nonsense diver, now upgraded in nearly every ...

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The Seiko Star Time: A 1 of 1 Masterpiece Built to Track One Million Hours WatchRider
Seiko Star Time Jul 23, 2026

The Seiko Star Time: A 1 of 1 Masterpiece Built to Track One Million Hours

When a watch brand celebrates a milestone with a high-profile ambassador, we usually know exactly what to expect: a limited-edition colorway, a signed caseback, and a predictable marketing campaign. But to celebrate 10 years with Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, Seiko threw out the playbook entirely. They didn’t just design a new dial. They spent three years engineering a completely bespoke, 1-of-1 mechanical marvel called the Seiko Star Time. The Inspiration: Shohei Ohtani’s Existential Question The Star Time wasn’t built for a catalog; it was built for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.   To mark Ohtani’s 10th anniversary as a Seiko brand ambassador, the company set out to build a true piece unique. The concept was sparked by a philosophical question Ohtani himself asked: “How much time do I have left in my baseball career?”   Instead of a traditional chronograph that measures elapsed seconds, Seiko spent three years developing a watch that tracks the steady, relentless accumulation of time.  How Do You Count to a Million? It uses a newly architected in house movement to drive a highly unusual display of five concentric rotating discs. As the discs rotate, the numbers pass beneath a red line on the inner surface of the heavily domed sapphire crystal.  One million hours equates to just over 114 years of continuous tracking. The outer discs move so slowly that their motion is entirely imperceptible to the naked eye. Seiko design...

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Dispatch: A Love Letter To "The Valley of Complications" Hodinkee
Jaeger-LeCoultre was Jul 21, 2026

Dispatch: A Love Letter To "The Valley of Complications"

Two months ago, I spent a Friday lunch eating a sandwich called the Crazy Poulet at Notos Bar Restaurant in Le Sentier with Mark Schmid, who is a sort of jack-of-all-trades in the marketing and communications department at Audemars Piguet. Schmid has quickly become someone I'd consider a friend, whom I appreciate for our candid conversations, his willingness (and frequency) to correct my confusion between l'accent aigu and l'accent grave in articles, and, more recently, his gastronomic suggestions. I'm sure this story will require a few more corrections from Mark, for which I apologize (mostly to him) in advance, but I wanted to share a recent experience that illustrates why I love Switzerland's Vallée de Joux, past and present. Le Sentier, pictured back in 2022 on the author's first trip to Switzerland. The town, now home to the headquarters of Jaeger-LeCoultre, was the hometown of Samuel-Olivier Meylan, the first watchmaker in the valley who began crafting timepieces around 1743 and set the stage for what is arguably the most important geographic location in watchmaking. "People ask me what I'd want to do if I didn't work at Hodinkee," I said. "Sometimes I say that I wish I could be the head of the tourism bureau for the Vallée de Joux." "Well, maybe you could be our advocate in New York," he said. "But if you came back here on a Thursday night at 4 o'clock, this place would be full. You'd hear watchmakers talking about all the things they were up to at AP, JLC, Blancp...

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Gerald Charles enlists No. 1 Padel player, Tutima sets its eyes on US market, Windup returns to Chicago Time+Tide
Gerald Charles Jul 10, 2026

Gerald Charles enlists No. 1 Padel player, Tutima sets its eyes on US market, Windup returns to Chicago

As summer in the northern hemisphere arrives, we approach the season of the year when Swiss watchmakers take their Vacances horlogères – a tradition since 1937 where workshops shut down in late July and early August for a three-week break. Of course, when Geneva Watch Days comes around, the industry is ramped back up into … Continued

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Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Adds Two New 34.5mm Overseas Models To The Catalog Hodinkee
Vacheron Constantin Adds Two New 34.5mm Jul 9, 2026

Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Adds Two New 34.5mm Overseas Models To The Catalog

What We Know This week, Vacheron Constantin added two new 34.5mm Overseas models to the collection. There's a new version in steel with a red dial and a tone-on-tone version in 18k pink gold with a matching gold-toned dial. No, these new additions aren't the most groundbreaking introductions from Vacheron in recent times, but they are quite attractive and do well to flesh out the brand's small collection of mechanical mid-sized Overseas models. The distinct visual cues of the Overseas are all present on these models, with Vacheron's Maltese cross motif prominently shown on the bezel, crown, bracelet, and buckle. Proportions of certain elements like the bezel on this smaller Overseas feel quite thick, thanks to its relative sizing compared to the very compact overall dimensions of the watch, with a diameter of 34.5mm and a thickness of 9.33mm. Water resistance is rated to 150 meters, and there is a screw-down crown. Continuing the appeal of customization across the line, both versions come with three interchangeable straps: a full metal bracelet (with toolless micro-adjust), a rubber strap, and an alligator leather strap. The interchangeable strap options for the red dial Overseas. Though Vacheron is branding this as "a feminine take on sport-chic," the two executions released this week certainly can work on a wide array of wrists, thanks to eye-catching but versatile lacquered and sunray-brushed dials. The red dial of ref. 4600V/200A-H127 stands out, not just in hue, but a...

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Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired by Classic Teak Boats Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired Jul 8, 2026

Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired by Classic Teak Boats

Good things are worth the wait, according to Frederique Constant. Every two years, the Geneva-based watchmaker releases a new collector’s piece in their sought-after Classics Runabout collection, which represents, according to the brand, the combination of Genevan craftsmanship and Italian nautical influence. The 2026 model has been, of course, highly-anticipated; the Classics Runabout Automatic GMT represents a new chapter in Frederique Constant’s celebrated line.  The new GMT model, presented in collaboration with the Riva Historical Society, brings a 42mm footprint and two colorways: deep blue and teak-brown. Both models and their aesthetics are inspired by boats restored by the Riva Historical Society, and come with a miniature replica of said boat. The polished stainless steel case features three-part construction, and a midrange thickness of 12.85mm, giving it a decently chunky presence on the wrist. Still, the larger size is deceptive, given the bezel-less design; the GMT instead features an outer 60-second track, and a center 24-hour disk, giving it a filled-out look that slims the watch down visually. Arabic numerals appear at 12, 3, and 9 o’clock, and hand-applied indexes fill in the remainder of the hour markers, with a date window nestled at 6 o’clock. What results is a balanced dial that feels both busy and calm, given the limited color pallet, with blue and brown dial options both rounded out by beige-gold numerals and text details. All hands and ind...

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Commemorate a Personal Milestone with Apiar’s Next Highly Limited Edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian Worn & Wound
Jul 3, 2026

Commemorate a Personal Milestone with Apiar’s Next Highly Limited Edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian

I’m not going to say I’m biased toward celestial watches to a fault, but as the resident astrology girl, I’m most certainly a little biased anytime a watch incorporates the stars, moon, or planets. Whether you check your horoscope or not, there’s something undeniably alluring about the constellations and the shapes they take – one that connects us to the vastness of time and space, to a very ancient human desire to make sense of the universe, or, in the case of Apiar’s latest limited edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian, one that connects you to a very specific place and time.  It’s no coincidence that horology and astrology have long gone hand in hand and that the imagery of celestial bodies have long appeared in watchmaking (more on that in a future story I’ve been spinning up for some time now). I digress, today, Apiar adds another timepiece to this longstanding horological lineage with its next special edition version of the Gen 1.1.As a refresher, the Gen 1.1 is quite new to the brand’s catalog, marking an evolution from the brand’s core Gen 1.0 line. Apiar first debuted the Gen 1.1 earlier this year at the British Watchmaker’s Day festivities. The collection kicked off with a highly limited edition of just three pieces called the Underground, aptly named for its hand-enameled dial inspired by Dr. Maxwell Roberts’ circular redesign of the London Underground map. The model was such a success it was later followed by the Night Tube edition, which you ...

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The $2,100 Question: Hampden’s First Hand Watchmaking Workshop Worn & Wound
Jun 29, 2026

The $2,100 Question: Hampden’s First Hand Watchmaking Workshop

I was recently invited by the Hampden Watch Company to participate in their First Hand Watchmaking Workshop and experience what it’s like to build my own watch from the ground up. I first happened upon the program through an Instagram advertisement at the beginning of 2026, only a couple of months after its December 2025 launch. Upon my initial review of the program’s website and details at that time, my only gripe was the cost of the workshop itself (a topic we will revisit later), especially as an enthusiast who bases his collecting solely on the affordable vintage sphere. When Hampden reached out to me, I became eager to see how my area of watch collecting would intersect with a different sphere of the hobby; in essence, how my ultra-budget-conscious perspective on watch collecting would intertwine or potentially clash with that of a more luxury oriented experience. Additionally, having personally performed minor maintenance and repairs on watches without professional equipment or knowledge of how to fully disassemble or reassemble a movement, I was curious to see what type of experience I would gain and potentially implement in my daily watch life through participating in the workshop. The day starts at 9:30 AM in Hampden’s headquarters located in a rather quiet area within the West Loop of Chicago. The well-preserved architecture of the building’s interior is a remarkable demonstration of how to properly preserve old industrial spaces from a period gone by–...

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Hands-On: Re-Defining the Hype of Quiet Luxury with the Moser Streamliner Minis Worn & Wound
Jun 26, 2026

Hands-On: Re-Defining the Hype of Quiet Luxury with the Moser Streamliner Minis

There was one particular moment the Moser Streamliner clicked for me. I was fresh off my first enameling apprenticeship in the summer of 2023. At Geneva Watch Days, Moser was previewing some new models set to launch at Dubai Watch Week later that year, and one of those models was the Streamliner Small Seconds Aqua Blue. As a refresher, this is a standard mid-size 39mm build, but most importantly, it introduced an enamel dial to the collection for the first time. Let’s be clear, this isn’t any ordinary enamel dial. It starts with a hand-hammered solid gold base topped with three varying pigments of translucent aqua-blue enamel applied over the course of a whopping 12 firings to achieve the unique fume effect radiating from light to dark around the periphery. The result of the intricate process creates a visual range much broader than aqua-blue alone, evoking bright tones of turquoise and deep tones of violet in high and low light. Having just come off a week of training in an enameling atelier on far simpler designs, my degree of admiration and respect for the brand grew tenfold. This wasn’t just a beautifully streamlined (and perfectly named) take on the classic integrated bracelet sport watch – this was a true way of making a stainless steel sport watch luxurious, artisanal, and dare I say elegant. From that point forward, I started to develop a bit of an obsession with the Streamliner, and it began to inch toward my grail list of dream models. However, there’s ...

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Baltic Launches a New and Improved Scalegraph Collection Worn & Wound
Baltic Launches Jun 25, 2026

Baltic Launches a New and Improved Scalegraph Collection

Baltic expands their Scalegraph collection today with the launch of a pair of new sporty chronographs that the brand says will be part of their permanent collection. First introduced a year ago as a limited edition, this new iteration of the Scalegraph has a number of improvements that should add up to a more refined package overall. It’s also something of a return to the brand’s roots as a maker of vintage inspired sports watches, after getting more press as of late for dabbling in affordable haute horlogerie and watches defined by the blinding bling of lab grown diamonds. As a sports chrono, the aesthetic of the Scalegraph is about as classic as you can get. It has a traditional three register layout with a tachymeter bezel, beads of rice style bracelet, and screwdown pushers. It’s heavily racing inspired, and has the simple, classic case lines of many a familiar vintage sports watch. The stainless steel case is the same 39.5mm diameter as the original Scalegraph, but Baltic says the lugs are now wider, which should give the watch some additional presence on the wrist. Baltic has also replaced circular finishing on the top of the lugs with vertical brushing, which is certainly more reminiscent of the historic chronographs manufactured by Rolex, Universal Geneve, and others, that the Scalegraph is clearly emulating, at least somewhat.   The Scalegraph is available in three new colorways: Champagne, Blue, and Grey. All have tan colored contrasting subdials at 3, 6,...

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Introducing: The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate (Now In 38mm) Hodinkee
Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate Now Jun 25, 2026

Introducing: The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate (Now In 38mm)

What We Know Today, Blancpain has downsized its ultra-thin Villeret Ultraplate dress watch, with new options in 38mm for greater wearability. The previous 40mm options of the 'Golden Hour' series, which I covered last October, remain, but the 38mm options are going to be much more appealing all around as proper dress watches. The case still remains incredibly thin, especially for a self-winding watch, at 8.35mm, but the 38mm downsizing now offers a short 43.35mm lug-to-lug measurement for small wrists and those who prefer the more traditional proportion of how a dress watch should look on the wrist. Here, four options are presented within these new measurements: three with stainless steel cases, and one in 18K red gold. The dial design continues the visual update introduced last October in the Villeret series, with simplified Roman numerals, the applied "JB" logo at 12 o'clock (standing for Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, who the brand credits as the founder), slim but still lumed leaf hands, and a skeletonized rotor. In stainless steel, there are three dial colors available. Salmon is a first for the Villeret collection, with a copper-hued dial paired with anthracite-coated 18K gold numerals. My favorite of the lineup, the Villeret Ultraplate featuring a warm champagne-hued dial with 18K yellow gold numerals set within a steel case with a green nubuck strap, will be offered as a boutique exclusive. More classic pairings of white gold numerals in a steel case and red gold numeral...

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Hands-On: Baltic's Heures du Monde Worldtimer Is Back - Here's Why I Bought One the First Time Hodinkee
Baltic s Heures du Monde Jun 22, 2026

Hands-On: Baltic's Heures du Monde Worldtimer Is Back - Here's Why I Bought One the First Time

I really didn't need the Baltic Heures du Monde, and there were numerous reasons why. I've become inextricably associated with my "Pepsi" GMT-Master II (I always kind of hoped I'd be "that guy" to be tied to a cool watch—be careful what you wish for, I guess), so much so that at our recent community meet-up, someone said they didn't recognize me without the Rolex on my wrist. I wear it most days, though I'm trying to break free of complacency since I do have a lot of other nice watches. But every time I travel, it's on my wrist as I step on the plane, so a worldtimer was just about the last thing I needed. And yet, together with my friend and our former Talking Watches guest, Adam Victor, I picked up a Heures du Monde in labradorite. There were three versions with different stones for the dial, and this specific model, with a darker, more muted color, felt most wearable and classic, so it felt like a good fit. We weren't the only ones who jumped on the opportunity, as they also sold out immediately, which meant my hands-on had to wait. Now, Baltic is taking pre-orders again, with the first deliveries slated for October. This was something they telegraphed coming during the initial release—the only difference is that the new ones aren't numbered out of 200, which means you can pick one up if you missed it the first time. So, why get one? Well, because. First of all, I'm under no illusions that everyone is lucky enough to get or afford a Rolex GMT. It was a dream of mine...

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Introducing: The Vulcain Cricket Titanium Hodinkee
Nivada Grenchen Jun 18, 2026

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...

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A New Attainable Titanium 2000 Meter Diver: Certina DS Super PH2000M Teddy Baldassarre Videos
Certina DS Super PH2000M Certina Jun 17, 2026

A New Attainable Titanium 2000 Meter Diver: Certina DS Super PH2000M

Certina is going deep with their latest ultra-capable diver, the 2,000-meter DS Super PH2000M, available in three standard production colorways, plus a limited edition of 1,959 in a bright teal benefiting the Sea Turtle Conservancy. We’ve covered Certina’s DS Super PH lineup before, and the historic Swiss brand is well

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Introducing: The MB&F; Horological Machine HM12 'The Guardian' Is The Robot And Watch Combo Of Your Dreams (Live Pics) Hodinkee
MB&F; Jun 10, 2026

Introducing: The MB&F; Horological Machine HM12 'The Guardian' Is The Robot And Watch Combo Of Your Dreams (Live Pics)

What We Know If there's a brand known to constantly exist in a state of one-upping itself when it comes to new designs, it's most certainly MB&F;. And, just as expected, following a slew of radical Horological Machine designs, this new Horological Machine 12 manages to go in a completely new direction. No, your eyes aren't fooling you. This new creation is a robot and a watch combined, in three editions of 12 pieces each: blue, green, and purple. If the Horological Machine 11 drew upon the architecture of the 1960s, the HM12 "The Guardian" looks a decade or two later, when a massive pop-culture obsession with science fiction and robotics would lead to generations of kids obsessed with properties like Transformers, Gundam, and the resulting toys that followed. If there's ever criticism of some of Max Busser's more playful ideas coming across as much too toy-like, the HM12 completely doubles down on that idea with this new design that takes the idea of a robotic action figure to the horological extreme. Here, Max's vision is implemented by another Max, Maximilian Maertens. A name familiar to collectors of the brand, Maertens has been responsible for many of the clock and music box creations for MB&F;, as well as the little Minimilian figures given to owners of MB&F; watches. There's a lot to break down here, so let's start with the watch itself. It is, ever so purposefully, designed to resemble a face, but its construction reveals so much jam-packed into the futuristic, spacesh...

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