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First Look - Baltic and SpaceOne Team Up to Present the Brilliant Seconde Majeure Watch Monochrome
Baltic May 8, 2026

First Look - Baltic and SpaceOne Team Up to Present the Brilliant Seconde Majeure Watch

Some of the best creations often result from the least expected encounters… However, when two radically different creative minds start to work together, nothing says that the alchemy will develop. More often than not, the connection doesn’t come to fruition. At first, there was seemingly no reason for entities like Baltic and SpaceOne to collaborate. […]

Baltic and SpaceOne Launch the Seconde Majeure SJX Watches
Christopher Ward C12 Loco Baltic May 8, 2026

Baltic and SpaceOne Launch the Seconde Majeure

Baltic and SpaceOne have unveiled their first collaboration: the Seconde Majeure, an architectural time-only watch that employs a newly-developed jumping hours module developed by French independent watchmaker — and F.P. Journe Young Talent Winner — Théo Auffret. This collaboration was born from a meeting of the minds at Baltic’s offices more than four years ago when Mr Auffret first met Guillame Laidet. That encounter ultimately led to the creation of SpaceOne, an inventive entry level brand with space-age designs. From that chance meeting at Baltic, the two brands have teamed up on their first collaborative project. Initial thoughts On paper, these two brands are near-diametrically opposed. Baltic makes vintage-inspired watches in a traditional form, while SpaceOne takes a deconstructed and highly creative approach to watches that look like they’ve just fallen from orbit. What ties the two brands together for this collaboration is a friendship, and shared vision for how to bring thoughtful design to a lower price point. As the year unfolds, 2026 continues to feel like the year of the jumping hours watch. The Seconde Majeure is another watch reinforcing that trend, but it also taps into the growing desire for architectural watchmaking and hand finishing across wider price points in the market. In that sense, it reminds me of the Christopher Ward C12 Loco. Baltic and SpaceOne have taken an interesting path in bringing the Seconde Majeure to market, making it avail...

Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Fratello
Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Another May 8, 2026

Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier

Another Friday, another list. This week, we search for the best alternatives to the classic Cartier Tank Louis Cartier. This industry icon dates back to 1922 and has become one of the most imitated watches in the world. That’s more than enough reason to look at a list of five alternatives that didn’t just copy […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier to read the full article.

Hands-On With The New Quartz Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno” Fratello
Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno” May 8, 2026

Hands-On With The New Quartz Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno”

The Citizen “bullhead” chronograph returns in the form of the Challenge Timer, a design that dates back to the 1970s. Citizen now reintroduces this formerly Japan-only model to the European market with the eponymous layout, with the pushers and crown at the top of the case. This reissue matters for a simple reason. Demand for […] Visit Hands-On With The New Quartz Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno” to read the full article.

First Look: Seiko 5 Sports Field Series SJX Watches
Seiko 5 Sports Field Series May 8, 2026

First Look: Seiko 5 Sports Field Series

Seiko is reinforcing its entry level collection with the 5 Sports Field Series, a range of new models with compass bezels available in a range of dial colours from instrument-like white to brown, which seems to be a popular colour at the moment. While substantively similar to existing Seiko 5 Sports models and equally well priced, the Field Series watches feature serrated compass bezels with a glittering hobnail motif that is both functional — for enhanced grip — and attractive. Left to right: HDB009, HDB008, HDB006, and HDB007. Image – Seiko Initial thoughts The Seiko 5 Sports collection is perhaps the ultimate gateway to watch collecting. It’s the rare entry level watch that could be someone’s last watch as easily as their first. Not everyone is a collector, and some people just want a watch that does what is asked without asking for much in return. The Seiko 5 Sports fits the bill, while opening the door to the larger world of mechanical watches. The Seiko 5 is tangibly appealing in several respects, being one of the most affordable mechanical watches from a fully integrated manufacture. With Seiko, there’s no wondering who made what — the brand even formulates its own luminous compound for the hands, hour markers, and bezel pip instead of relying on the same suppliers as everyone else. Seiko also understands the aesthetic history of the wristwatch because the brand helped write it. This explains some of the subtle details like the tiny serifs on the hour ...

Hands-On with the New Releases from Naoya Hida Worn & Wound
Ming Naoya Hida releases May 7, 2026

Hands-On with the New Releases from Naoya Hida

One of my favorite days on the watch media calendar every year is the Naoya Hida preview day. Every spring for the last few years, watch media types make appointments at the Armoury on the Upper East Side to get a look at the upcoming Naoya Hida releases for the year. It feels like a very old fashioned way of doing things. Yes, there’s a press release sent out ahead of time, but Naoya Hida only makes one announcement like this per year – there are no mid-cycle drops or limited editions released to coincide with some later event. Members of the Naoya Hida team are present and there to explain the collection, piece by piece.  This year, Naoya Hida will produce a total of 10 models, 7 of which are new designs. We won’t go through each one here, but rather focus on the references that are completely new and those that have the most notable upgrades.  The reference that immediately caught my eye and was easily the most unexpected of the bunch is the new NH TYPE2C-2. To this point, Naoya Hida has really been defined, in my estimation, by their dial aesthetic, which prominently features elaborate hand engravings in the dial surface. It’s a very traditional and inherently ornate way to make a dial, and the execution is always top notch. It’s a type of craft that’s a true “IYKYK” proposition, though. From a distance the handwork on these dials might not be obvious, but they really come alive under close examination, especially under a loupe.  Anyway, the TYPE2C-2...

Is It Worth It: Pre-Owned Omega Constellation ‘95 Fratello
Omega Constellation ‘95 May 7, 2026

Is It Worth It: Pre-Owned Omega Constellation ‘95

In this new series, we will focus on (neo-)vintage watches that can now be found at interesting prices on the secondary market. We will select watches we have come across in our searches for nice pieces or simply those we think could fulfill a certain desire or role in one’s collection. For this first installment, […] Visit Is It Worth It: Pre-Owned Omega Constellation ‘95 to read the full article.

The Business of Watches Podcast: Oris Chief Executive Officer Rolf Studer Hodinkee
Oris Chief Executive Officer Rolf May 6, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Oris Chief Executive Officer Rolf Studer

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in Hölstein, Switzerland, near Basel, at the peach-rose colored headquarters of Oris to talk to Rolf Studer, the brand's Chief Executive Officer. One of the 50 largest Swiss brands by sales, Oris is a true independent, making mechanical watches at fair prices, conveying the brand's unique spirit.  Its history dates back to 1904, with boom times in the 1960s that were kick-started by the tireless legal and lobbying work of Dr. Rolf Portmann, an Oris executive (and honorary chairman today), whose efforts led to overturning the Swiss Watch Statute in 1966 that had prevented Oris and many other brands from using Swiss lever escapements in their watch movements. Oris CEO Rolf Studer. Photo courtesy Oris.  Some 60 years later, Oris is marking that milestone with its Star Edition, an updated version of the Star, the first Oris watch to use a Swiss lever escapement after the law was changed. Portmann and Ulrich Herzog (now the Chairman) went on to lead a management buyout of Oris in 1982, which solidified the company's position as an independent brand. Studer, who has been co-CEO since 2016 and was appointed CEO last month, discusses Oris' positioning and strategy in the current market, where the strong Swiss franc is challenging it and fellow watchmakers. Oris has responded with models that not only offer value to customers but also draw on its storied history and the unique community culture it has fostered. Studer makes the case f...

Auctions: Continuing Our Massive 2026 Geneva Spring Auctions Preview: Christie’s and Sotheby’s Round Things Out (Part 2) Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Observatory-style watch Photo courtesy May 5, 2026

Auctions: Continuing Our Massive 2026 Geneva Spring Auctions Preview: Christie’s and Sotheby’s Round Things Out (Part 2)

There's no shortage of watches this auction season—more than 1,200 lots across the major houses—but volume isn't really the story. At Christie's and Sotheby's, the focus feels different this time around, moving past the hype-driven pieces of the early 2020s and back to some genuinely compelling and surprising watches. Last week, we published part one of our preview—today, we're finishing it up with part two. Christie’s I would argue that Christie's always has one of the more subtle and yet impressive catalogs. There are some truly fantastic pieces here and, as always, we'll start at the top. Lot 134, a unique and absolutely stunningly gorgeous (add all the superlatives you want) two-tone 14k pink gold and steel Audemars Piguet "Observatory-style" watch. Photo courtesy Christie's. If you're looking for a watch that my friend and current "Bring a Loupe" writer Weston Cutter called an "immediate knee-weakener," you need to sit down for this one. Lot 134 is a unique and absolutely stunningly gorgeous (add all the superlatives you want) two-tone 14k pink gold and steel Audemars Piguet "Observatory-style" watch. The watch is powered by a 13-ligne 13VZAS movement that was highly modified for precision as a time-only watch, with a large subsidiary seconds at 9 o'clock and a blank subdial at 3 o'clock. Bold numerals, bold design, it's the kind of thing you dream about if you collect early watches, and the estimate is a hilarious CHF 50,000 to 100,000. It should go for way m...

Introducing: De Bethune DB27 “Night Hawk" In Collaboration With EsperLuxe Hodinkee
De Bethune DB27 “Night Hawk May 5, 2026

Introducing: De Bethune DB27 “Night Hawk" In Collaboration With EsperLuxe

What We Know For me, a De Bethune has to take a cue from Miles Davis. It better be "Kind of Blue." Over at EsperLuxe, the indie retailer outside of Boston, it seems like they agree with me. There are a few firsts in the new DB27 "Night Hawk," at least for the DB27 collection. Normally called the "Titan Hawk," it's previously come in a slightly more straightforward package, with concentric "microlight" circles engraved on the dial, the patented articulating lugs, and the crown at 12 o'clock. But there are many features here that the DB27 hasn't had before. For the first time, a titanium flame-blued "Starry Sky" motif appears on the dial, with stars laid out to mark the date and location where EsperLuxe finalized its partnership with De Bethune in 2021. Not new, but a good look, are the printed silver Roman numerals on the sloping middle dial, the printed railroad track, and the 5-minute intervals. The watch features mirror-polished flame-blued titanium hands with silver tips. The case is polished grade 5 titanium, with a midcase engraved in De Bethune's microlight style. But the kicker is the super-cool (again, first time ever) matte-blue titanium short, articulating lugs.  I know that it's weird to go on and on about lugs, but some of you haven't had a chance to try on a De Bethune. Yes, the case is 43mm in diameter, 9mm thick (which is pretty good, considering it has an automatic movement), but with the hinge on the lugs, the lug can vary in range from about 50mm to 47mm...

Introducing - The new MeisterSinger Unitas 1Z Edition, with Enamel Dial Monochrome
Meistersinger Unitas 1Z Edition May 5, 2026

Introducing - The new MeisterSinger Unitas 1Z Edition, with Enamel Dial

Time does not need to be dissected into seconds to be meaningful. This distinctive idea has been essential to MeisterSinger for 25 years. The brand’s single-hand watches deliberately slow the reading of time, changing the focus from precision to perception. To mark its anniversary, MeisterSinger looks back at one of its earlier and most important […]

Tudor Introduces the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 26 Worn & Wound
Tudor Introduces May 4, 2026

Tudor Introduces the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 26

There are a small handful of events where you just know you’re going to see new watch releases. Watches & Wonders, obviously. Our own Windup Watch Fairs, as well. And, as of late, missions to space of one kind or another tend to inspire brands with watches themed to space exploration, usually in partnership with organizations that have a stake in the mission. Oh, and F1 weekends in the United States. You can pretty much count on at least one of any number of brands tied to an F1 team to uncork something as interest in the sport peaks around races in one of our local time zones.  This past weekend saw the return of the Miami Grand Prix, and right on cue Tudor was ready with a new watch to mark the occasion. This one, the Black Bay Chrono Carbon 26 is a direct follow up to last year’s Carbon 25, and like that watch is also a bit of a coproduction with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 team. Tudor began their partnership with the team relatively recently, in 2024, and have already released two limited edition watches, as of this weekend.  The Carbon 26 sees Tudor returning to the carbon fiber Black Bay Chrono case introduced last year, but in an updated dial color. This one borrows from the yellow, black, and white livery of the VCARB 03 car, with a white main dial, black subdials, and yellow accents throughout.  The case remains the same, measuring 42mm in diameter with a fixed tachymeter bezel along with screw down pushers and crown. It has the familiar lines of a Black ...

Hands-On: The Tudor Monarch Hodinkee
Tudor Monarch It ain't always May 4, 2026

Hands-On: The Tudor Monarch

It ain't always Black Bays and Pelagi at Tudor. At least, not all the time. Since the brand returned to the U.S. market in 2012, Tudor's success has been rooted in the broad appeal of watches like the Heritage Chronograph, the Pelagos, and, of course, the Black Bay. These are heritage-coded, conventional watches that nailed the price point, specs, and aesthetic demanded by the enthusiast market at the time. In the preceding decade, we saw that formula become a playbook as the Pelagos and Black Bay evolved into increasingly specific slices of that original concept. But what about the Tudors that fall outside of the playbook? Remember the North Flag or the Fastrider? What about the Black Bay P01? While the playbook has successfully executed moves for left-side crowns, silver cases, and channel lugs, not all of the brand's explorations into other formats have been smash hits. And it's not merely a question of having a historical footing, sure, the North Flag and Fastrider were quite modern, but the P01 was a functional deep cut from the brand's archives. As a watch brand, a music act, heck, as just about anything in our oh-so-branded world, it can be hard to operate outside of "your lane". That can include what is actually your lane or what has become your lane in the current context of a given brand's media. For 2026 at Watches and Wonders, Tudor stuck to the playbook, offering refinement, additional specs, new bracelets, and the like – except for one watch, the Monarch. A...

Announcements: Hodinkee Australia And New Zealand Is Live Hodinkee
May 4, 2026

Announcements: Hodinkee Australia And New Zealand Is Live

At Hodinkee, we have always believed that watch collecting is a global language, but one that is spoken with many different local accents. From the paved paths of Geneva to the neon-lit boutiques of Ginza and the steamy streets of New York City, the love for a mechanical heartbeat remains the same, yet the way we live with our watches is shaped entirely by the world around us. Today, we are thrilled to announce the next chapter in our journey: the official launch of Hodinkee Australia & New Zealand. The ANZ watch community has long been one of the most sophisticated and passionate in the world. For years, we've watched from New York as the Aussies and Kiwis became some of our communities' most ardent enthusiasts, known for a taste profile that is as rugged as it is refined. To bring Hodinkee to the region, we have partnered with Switzer Media + Publishing. With over 30 years of history, Switzer is one of Australia's most trusted names in media, already stewarding iconic titles like Harper's BAZAAR, Esquire, and Men's Health. This partnership functions as a local element from day one.  Speaking from my own perspective, with the continued success of Hodinkee Japan, I'm thrilled to be working with Jamie and the team at Switzer Media to offer a more locally relevant and engaging edition of Hodinkee for watch enthusiasts across Australia and New Zealand. The watch community in Australia and New Zealand is engaged, highly knowledgeable, and always an active part of the global c...

Introducing: The Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Vanguart May 4, 2026

Introducing: The Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic (Live Pics)

What We Know If there's a young brand that's certainly made an aggressive push in the realm of industrial-aesthetic haute horlogerie, it's Vanguart. Mark Kauzlarich told the brand's founding story last year, highlighting a team with an absolutely stacked resume in high-end watchmaking. So today, we're taking a look at the brand's newest take on its second watch, the Orb, with its newest treatment—pink ceramic. It's a unique offering in the space, certainly due to its all-pink livery, but also thanks to its collaboration with retailer Material Good for this 25-piece limited edition. The Vanguart Orb Pink Ceramic's exclusivity with the retailer is probably no surprise, given the large push by Material Goods' Yoni Ben-Yehuda to promote the upstart brand through its sales channels. Here, what was originally an aggressive machine in black and silver gets toned down in shades of powdery pink thanks to the inclusion of colored ceramic within the 41mm by 10.5mm titanium case, seen in both the side of the case as well as the function selector pusher in the crown (more on that in a little bit). The accent extends onto the openworked dial of the watch, which is more a three-dimensional city of components that puts the flying tourbillon on full display. The handset, skeletonized and filled with lume at the ends, sits above everything else. Though telling the time probably isn't the strict mission of the Orb, a nicely decorated minutes track sits between strips of pink, color and tex...

Hands On: Patek Philippe’s Celestial Goes to Space SJX Watches
Patek Philippe s Celestial Goes May 4, 2026

Hands On: Patek Philippe’s Celestial Goes to Space

Perhaps the most surprising launch from Patek Philippe at Watches & Wonders 2026 was the Celestial Sunrise and Sunset Ref. 6105G-001. The ref. 6105G arrives over a decade after its predecessor, the ref. 6102 (2012), which in turn replaced the ref. 5102 (2002). While the prior model was an incremental evolution over the original, the ref. 6105G is a drastic redesign with its spaceship-inspired aesthetic and 47 mm (!) white gold case that wears unexpectedly well. The ref. 6105G is also an upgrade in mechanical terms with the addition of an elegant and simple sunrise and sunrise display that’s smartly implemented on the date ring, and driven by a clever compliant mechanism. And the ref. 6105G has another trick up its sleeve, a mechanism that accounts for summer and winter time (also known as daylight saving time), which shifts the time display as well as the date ring backwards or forwards as the seasons change. Initial thoughts Put simply, the ref. 6105G is weird but cool. Some of Patek Philippe’s recent experiments with design have been so-so in attractiveness, but the ref. 6105G scores well, maybe even the best amongst the brand’s adventurous designs. It’s unlike any other Patek Philippe ever with its huge case and integrated rubber strap, but it is appealing. Even though the star chart complication is a historical one descended from the Henry Graves Jr. “Supercomplication”, it feels like a perfect match for the sci-fi case. The case is huge at 47 mm, but the ...

Panerai Pushes Material Science With Its New Submersible Navy SEALs Afniotech Experience PAM01089 In A Hafnium Case Fratello
Panerai Pushes Material Science May 3, 2026

Panerai Pushes Material Science With Its New Submersible Navy SEALs Afniotech Experience PAM01089 In A Hafnium Case

Panerai excels at advancing watchmaking through bold material innovation. Its latest breakthrough introduces the world’s first watch case machined from hafnium. The metal appears here in a 47mm Submersible case. Hafnium ranks among the rarest industrial metals on Earth. Global output measures only a few dozen tons annually. The element exists solely within zirconium ores […] Visit Panerai Pushes Material Science With Its New Submersible Navy SEALs Afniotech Experience PAM01089 In A Hafnium Case to read the full article.

First Look - The New Steel Editions of the Haute-Rive Honoris, the Strato Verde & Strato Blu Monochrome
Patek Philippe May 1, 2026

First Look - The New Steel Editions of the Haute-Rive Honoris, the Strato Verde & Strato Blu

Haute-Rive is a young, independent watchmaking brand rooted in a long family tradition. Founded by Stéphane von Gunten, an engineer and watchmaker with experience at Patek Philippe and Ulysse Nardin, the brand takes its name from the historic workshop of his ancestor Irénée Aubry, established in 1888 on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel. Aubry was […]

Bring a Loupe: A Cornavin Diver, A Patek 1593 "Hour Glass," An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Square, And More Hodinkee
Vacheron Constantin 6394 May 1, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Cornavin Diver, A Patek 1593 "Hour Glass," An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Square, And More

Given that May 1st is celebrated as International Workers Day, it seems almost compulsory to reward yourself with a little mid-day Mayday watch ogling, right? Congrats, Baller, you've done it again. Happy Friday. Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Certina Argonaut chrono went for £1,620, the Vacheron Constantin 6394 for £7,400, the IWC Mark XII for £2,400, and the Cartier Coussin for CHF 42,000. Strays Everyone's encouraged to take a closer look at this, described as an "18k Vintage Vacheron Constantin Geneve Quartz Watch," and let's take a moment to collectively register the fact that, in the pictures, the second hand has clearly moved, so either a) the battery's still got some life in it after all (impressive!), or b) maybe it's not quartz. Mr. Hoffman wrote earlier this week about the Patek 5322G, "[a] chiming alarm in a mechanical watch today is a purely romantic complication that recalls an earlier era." While he presumably wasn't specifically referencing the LeCoultre Memovox, it's certainly what springs to mind when I think of the alarm watches from an earlier era, and if you've made it this far in life without one, here's a pricey way to address that lack.  Photo courtesy Precious Collections. Yes, the dial is imperfect, but look, if you're going to scare the bejesus out of yourself with an old mechanical alarm that sounds like a tattoo machine suddenly buzzing to life on your wrist, don't you owe it to yourself to do so with lots of gold? Finally, if you've w...

SJX Podcast: Watches & Wonders Recap SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin May 1, 2026

SJX Podcast: Watches & Wonders Recap

Episode 37 of the SJX Podcast recaps the biggest releases from the brands officially exhibiting at Watches & Wonders 2026. Rolex marked a century of the Oyster case with an enamel-dialled Daytona and new Oyster Perpetuals, but also revised the ugly duckling of the catalogue — the Yacht-Master II — transforming it into an appealing and interesting chronograph. Patek Philippe arguably overshadowed the 50th anniversary of the Nautilus with a new Celestial that’s capable of tracking sunrise and sunset year-round (at least in Geneva). Vacheron Constantin and Grand Seiko introduced titanium sports watches many had been waiting for, and TAG Heuer reinvented the chronograph with a fascinating compliant mechanism. Highlights from the independent brands exhibiting around town will be covered in our next episode. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Hands-On: Cleguer Horology Inspiration One SJX Watches
Voutilainen May 1, 2026

Hands-On: Cleguer Horology Inspiration One

Mathieu Cleguer makes his debut under his own name, with the intricate Inspiration One. The relatively young movement constructor is well known in the industry but has not produced watches under his own name until now. Having worked for various movement specialists — including a stint at Akrivia — Mr Cleguer launches Cleguer Horology with a thoroughly impressive debut featuring a proprietary escapement.  Initial thoughts Although the market for artisanal time-only watches has becoming increasingly crowded, sometimes a new creation comes along that genuinely stands apart. This is the case with Cleguer Horology’s Inspiration One — a watch that that is surprisingly refined and technically imaginative for a new maker’s debut. Mathieu Cleguer is representative of a new class of independent watchmakers who are not ‘watchmakers’ in the traditional sense. Instead, he is an engineer, with the training and experience to bring fundamentally new concepts to life, so long as he can find the manufacturing partners and bench watchmakers to help realise his vision. It’s a fundamentally different background than what we’re used to seeing — George Daniels, Kari Voutilainen, and François-Paul Journe started their careers doing hands-on restoration work long before they designed movements of their own. But times have changed, and the emergence of engineer-led brands is a new trend made possible by the depth of the supplier network in Switzerland. For the visual design of...

Hands On: Ressence Type 11 SJX Watches
Ressence Type 11 Among May 1, 2026

Hands On: Ressence Type 11

Among the independent brands officially exhibiting at Watches & Wonders, Ressence was a standout. The design-forward Belgian independent took a major step forward with the Type 11, powered by the brand’s first proprietary calibre, the RW-01. The Type 11 is tangibly appealing and priced well considering both its unique design and technical content. Initial thoughts When I first saw images of the Type 11 and its RW-01 movement, I had the same feeling as when Urwerk launched the EMC back in 2013. At the time, the EMC felt like the start of a new era for a brand that had, up to that point, primarily put its proprietary modules atop widely available off-the-shelf calibres. The EMC proved Urwerk was willing to rethink the movement in its entirety to realise a specific vision. The RW-01 reveals Ressence is moving in that same direction. After 15 years of adapting its Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS) modules to ETA-derived calibres, the brand has taken the next step in its development and partnered with an adept supplier to construct a proprietary movement uniquely suited to its signature design. The new calibre was engineered with Ressence’s ROCS module in mind. The movement layout appears purpose-built for winding and setting via the case back, lacking an ordinary stem, and dual serially coupled mainspring barrels extend the power reserve to 60 hours — quite long considering the mass of the ROCS module. While I would have been delighted to see a free-sprung balance, I...

Hands-On: The Chopard L.U.C 1860 In Aeruse Blue Hodinkee
Chopard L.U.C 1860 Apr 30, 2026

Hands-On: The Chopard L.U.C 1860 In Aeruse Blue

If there's a watch that seemingly stole the hearts of many collectors this year at Watches and Wonders, it's definitely Chopard's new blue-dialed L.U.C 1860 dress watch. The funniest part is that the new model is really only a dial color change. That's it. And yet, among a sea of new designs and complications, Chopard managed to pull off something much larger than its description on paper, and ended up being one of my personal favorite releases from the show. If you're familiar with the previous, now-discontinued salmon dial version of the L.U.C 1860 released back in 2023, well, chances are you already know much about this watch. But its identical specs are very much a good thing, as I think Chopard has really hit a home run with the 1860 as a proper, compact, and thin (8.2mm) dress watch amongst its larger L.U.C. movement-powered siblings.  The 36.5mm case in Chopard's Lucent Steel alloy is very safe in its design, with smooth, curved lines and a fully-polished, rounded bezel and top lugs. While there aren't any little extra design touches that add any additional flair, the sides are vertically brushed to create a bit of contrast. Is the case boring as a result? Certainly not in my eye, as its subdued character works well in the 36.5mm format and, most importantly, it serves as a very nice frame for a spectacular dial. That dial, produced by Chopard's in-house dialmaker Metalem, is an absolute home run. And it surprises me to say this, given that I typically don't care a...

Spotted: The Key Design Themes from Watches and Wonders Worn & Wound
Jaeger-LeCoultre Apr 30, 2026

Spotted: The Key Design Themes from Watches and Wonders

Welcome to the first installment of a new monthly column called Spotted. Here, I’ll break down the latest themes I’m seeing in the horological landscape. While trends are inherently fleeting, the observations we’ll look at in this series may stay or go away – only time will tell if these are fads or in fact historical markers of this era of watchmaking. In addition to spying and identifying the overarching patterns taking shape in watch design, I’ll help us bring them down to earth in our own collections and on our wrists.  For our inaugural edition of Spotted, it feels important to distill some key observations from Watches and Wonders. Here, we have one of the largest sample sizes of new releases all hitting the market at once, and there are a few themes that struck me across the whopping 66 brands who participated in this year’s event. The first concept I want to look at isn’t super straightforward to articulate, so stick with me here – I’m going to start by succinctly naming it “complex superlatives.” Complexity in watchmaking can take many forms from actual horological complications that allow watches to perform functions beyond basic timekeeping to more subtle complexities like intricate finishings, record breaking feats, or material innovations. The examples that stuck out of this somewhat amorphous idea come from Jaeger-LeCoultre and its Gyrotourbillon Stratosphere Triple-Axis Tourbillon in contrast with Ulysse Nardin’s new Super Freak. Jae...

A Big Update for the Christopher Ward Sealander Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Sealander Apr 30, 2026

A Big Update for the Christopher Ward Sealander

With Christopher Ward, we spend a lot of time talking about the Loco and Bel Canto, and rightly so. Those are both watches that have radically reshaped how we think about the brand, and set expectations for new releases at an impossibly high level. But realistically, it’s the Sealander that is the defining watch in the Christopher Ward catalog. It’s existed for a long time and is almost a brand unto itself. But the core of the line has been relatively unchanged for several years at this point and was due for a refresh. That comes this week, as the brand has launched what they describe as a “comprehensive re-engineering” of the Sealander GMT and Sealander Automatic that includes both subtle aesthetic updates as well as significant mechanical improvements.  The Sealander GMT adds a 42mm case size to the existing lineup that includes 36mm and 39mm sizes. The case has retained its fluid, classic sports watch lines, but the bezel angle has been shifted to be less angled than previous iterations of the watch.  Dial options include white and sky blue in all three case sizes, with a pistachio option available only in 39mm, and a black dial available in 39mm and the new 42mm size. The dials are polished lacquer and now include longer indices and a GMT hand that has been redesigned to be more proportionate and is also fully lacquered. The “Sealander” wordmark also appears on the dial, at 6:00, for the first time. The Sealander GMT is powered by the Sellita SW330-2 cali...

Inside The Wonderful World Of Audemars Piguet During Watches And Wonders 2026 Fratello
Audemars Piguet During Watches Apr 30, 2026

Inside The Wonderful World Of Audemars Piguet During Watches And Wonders 2026

Audemars Piguet was back in Geneva after a seven-year absence, and it felt like it had never left. A watch salon at which the biggest and most prestigious watch companies strut their stuff just isn’t the same without AP. And that’s why its return to the show felt so natural. But while every other participant […] Visit Inside The Wonderful World Of Audemars Piguet During Watches And Wonders 2026 to read the full article.

Introducing: Christopher Ward Overhauls The Sealander Line With Design Refinements And Upgrades Hodinkee
Christopher Ward Overhauls Apr 29, 2026

Introducing: Christopher Ward Overhauls The Sealander Line With Design Refinements And Upgrades

What We Know The Sealander sits at the core of Christopher Ward's lineup, serving as its everyday, approachable, price-conscious, do-it-all Swiss-made watch. For those considering a Christopher Ward for the first time and looking for a sport watch with the most bang for the buck, the Sealander GMT or Automatic three-hander has been a logical go-to. It's also been a major seller, with the 39mm white dial GMT often taking the honors as the top-volume model for the U.K.-based company. So when Christopher Ward embarks on a major overhaul and redesign of the Sealander collection, it's a significant moment.  Unveiled today, and on sale beginning tomorrow, the new models bring a slimmer case and upgraded movement for the Automatic, refinements to the case and dial design for both models, a new 42mm size for the GMT, and upgraded, more user-friendly bracelets with tool-free adjustment and link removal. Starting with the Sealander GMT, the brushed case has been redesigned, giving a more refined, thinner profile and sporty finish, and is available in 36mm, 39mm, and, for the first time, 42mm. The new case offers sharper lugs with distinctly faceted, polished edges. The upgraded, refined finishing further emphasizes the crown guards that remain on the GMT case, adding to the overall rugged appearance.  The brushed 24-hour fixed bezel with black lacquer-filled numbers is now less angled with a flatter profile to improve legibility while giving the watch more presence across the thre...

Introducing: The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A384 Gets A Tropical Overlay (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Zenith Chronomaster Revival A384 Gets Apr 29, 2026

Introducing: The Zenith Chronomaster Revival A384 Gets A Tropical Overlay (Live Pics)

What We Know Today, Zenith adds another variation of its modern revival of the unique A384 chronograph to its catalog, with the Chronomaster Revival A384 Tropical. This is, at a high level, just a new dial that's been added to the collection, and one that's done in a familiar Zenith way at that. Here, the inspiration is very much around tropical dials, with a base dial in a softly grained white, contrasted by brown accents in the subdials and tachymeter scale. Zenith calls it a "chocolate panda" configuration, and I think that's a pretty apt name. Text on the white portion of the dial is printed in black, including the "El Primero" script under the Zenith logo, while printing on the brown portions of the dial, such as the tachymeter and sundial markings, is all done in white. The aged, tropical theme continues with lume on the applied markers and handset executed in Old Radium Super-LumiNova, which certainly complements the warmth of the overall look. A bright red chronograph seconds hand sits front and center, and a date window sits between the four and five o'clock hour markers. The dial sits in that distinctive A384 case, with a compact, angular tonneau silhouette measuring 37mm. Pump pushers and a Zenith star-signed crown sit on the right flank of the case. Finishing is interesting throughout the watch, with radial brushing on the front slab of the case, polished facets, and horizontal brushing on the sides. It's complemented by Zenith's revival of the Gay Frères ladd...

Introducing A New Independent Watchmaker In Town: Mathieu Cleguer And His Inspiration One Fratello
Apr 29, 2026

Introducing A New Independent Watchmaker In Town: Mathieu Cleguer And His Inspiration One

Even if this is the first time that the name “Cleguer” appears on a watch, founder Mathieu Cleguer is far from a newbie. The Breton watchmaker came through the ranks at several high-end independents, working on the technical teams. Now, though, he truly spreads his wings and releases his first creation, the Cleguer Inspiration One. […] Visit Introducing A New Independent Watchmaker In Town: Mathieu Cleguer And His Inspiration One to read the full article.