4,409 articles · 663 videos found · page 87 of 170
Monochrome
The small German town of Glashütte is steeped in watchmaking history, as we all know. No less than 12 brands, from high-end to more accessible, are nestled there, making it the historic and beating heart of German mechanical watchmaking. Being able to bear the town’s name on one’s dial is also something quite special, as […]
Deployant
Glashütte Original celebrates 180 years of Saxon watchmaking and their new dial manufacture in the city with a new PanoLunaTourbillon.
Monochrome
The Conquest collection holds a rather special place in the history of Longines. It was Longines’ first collection to be trademarked – in 1954 with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. This was a pivotal moment for Longines as organising models by collection increased product identification. Since then, the name has remained and today […]
Teddy Baldassarre
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas has been a major pillar of the Swiss maison’s collection since its high-profile revamp in 2016, but its roots stretch back much further, drawing elements of its distinctive design from the mechanical-watch revival of the late 1990s, the embryonic sport-luxury era of the 1970s, and even as far back as 1880, the origin of Vacheron’s Maltese Cross emblem. One of the oldest continuously operating watch manufacturers on the planet, Vacheron Constantin laid its foundation in 1755, more than a decade before the United States, eventually one of its most important markets, was even a country. Established as a watchmaking workshop by 24-year-old watchmaker Jean-Marc Vacheron, the company took on its current name when the founder’s grandson, Jacques-Barthemi Vacheron, partnered with businessman Francois Constantin. Over its first two centuries-plus in existence, Vacheron Constantin gained renown as an innovator of horological complications and a pioneer in design, as well as a watchmaker to royalty, including Egypt’s King Fuad I, who famously commissioned one of the world’s most complicated pocket watches (and also, for a time, the most expensive watch in the world sold at auction). The OG of Overseas: Vacheron Constantin 222 Historiques Revival 222 in gold In 1977, Vacheron Constantin commemorated its 220th anniversary of watchmaking with a boldly different and now highly collectible timepiece that helped lay the foundation for what we ...
Monochrome
Founded in 2017, Laventure is the project of a man named Clément Gaud. Despite achieving a degree of fame over the years, it is still a one-man show. Focused on genuine Swiss-made watches with an undeniable vintage flair and made for adventure (hence the name), Laventure has produced several watches under the Marine and Sous-Marine […]
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Fratello
The name might ring a bell, but it’s not what you think. Bedat and Beda’a are not the same. Bedat & Co is a Genevan watch brand “For Women of Character.” Beda’a is a London-based brand with Qatari roots, creating Swiss-made watches. Hader Al Suwaidi started his brand in 2016 to show that the Middle East […] Visit Hands-On With The Beda’a Eclipse II: A Star-Lit Celestial Evolution That’s Happening This Summer to read the full article.
Fratello
Seiko’s Speedtimer series is the Japanese brand’s chronograph collection that celebrates retro looks with modern technology. The series is part of the Prospex collection and has slowly grown in recent years. It consists of several impressive mechanical chronographs as well as multiple solar-powered models. I have had a chance to go hands-on with several of […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Prospex Speedtimer Solar Chronograph SSC955 With A Surprisingly Beautiful Dial to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Ressence is one of my favorite independent watch brands for a number of reasons. Chief among them, of course, is the novel time telling system invented by the brand, which is unlike anything else in watchmaking. It’s an example of both mechanical ingenuity and a design triumph, and like others who have had a chance to experience it, I’m continually blown away by the intuitive layout of these watches and the creativity in rethinking something as basic as telling the time. Another reason Ressence has such a strong appeal is that this design language has proven to be incredibly flexible, something we’ve observed over the years as the brand has collaborated with a variety of partners on interesting limited edition projects. The Grail Watch release with Alain Silberstein remains a personal favorite, as does their Dubai Watch Week LE from a few years ago (a new limited edition celebrating the 75th anniversary of Ahmed Seddiqi is also pretty great). A pair of new watches made in collaboration with the artist Daniel Engelberg might just be my favorite Ressence limited edition yet. We got a very quick preview of these watches when we met with Ressence at Watches & Wonders earlier this year, and were immediately taken with their bold color palettes and a design that really leans into the brand’s aesthetic while still being wholly unique works. Engelbert is a German artist and a quick look at his Instagram feed reveals his interest in color and shape, and these dials immediat...
Worn & Wound
As we’ve discussed at length here recently, one of our favorite things about Ming is their ability to innovate across price points. Recent watches in the 37 series, like the Minimalist and Ghost, prove that thoughtful contemporary design and creative watchmaking and engineering do not have to approach five figures. But then, when the brand does cross that five figure mark, and creates something in the haute horlogery realm, we get things that are incredibly special and can kind of break your brain, making you wonder both how they did it and what is this anyway? That’s very much the vibe of last year’s solid gold 20.01 Series 3, which featured a fused borosilicate dial with 600 tiny holes cut into it that were then filled with lume (all on top of an AgenGraphe chronograph movement, naturally). At the time, I thought that watch was Ming’s most avant-garde creation, but the latest watch in the 20.01 Series might just top it. The centerpiece of the new 20.01 Series 5 is a science-fiction inspired dial that is laser milled from a single block of titanium. I was fortunate to be able to spend some time with this watch ahead of its release, and even though I had my chance to gaze at the dial, look at it under magnification, and consider it in all the ways we always evaluate something like this, I still have a hard time actually describing it. It is, effectively, a decorative sheet of titanium that has been cut to form a complex radial pattern emanating from the dial’s ce...
Fratello
Let’s start with a riddle. What has one eye, one mouth, two hands, and a rebellious soul? You got it - the Le Régulateur Louis Erard × Konstantin Chaykin Time Eater III. The million-dollar question is whether humor belongs in luxury watchmaking, but when it looks good, it doesn’t matter if you think the watch […] Visit Introducing: The Le Régulateur Louis Erard × Konstantin Chaykin Time Eater III - Don’t Fight The Regulator WristMonster; Wear One! to read the full article.
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SJX Watches
Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) stands among the most revered names in horology, celebrated for innovations that shaped modern watchmaking. While his tourbillon, self-winding mechanism, and anti-shock system are widely acknowledged, his work in astronomical timekeeping, particularly equation of time (EOT) watches, remain one of Breguet’s most intricate yet less-explored achievements. With 2025 marking the 250th anniversary of his birth, this guide offers the most comprehensive study of every known EOT timepiece made during his lifetime, including pocket watch no. 160 “Marie Antoinette”, expanding on our prior analysis of the complication (in parts I and II). No. 160 as pictured at the recent exhibition in London’s Science Museum. Image – Baruch Coutts Looking at the stars Breguet operated in an era where precision timekeeping was dictated by astronomy, and his workshop, positioned at the heart of Paris’s scientific and commercial networks, was uniquely placed to serve scientists, navigators, and royalty who required accurate solar and mean time readings. Rather than settling on a single method for displaying and correcting the EOT, he explored multiple mechanical solutions, refining some while revisiting earlier ideas when necessary. His approach does not follow a strictly linear evolution but instead reflects a dynamic cycle of innovation, mechanical experimentation, and adaptation. Breguet’s cam-driven system with feeler to indicate EOT, as found in pocke...
Teddy Baldassarre
Admit it, you’re here because you googled “Most Expensive Rolex Watches” in the hopes of gathering up some horological bar trivia, right? No? You say you’re here because you really, truly are interested in buying one of the most expensive watches Rolex currently puts out? Well, good news. We’ve updated this article to incorporate both. Photo: Sotheby's Founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex is today the most globally recognized Swiss luxury watch brand, one of the leading innovators in the watch industry from the 20th Century to today, and the maker of some of the most popular and coveted watch models in the world, from gents’ classics like the Datejust and Day-Date to sport-luxury icons like the Submariner, Daytona, and GMT-Master. As one might expect with such a horological pedigree, Rolex watches have also become some of the most valuable watches on the secondary and auction markets, with the most elite and exclusive pieces selling for $1 million or more. (Disclaimer: obviously, for the most avid and well-connected Rolex customers, it is the legendary “off-catalog” models - like the "Rainbow Daytona" pictured above - that both project the most mythical aura of exclusivity and command the most stratospheric prices. The problem with accurately reporting on which of them is really the “Most Expensive” is built into their rarity: such models change hands without an actual MSRP ever being declared publicly, and whatever that original purchase pric...
Worn & Wound
Over the last three years or so, as the idea of the “micro indie” has gained steam in our hobby, SpaceOne has been on the bleeding edge of this movement. Their first two releases perfectly capture every element of what we love about this type of watchmaking: inventive case designs, clever movements, the interesting use of materials, and, importantly, a price point that welcomes enthusiasts rather than shutting them out. The Jump Hour and Tellurium impressed on these fronts and more, and the brand’s third release, a worldtimer that they’ve been quietly showing to clients and press over the last few months, continues the brand’s impressive run, and cements their status as a leading indie brand, micro or otherwise. The new SpaceOne WorldTimer once again pairs watchmaker Theo Auffret with designer Olivier Gamiette. The case has an oblong shape that’s somewhat reminiscent (in broad strokes, at least) of their Jump Hour debut, but is quite a bit more complex. It mixes sci-fi, spaceship influences with subtle automotive design influences, and a multi-window display that will make some fans of independent watchmaking think of names like Vianney Halter and other similarly adventurous icons of the contemporary indie scene. This is one of those watches that no matter how experienced you are with these things, it kind of needs to be “taught” on some level, but once you understand what you’re looking at, it’s fairly intuitive. Here’s how it works. In a move th...
Teddy Baldassarre
And we’re back again with another episode of Affordable Alternatives to some of the most iconic watches in the game. While in previous installments, I’ve focused on watches with prices in the ridiculous range, today, I’m gunning for something a bit lower on the cost-of-entry scale, but which is nonetheless an icon of watchmaking: the Omega Speedmaster. For Omega Speedmaster alternatives, I’m going to go the route of exploring some tricompax chronograph options that are on the extremely affordable range, highlighting some smaller, more independent brands, and also featuring some watches that have some tie-in to lunar or space exploration, given the Speedmaster’s connection to all six moon landings. As I’ve established in previous articles, some of my choices for this roundup will fall into the spot-on category, while other, quirky picks will require a little stretch of the imagination, but I will try my best to make each case. Omega Speedmaster History As always, it’s important to go over a little history primer of the icon before we get into some affordable alternatives. To get into the history of the Omega Speedmaster on a more in-depth, granular level, I will refer you now to this article we’ve previously published. The story of Omega’s Speedmaster begins in 1957, several years before it became forever nicknamed the Moonwatch. In the years before the race to the moon was underway, Omega was churning out tool watches geared towards specific occupations...
Monochrome
ArtyA, the avant-garde, family-run Swiss watchmaker known for its expressive, often unconventional horological creations of its founder Yvan Arpa, introduces the next evolution of its Luminity collection with a significant update: the launch of its first proprietary micro-rotor movement, the calibre AMR-02. Combining a visually open design with chronometric performance, this new collection keeps movement […]
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Worn & Wound
2025 has already been a memorable year for Christopher Ward. Having launched the C12 Loco back in April, their most ambitious watch to date, they’ve further shown they are an indie force to be reckoned with. But, while the C12 Loco proved that they can achieve complicated watchmaking at a reasonable price, it was still on the top end of their catalog. To balance this, for their next launch, they are returning, to some extent, to their roots with an affordable diver, the C60 Trident Reef. Please note that production watches will differ from the samples shown in the following ways: the depth rating will match the color of the “automatic” text, and the hour hand will be rhodium plated. A playful riff on the Trident C60 platform, the Reefs are modern, colorful, and feel like a throwback to watches from about a decade ago, rather than something mid-century. Coming in five colors and two sizes, they feature a new case with a shrouded mid-section, allowing for a dynamic design, especially at the price. Wrapped in matte aluminum (save one version), the mid-cases are anodized to match the aluminum bezel inserts. The result is fun and unexpected, if intense, particularly on a model like the orange shown. Measuring either 41 x 47.9 x 11.45mm or 44 x 51.4 x 11.45mm, both models feature 22mm lugs and 200m of water resistance, positioning them as medium and large divers in the C Ward collection, which fills gaps left by the C60 Pros. The 44mm model, in particular, will be met with...
About two hours away from Geneva, heading north and a touch east, just along the border with France, you’ll find the Jura region of Switzerland. One of the fabled centers of Swiss watch production, the scenery is idyllic, and the towns are old, small, and quiet. Compared to the urban centers of Geneva, Basel, Zurich, and Biel/Bienne, it would be considered rural, even if it is only a short distance away. And yet, this pastoral scene belies what is happening in many of the buildings dotted along the landscape. Inside, raw metals are transformed into incredible mechanisms and luxury goods through processes that are both coarse and delicate. In short, it’s where watches get made. On the tail end of my trip to Watches & Wonders 2025, rather than heading straight home, tired and needing a watch detox, I took a short trip to Jura to visit not a watch company, but a movement manufacturer: Soprod. Founded in 1966, as of 2008, Soprod has been part of the Festina group, and is one of a small handful of third-party, Swiss-made movement suppliers. Although the company undertakes behind-the-scenes development for large luxury brands, including module design, it is known among watch enthusiasts as an alternative to ETA and Sellita, one that is becoming increasingly prevalent among indie brands. The post Inside Soprod: Where Mechanical Movements are Made appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Teddy Baldassarre
[This feature article has been updated to incorporate the newest models – including the new 42mm and 38mm sizes – in the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms collection as of 2025. Prices listed are current as of this article's posting but subject to change.] Founded in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland, Blancpain is the oldest luxury watchmaker in the world, full stop. The 287-year-old manufacture, now headquartered in Le Brassus in the Swiss Vallée de Joux, has an uninterrupted history of producing horological complications but its most iconic timepiece in this modern era began its life as a tool watch for military divers in the (relatively) recent year of 1953. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, however, is not just any tool watch; it’s recognized as one of the foundational examples of the modern dive watch, helping to establish a template that many others would follow. Today, it’s the foundation for a vast and versatile collection within the Blancpain portfolio - despite the fact that the watch almost didn’t make it out of the 1970s. DIVING INTO HISTORY The quest to make a watch water-resistant enough for diving was already well underway when Jean-Jacques Fiechter, then-CEO of Blancpain, began working on the watch that would become the Fifty Fathoms. Rolex had developed the water-resistant Oyster case in 1926, which paved the way for watches such as Panerai’s Radiomir in 1936, which combined a waterproof case with a luminous dial for the underwater missions of the Italian n...
SJX Watches
Urban Jürgensen has been revived in fine style thanks to its investors and of course Kari Voutilainen. With the Finn in charge of watchmaking, the reborn brand made its debut with a trio of watches led by the flagship Urban Jürgensen UJ-1 Tourbillon. Inspired by the Oval pocket watch made by Derek Pratt for Urban Jürgensen, the UJ-1 is impressive in its execution, from construction to decoration. The quality is evident across the watch, which is unsurprising given Mr Voutilainen’s role in its conception and production. And the occasionally controversial lugs give an otherwise classical watch a distinct character. Initial thoughts The fine details of the UJ-1 are easily apparent in the metal. The movement decoration and construction are both impeccable, and so is the guilloche on the dial. But it is details like the engine turned case back and typography that give the UJ-1 that little bit of extra refinement. It is obvious from the photos, the movement quality is outstanding. Frosting, black polishing, chamfering, and so on – all are expertly accomplished. Moreover, all of the decoration is done in a traditional, often manual manner, rather than being mostly done by machine and then finished off by hand as is increasingly the case now. But finishing is merely the more obvious aspect of the appeal. The construction of the movement is equally impressive. It captures the style of the Oval pocket watch, including the three-dimensionality and clean aesthetics. Even though...
Monochrome
Watchmaking is generally considered serious business. Luckily, there are more and more brands that embrace humour. Which is not to say they are not serious about their watches; far from it. Louis Erard, under the inspired leadership of Manuel Emch, is one such brand, enlisting famous designers like Alain Silberstein to enliven models with his […]
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Monochrome
One of the few, if not only, women to lead an independent watch brand, Christine Hutter has steered Moritiz Grossmann down the path of refined watchmaking with low production numbers, in-house calibres, and a dedication to Schönstes deutsches Handwerk – the most beautiful German craftsmanship. First unveiled in 2021, the Tremblage model from the Benu […]
Fratello
Admittedly, I didn’t have a retro diver from Girard-Perrergaux on my list of predictions for 2025. Yet, just a month ago, I visited our site, and a bright blue and orange watch was beaming back at me. The Deep Diver Legacy Edition proves that the Swiss brand can still get funky, even if that means […] Visit Hands-On With The New Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Whether you call it the Day-Date, the President, the Presidential, or even El Presidente, this is likely the watch most non-watch people think of when they think of Rolex. While watch nerds may rattle off esoteric Swiss watchmakers and obscure reference numbers, without a doubt, Rolex is the go-to answer when you ask a normal … ContinuedThe post The Rolex Day-Date is still the ultimate watch of ballers and shot-callers appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Proving the world can still be a good place, Nomos Glashütte has decided to contribute three special-edition watches to benefit Swiss-based Aviations Sans Frontières (ASF). On Wednesday, June 18th, 2025, Artcurial will hold a charity auction for ASF near Paris. Three Nomos watches with the case number AF001 will be auctioned to support the association’s […] Visit Nomos Flies In Three Special-Edition Air France Collaboration Watches For The Aviations Sans Frontières Auction to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
Grand Seiko’s Spring Drive U.F.A (SLGB003) sets a new benchmark in mechanical watchmaking with an astonishing ±20 seconds per year accuracy. Wrapped in a new slimmer Evolution 9 case and finished with a dial inspired by winter in Shinshu, it’s a masterclass in subtle innovation and timeless elegance. What We Love The Calibre 9RB2 delivers an incredible +/- 20 seconds per year, redefining what is possible from a mainspring-powered mechanical movement The new 37mm case size makes the timepiece highly wearable for a wide range of wrist sizes. The beautifully textured dial captures Grand Seiko’s unique blend of craftsmanship and storytelling. What We Don’t While very comfortable, the standard three-link bracelet feels a little too plain for a release of this calibre. For a groundbreaking caliber, the caseback view feels a little subdued. For such a significant release, the design feels a little too in line with previous Evolution 9 models. Overall Rating: 9.25 / 10 Value for Money: 9.5/10 Wearability: 9.5/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 Grand Seiko was first established in 1960 as a sister brand to Seiko, created to combat the Swiss watchmakers and their high-end luxury timepieces. While Seiko made affordable everyday timepieces, It was Grand Seiko’s role to create unique, innovative pieces that would cater to the luxury and high-end watchmaking market. Among the many different innovations and stunning dial aesthetics, one key aspect that truly makes Grand S...
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