Watch news, without the noise

A closer look at the best chronograph watches of 2026 so far, from the titanium TAG Heuer Monaco to the Seiko Astron, Bulova Lunar Pilot, and more.

It's summer in NYC. The Knicks are up 2-1 in the Finals. The pace has slowed a touch with the warmer weather, but the cold brew is still coursing through our veins, and society is sorting itself into two camps: people who stand in line for Dot Cake and those who do not. You can draw your own conclusions there. In other words, the city is immaculate right now. At Hodinkee HQ, that can only mean one thing: it's time for our new summer issue. Transatlantic by Design: How Tiffany & Co.'s watchmaking has always moved between New York and Switzerland, by Malaika Crawford. Volume 16 arrives with two covers. One celebrates Tiffany & Co.'s new Timer while looking back through the brand's remarkable watchmaking archives. The other marks 100 years of the Rolex Oyster with one of our most ambitious Reference Points to date, a deep dive into the Oyster Perpetual and the enduring influence of Rolex's most foundational watch. Written by former Hodinkee editor and Bring A Loupe alumnus, Rich Fordon. Reference Points: Rolex Oyster Perpetual  by Rich Fordon. 100 years of the Oyster case proves a blueprint for everything Rolex does. Elsewhere, Nora Taylor spends time with Knicks guard Josh Hart, discussing basketball, collecting, and the watches that have accompanied him throughout his career. Independent watchmaker Rexhep Rexhepi contributes a personal essay on craft, responsibility, and the act of building something intended to outlast its maker.  Then Jason Heaton revisits the legend o...

Few innovations in automobile engines have been as impactful as the turbocharger, first brought to production cars in the 1960s and popularized in the United States largely thanks to the iconic turbodiesel 1978 Mercedes-Benz 300SD. With a telltale whistle accompanying that extra boost of power, the turbocharger soon became synonymous with motorsports and performance cars of the 1980s: the Audi Quatto’s breathy flutter, the 930 Porsche 911 Turbo’s heartpounding lag, and the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth’s European rally dominance all helped propel the decade into the “golden era” of turbocharged performance.  With their latest release, motorsport-inspired watchmakers Autodromo are bringing another homage to a period of automotive innovation, this time highlighting the Group C “prototype” class of sports cars from the 1980s, many of which featured bold (and sometimes dangerous) turbocharged power. The basis of this new collection is their already-successful Group C digital watch, initially released in 2023, and the new Turbo Sport models draw inspiration from the analog tachometers of turbocharged ‘80s motorsports legends to create an ani-digi design that straddles the classic and modern eras of automotive and horological design.  First, the dimensions: measuring in at 38.5mm in case diameter and 40mm lug-to-lug, the Group C Turbo Sport is compact, and sits fairly lightly on the wrist with a 11.4mm case thickness measurement. The case itself is anodized aluminum ...

Geneva's family-run value brand finally enters the sporty-chic bracket, and it's worth paying attention to. The Raymond Weil A.R.T. Collection marks the brand's first-ever integrated bracelet watch, blending sporty proportions with accessible Swiss watchmaking.

Philippine microbrand Makina returns with the Makina Cassiel II. This second iteration looks nothing like the original Cassiel. However, it looks much more like a Makina now, and that’s a good thing. Join me for a closer look at a distinctly brutalist, design-first chronograph. The Makina Cassiel II goes on presale today, priced at US$1,850. […] Visit Introducing: The Makina Cassiel II — A Brutalist Chronograph From The Philippines to read the full article.

CWC watches are rugged, legible, and tied to real military history, but they are not for everyone. Here’s our hands-on take across 5 CWC models.

Childhood imagination and science fiction to inspire high-end watchmaking? Why not, and MB&F; is proof that it can be a successful combination. Since the launch of HM1 in 2007, Maximilian Büsser’s concept laboratory has consistently transformed memories of spaceships, supercars, aircraft and robots into complex mechanical creations for the wrist. Some of the brand’s memorable […]

The MB&F; HM12, originally planned for the 20th anniversary celebrations, marks a major turning point as we enter the brand's third decade.

After more than 20 years, avante garde independent MB&F; returns to its roots and looks to its future with HM12 The Guardian. It combines a Horological Machine with a high-end shaped movement, flying tourbillon the most elaborate – and coolest – watch stand imaginable: a nearly 400 mm tall, 15 kg robot. Better yet, The Guardian can shift into battle mode at a moments notice, deploying armor to protect its weak points. Initial Thoughts MB&F; marks its 20th anniversary with HM12 The Guardian, or would have, had it been ready in time. Instead HM12 celebrates MB&F;’s future, as the first project led solely by the brand’s creative director (and Max Büsser’s heir), Max Maertens. Mr Büsser kicked the project off about four years ago by pitching a robot with a watch for a face, following up on the brand’s robot Melchior and Balthazar desk clocks. After that, Max 2.0 was left to his own devices, with this as the result. It is a very reassuring result for those concerned about the brand’s future after Maximilian Büsser’s eventual retirement, which isn’t yet imminent, but something the brand is clearly preparing for. Interestingly, Eric Giroud, who has designed just about every MB&F; watch, was not involved in the project either. Max (left) and Max (right). Image – MB&F; While discussing the project, Mr Büsser told me that Mr Maertens actually modelled the robot himself in SolidWorks, which goes well beyond the normal duties of a designer. That Maertens did the har...

We had a good look at the new MB&F; HM12 The Guardian recently when Max Büsser and his team visited and presented us with this novelty.

Ever since Raymond Weil won the GPHG Challenge Watch Prize in 2023 with the Millesime, the brand has been on a roll. The Millesime collection really shows that stylish Swiss-made watches don’t have to break the bank. The same goes for last year’s dressier Toccata Heritage Series. Now, the brand, led by Raymond Weil’s grandson […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The New Raymond Weil A.R.T. Collection to read the full article.

The Sea-Gull 1963 Premium chronograph presents a refined case, enhanced ST-1901 movement, fresh dial options, and a meteorite edition.

At this point, perhaps it is very safe to say that Seiko doesn’t like holding back when it comes to giving the 5 Sports collection new directions. What started as a home for SKX-inspired sports watches has gradually turned into one of the brand’s most varied collections. Along the way, we have seen GMT models, […]

Most watch enthusiasts would agree that Tudor’s introductions during Watches and Wonders 2026 were not very surprising, apart from the Monarch and maybe the black ceramic Black Bay. Overall, it was a year of updates, and they tend to be less exciting. Just as a reminder, we got a new dial color for the Black […] Visit It’s Easy To See Why The Updated Royal Is Tudor’s Best Release Of 2026 to read the full article.

Earlier this year, I helped a close friend pick out her first mechanical watch: a beautiful blue Seiko Prospex “Save the Ocean” special edition. For me, it was an easy recommendation, given my love of Seiko, their position as the true global king of entry- to mid-level watch purchases, and the prestige of the Prospex diver line itself. For her, as a lover of all things to do with the natural world, it was meaningful thanks to the eco-benefitting twist and oceanic theming. That particular Prospex was not the first, nor the last Seiko to showcase an organization doing work for ocean conservation and education: new for 2026 is the Prospex HBB002, celebrating the Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ (PADI) 60th anniversary.  Seiko’s connection with the world of diving goes far beyond the simple styling and function of many of their iconic diver timepieces. As the company points out, it released its first diver in 1965, just one year before the PADI itself was founded with the intention of raising training standards and expanding access to education on diving as a hobby and profession. Now operating in 183 countries, PADI also puts promoting ocean conservation at its forefront, a noble cause that Seiko themselves have championed with their Save the Ocean program. So, it makes sense that Seiko has supported PADI as a partner for ten years, and is celebrating that partnership and PADI’s sixtieth anniversary with the new HBB002 model.  The watch itself bring...

If there’s one epicentre of watchmaking outside of Switzerland that can measure itself with Le Locle or the Vallée du Joux, it’s Glashütte. This small region in the far east of Germany was once known for its rich iron ore deposits and very active mining culture. But as deposits ran dry and prosperity dwindled, people […]

We've all been told at least once in life to stick to our own lane. It's an old trope that historically holds merit. Stick to one discipline, master it, and you'll succeed. But in 2026, the rulebook has changed in almost every aspect of life, and sometimes those one-trick ponies aren't the ones leading the charge; they're actually left in the stable. La Montre Hermès S.A in Brugg, Switzerland. In watchmaking, it transpires that the latest crop of brands to realize this are the names we most associate with being wider fashion houses. Empires sustained by hand-stitching legacy into cloth, amplified in the theatre of the catwalk, now play in the watchmaking arena. We've witnessed many of these names turn to watchmaking as an additional arm to their already bulletproof name, and crucially, they're delivering watches with real merit. For Hermès, despite having a presence in watchmaking since the early 20th century, with Universal Genève as the brand's watchmaking partner from the 1930s and the production of exclusively Hermès-signed pieces such as desk clocks, this rise has been built brick by brick since the 1970s. Outfitting horses came first, then their riders, and it quickly proved that true luxury comes from mastery, not scale. During the 1970s, the maison decided to build schools to train artisans the Hermès way, passing along hand-stitching, leather cutting, and scarf-printing techniques from master to apprentice. While other names pursued mass production or outsour...

Combining classical details with French watchmaking mastery in an updated package that rewards a closer look.

Fifty years after its debut, Girard-Perregaux releases a new Laureato collection with new proportions powered by the GP4800 announced in 2025.