Latest watch news · Page 127

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...

It’s tough to think of two accessible indie brands that are more diametrically opposed in terms of their general aesthetic than Baltic and SpaceOne. One is focused largely on classic, vintage influenced designs, while the other is firmly contemporary, futuristic, even, and has made a name for itself by innovating new ways to make high end complications accessible. But they have similar sensibilities, I think, when it comes to widening the aperture of watch enthusiasm in general. They make it feel easy to break into a once difficult to access hobby with watches that are genuinely interesting and cool irrespective of price.  And so a collaboration between Baltic and SpaceOne (both French brands) is maybe not as absurd as it would appear at first blush. Their first watch made in partnership, the Seconde Majeure, takes elements of what makes both brands special and smashes them together in a very satisfying way. It’s one of the best watches I’ve had a chance to see so far this year (it was being previewed at Chronopolis in Geneva last month, and at our Windup event in San Francisco just last week).  The Seconde Majeure is designed around a jumping hour module designed by Theo Auffret with three visible components. A large minute disc sits atop a control wheel that makes a full rotation every 60 minutes, and provides a hand-free readout of the minutes from a central location on the dial. As the minute disc completes a rotation, it engages with a star wheel that has 12 t...

What We Know French watchmaking is on an absolute tear lately. Even setting aside F.P. Journe (yes, he's based in Switzerland, but he is French), there's a growing list of brands pushing things forward in interesting ways. Two of the more relevant names in this case are Baltic and SpaceOne, the latter a collaboration between Théo Auffret of Auffret Paris and Guillaume Laidet, who has played a major role in reviving some major brands. Both have become important players in the more affordable end of independent watchmaking, but from very different angles. SpaceOne leans heavily futuristic, while Baltic—and Auffret more broadly—tend to stay rooted in classic design. That's what makes the new Seconde Majure from Baltic x SpaceOne so interesting. It feels like the watch someone with more traditional tastes, like me, has been waiting for. The Seconde Majeure might not come as a surprise to everyone. Baltic and SpaceOne were showing the watch around during Time to Watches in Geneva a few weeks ago, and they also sent over a prototype for me to preview ahead of launch. One quick note there: all of the photos I took were with the crown pulled out, so keep that in mind as you scroll through. For everyone else, you might need to catch up pretty quickly, especially since the watch is only available for a very limited time. But what you'll quickly see is that the watch is attractive for something affordable. And remarkably compact. Measuring 38.5mm by 12.5mm with a 47.5mm lug-to-l...

Bell & Ross continues to enrich its iconic and most popular collection with a new green dial version of the BR-03. Press release with commentary.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the stunning timepiece that Artisans de Genève personalized for Andre Agassi. It was great to see what the brand had come up with for the world-famous tennis star, as he is one of my childhood heroes. For its latest personalization effort, Artisans de Genève was contacted by Alexander […] Visit Artisans De Genève Reveals The Remarkable Personalized Kraft Signature to read the full article.

Those lucky enough to have walked the carpeted halls of Palexpo during the annual Watches and Wonders exhibition this year may have found the sheer volume of novelties both fascinating and overwhelming all at once.

Louis Moinet (1768-1853) wanted an accurate instrument to track celestial motions and built the Compteur de Tierces in 1815-1816. Endowed with a start, stop and reset function and a balance wheel beating at an impressive high frequency of 30Hz, his novel stopwatch could time events to the 60th of a second. Considered one of the precursors […]

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.

JLC is bringing its Reverso Stories exhibition to Miami, and this weekend, the Time+Tide will host the British Watchmakers' Weekender in NYC.

There are quite a few brands that link themselves to motorsport, but Lorige is one of the few that has gone completely all-in on the idea. Another good example of that is the latest BL-Endurance Evolution Bleu Asphalte Gold Edition. Founded in 2018 by car enthusiasts Clément Etienvre and Emeric Paraud, the young French-Swiss microbrand […]

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.

Recently revived Genevan haute horlogerie brand Niton jumps into the jumping hours market with the Prima — one of the more refined high-end examples of the industry’s latest favourite complication. It features a bespoke, shaped calibre that proudly carries the Poinçon de Genève — true to its inspiration — and is packed with creative choices and features. Initial thoughts Not long ago it seemed like 2025 would go down as the year of the jump hour, but the trend was evidently just getting started. The Niton Prima exemplifies this ongoing trend with surprising elegance and historical fidelity. As a rule of thumb, I view revival brands with a degree of scepticism; I would prefer people make a name for themselves rather than buying one. However, the Niton Prima shows a clear understanding of — and passion for — the source material, so I am satisfied this is not a mere cash-grab. It doesn’t hurt that the watch is excellent inside and out, and while expensive in absolute terms, it is fairly priced for what you get. The movement deserves special mention as the source of much of the appeal, being a true shaped movement — a very handsome one at that — and a competent timekeeper. It is finely finished with a plethora of interesting and clever features, including hidden screws for joining the bridges and mainplate, a small seconds hand that stops itself at 60 after the crown is pulled, and a sonnerie au passage to enhance the sound of the jump hour. Another point i...

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 ...

There are moments in the life of a new space when you stop and think: this is exactly what we built it for.

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...

Independent Japanese watch brand Naoya Hida & Co. usually plays it discreetly, with only a batch of new releases per year and a highly limited production capacity. Last week, the brand released its entire range of models for 2026/2027, a total of 10 new watches and 7 new references, including a spectacular chronograph, a compact […]

After taking my French lessons in Duolingo for the better part of three years, I’m happy to say that some of those grammar tips are still rolling around in the ol’ noggin when I have to type such names as Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph in Chocolate – hey, if no one else is going to toot my horn, I might as well, right? Now, enough about me. This latest edition from the brand (which, impressively, has been around since 1791) gives the overall appearance of the Laureato model (which, only slightly less impressively, has been around since 1975) a warmer character with a brown hobnail dial, a matching rubber strap, and rose gold details against the slightly colder steel case. The Laureato elements haven’t gone anywhere on this iteration, they’ve just been updated to complement the chocolate tones. The octagonal bezel, crown, and chronograph pushers have all been executed in rose gold. The integrated rubber strap and tonneau-shaped 904L steel case keep the model’s trademark style while working within what Girard-Perregaux has described as “sporty-chic,” a phrase I’m not too fond of, but can’t deny does describe this watch quite well. The real depth and warmth come from the dial itself. Girard-Perregaux uses a brown Clou de Paris hobnail pattern, with matching subdials and rose-gilt baton markers and hands. The rubber strap I briefly mentioned above continues that same Clou de Paris texture, tying the Chocolate colorway together and keeping things in b...

What We Know Usually, we only get one round of Naoya Hida & Co. releases each year, as the company manufactures so few watches per year (though that number is increasing) that one round of releases of 10+ models with around 10 watches per model per year is about the maximum. So imagine my surprise when we got a press release about a new collaboration between Hida-san and his retailer, The Armoury, to be released after the initial wave of releases. They've collaborated before (their "Lettercutter" is one of Hida's most beloved watches). This new release, the Type 4A-2 "Floating Feathers," is by far the most unusual and imaginative Naoya Hida watch yet. The watch uses a high-polish stainless steel Type 4 case (36mm by 42.9mm lug-to-lug, 11mm thick) with a central seconds hand, keeping the dial free for artistic expression. Mark Cho, co-founder of The Armoury, and designer Elliot Hammer say that they were inspired by decorative ornithological dials, botanical motifs, and nature scenes.  As ornithology is the study of birds, my thought immediately went to "singing bird boxes," but hey, I didn't make the watch, so no one asked me. Hammer, who travels to Japan often, said he was taken by their attention to space and timelessness, and in the press release says, "if there are feathers, there must have also once been a bird." Rationale for the design aside, Naoya Hida & Co. has the benefit of a talented in-house engraver, Keisuke Kano, and used the bead-blasted Argentium silver di...

Ever since the return of the brand under the umbrella of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (alongside Gerald Genta), Daniel Roth has focused on bringing back the emblematic ellipsocurvex design of Monsieur Roth, as well as the refined execution of earlier creations. Following the debut of the Tourbillon model, available in yellow and rose […]

What We Know There's just something about the Daniel Roth case that makes for an excellent watch. On the wrist, the ellipsocurvex shape sits comfortably between a round dress watch and a tank, and with the Extra-Plat case (extra-flat, in English) and slightly dropped lugs, it has incredible appeal once you put it on. Which makes it especially hard to convey that in text, but I'll try my best with the newest version that launched today, the Extra Plat Platinum model. I saw the watch a few months ago when the brand also announced the Extra Plat Skeleton, which was impressive in its own way. But I'd been waiting for a white metal Extra Plat since the brand relaunched (even though the price tag was bound to be outside my range).  The Extra Plat Souscription was announced only a little over a year ago, and the new platinum version is already the fourth variant in the lineup (yellow gold for the souscription, rose for the next, the rose gold skeleton, and now this). There are only so many ways you can play with the concept, but the details matter even more because of it. The Souscription, pictured below, had a tonal dial and case with blue printing and hands, a treatment I liked a lot. I actually asked whether the brand planned to take the same approach with the following releases, and the answer, at the time, was no. I think the result is, frankly, a bit more legible. For comparison, I'm showing them all below, and you get a taste of what the front and back look like at the sa...

Daniel Roth’s latest addition to its time-only portfolio is the Extra Plat Platinum. A familiar face in a new colourway, the Extra Plat offers the Tourbillon Platinum‘s stealthy look in a more accessible two-hand format. Powered by the DR002 in-house calibre developed by Louis Vuitton’s La Fabrique du Temps (LFT), this regular production model brings a decidedly subtle look to the brand’s simple dress watch. Initial thoughts It’s been interesting to observe Louis Vuitton’s confident foray into haute horlogerie through the revival of Daniel Roth. Despite the corporate structure, astute collectors continue to speak of Daniel Roth in the same breath as other leading independent watchmakers. To the independent-collecting cognoscenti, the platinum Extra Plat should prove a compelling option – rooted in the early history of the independent watchmaking movement but built to meet contemporary expectations. Following Daniel Roth’s launch of the Tourbillon Souscription, the time-only, manually wound Extra Plat — “extra flat” for non-French speakers — debuted in an 18k yellow gold souscription edition followed closely by regular production models in rose gold, with and without skeletonisation. The new platinum Extra Plat rounds out the set. Combined with the matching dial with contrasting finishes, it creates a rather stealthy profile for this otherwise opulently finished dress watch. Extra Plat-inum The platinum double-ellipse case shares the wrist-friendly d...

Longines has long been connected to sport. From its long-standing role as official timekeeper of major competitions to its continued involvement with the Commonwealth Games since 1962, the brand has always been there to measure performance with precision. Following earlier celebratory editions, such as the colourful 2022 Birmingham model, Longines now introduces the HydroConquest Commonwealth […]

Longines unveils a colourful addition to the HydroConquest line, celebrating the 23rd Commonwealth Games in 2026

The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is not the first Godfather-themed watch. It is, however, the first that plays two tunes — “The Godfather Waltz” and “The Godfather Love Theme.” Jacob & Co. built a timepiece with a single music box barrel playing two songs, and Benjamin Arabov tells us how the watch with […] Visit Video: The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II — A Double-Melody Musical Timepiece to read the full article.

The Laureato is Girard-Perregaux’s answer to the integrated luxury sports watch. Born in 1975 as a chronometer-certified quartz sports watch, Girard-Perregaux revived the Laureato in 2016 as a limited edition to celebrate the brand’s 225th anniversary, and later as a collection in 2017. Produced three years after Gérald Genta’s landmark Royal Oak but a year […]