Latest watch news · Page 254

Voutilainen recently completed a custom commission with the 28 Kohan, a one-off example of its signature chronometer wristwatch that blends Finnish cultural symbols with Japanese decorative arts. Much of the decoration on the watch is maki-e, traditional Japanese lacquer, that is the work of artisan Tatsuo Kitamura, a frequent collaborator who was also responsible for past Voutilainen maki-e timepieces. Initial Thoughts Unique pieces and commissioned watches were historically the norm at the highest end of the watch market, which was then much smaller. Clients could be more demanding, and for the watchmaker, the risk of being unable to find a buyer was very real. Today off-the-rack watches dominate, largely for commercial and production reasons. Even brands with a long history of bespoke or custom watchmaking eschew custom dial colours. Some, however, keep the practice alive, like Vacheron Constantin with its Les Cabinotiers. Many independents also remain amenable to customisation, even established names that no longer need to, like Voutilainen, albeit with a long wait. Bespoke watches are inherently difficult to criticise – such watches are a success as long as the commissioner is satisfied, even if it’s the most hideous thing ever. Fortunately that isn’t the case here, the adjective that comes to mind is bedazzling. I suspect maximalist designs are often common on Voutilainen’s custom watches because collectors want to make the most of the opportunity. Some deta...

Franck Muller returns with cheeky rabbits in an Asia-Pacific limited edition reprising its earlier collaboration with Japanese streetwear brand #FR2, which is also known as Fxxking Rabbits. Following the first edition in black and white that was launched two years ago, the #Fr2nck Muller Vanguard Beach features a glass fibre composite case in three bright, marbled colours, along with a dial featuring a relief of the titular rabbits. Initial thoughts Like the first edition, the Vanguard Beach is bold, rude, and fun. The twin rabbit logo is small so it’s only visible at arm’s length, but the brightly coloured case still makes this hard to miss. The watch doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is a good fit for Franck Muller’s brand ethos. But this fun comes at a price of about US$14,000. It’s about 30% more expensive than the first edition, which is passable in today’s market where everything feels like it has gotten pricey quickly. Rabbits on holiday Each variant of the Vanguard Beach depicts rabbits having fun at the beach. One notable detail is the unusually positioned date window at two o’clock that has a gilded round frame that is meant to represent the Sun. Rabbits aside, the notable aspect of the #FR2 edition is the glass fibre composite case in the lug-less Vanguard format. Though it’s not a new material, glass fibre composite is relatively novel in watchmaking, where carbon fibre composite is most common. Glass fibre composite is similar to its car...

Franck Muller and #FR2 collaborated again! This time, it's in colours ready for the summer. Presenting the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach Limited Edition.

This visually stunning piece contrasts a modern flying tourbillon with nickel silver elements designed to age gracefully.The post Ulysse Nardin’s Blast Free Wheel Maillechort is a masterclass in contemporary yet timeless watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

It’s counterintuitive, but one of the things I appreciate most about working in the watch industry is being reminded of my blind spots. The narrative is often that this community is small and tightly focused, and on some level that’s true, but I think more broadly speaking, the watch world is actually enormous, and there are large enthusiast communities we’ve barely tapped into. That became incredibly clear over the course of Windup weekend in Chicago as one of the most talked about watches of the show was not actually one that can be worn on the wrist. The Casio Ring Watch was not only the most diminutive timepiece of the weekend, but one of the toughest tickets at the event.   I was aware that these existed prior to Windup but I had no idea they were so sought after and collectible. A peek behind the curtain: as an authorized retailer for Casio, the Windup Watch Shop sells Casio and Casio G-SHOCK watches at the fair, so over the course of the weekend, through Slack messages, daily team meetings with my Shop colleagues, and conversations over quickly devoured lunches before heading back out to the show floor, I was able to get a sense of the demand for these things. Each day’s allotment essentially sold out in the fair’s early hours, and those who were able to grab one felt they walked away with the prize of the show.  The CRW-001 Casio Ring Watch has a retail price of $120, but a quick Google search reveals owners are asking anywhere from $160 to $200 for th...

Journe's maximalist approach to a tourbillon meets a maximalist approach to gem-setting for one of the most outrageous watches the brand has ever made.

The post A Swiss-Made Titanium Field Watch for Under $1,000 – Formex Field Automatic Hands-On appeared first on Worn & Wound.

When it was launched last year, MING’s 37.02 Minimalist represented several firsts for Ming Thein’s independent Malaysian brand. For starters, it was the brand’s first watch made at MING’s facility in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Ironically, though, the watch could not bear the “Swiss Made” label because the design and engineering were executed in Kuala Lumpur. […]

Just 500 examples will be available at boutiques in France.

At last year’s Windup Watch Fair in New York City, Blake Malin found me on the first day, among throngs of people eagerly crowding around tables looking at countless cool watches, to tell me I had to see the new watch from Tusenö. Tusenö is a Swedish brand that’s been around for about ten years that I mostly associate with pretty good but not overly adventurous sport and tool watches. Some designs lean a bit more elegant, but they are mostly pretty sporty in their personality. They always have very nice details and are executed to a high standard, but they’ve often felt just a bit outside my wheelhouse for one reason or another. So when Blake told me I had to see their new release, which wasn’t yet released but just previewed at the show, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and thought maybe he had confused me with Devin.  That, of course, was not the case, and it became immediately clear once I saw the Supervintage in person. This dress watch is a genuinely strange left turn for Tusenö, and if there’s one thing I’m a huge fan of, it’s when a brand challenges themselves, and does something unexpected. I like a big swing, and that’s what the Supervintage feels like. In the same way that Serica, echo/neutra, and other brands have made an impression recently with oddball dress watches, Tusenö is using this genre of watch design as a sandbox for experimentation. This is one of my favorite developments (or “trends,” if you must) in the watch industry ...

Breitling collaborates Erling Haaland, on 2 new Chronomat models: Chronomat Automatic GMT 40 in steel and platinum, and the Chronomat B01 42 in red gold.

MING has just thrown down the gauntlet for watch of the summer.The post The new MING 37.02 Monolith is stealthy yet summery appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Revelot is a young Malaysian microbrand that launched with a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2021 and has since built a sizable portfolio of stylish and accessible watches, including innovative designs like the LIMA Flieger, featuring a Damascus steel case. The latest Hexmariner 39 Durian Limited Edition dive watch takes a fun approach to design, honouring […]

Today’s new Ming 37.02 Monolith is the latest variant using the brand’s popular case design. While the case coating is the big news here, it’s worth a closer look. After all, small changes sometimes lead to significant results. The 37-series of watches from Ming has stood as the more affordable range since 2021. During these […] Visit Back In Black: Ming Introduces The 37.02 Monolith to read the full article.

When you think about Nordic brand Tusenö, you should normally picture a sports watch, such as the Windseeker or the Shellback. Since its creation in 2015, the Gothenburg-based microbrand has built a compact but interesting collection of watches, with its popular Shellback making its way into the accessible dive watch category. But the young Swedish […]

What does it mean for a watch to be “stealthy”? Does that translate into one that is as dark as possible on the wrist, even if it means forgoing readability? A good example would be the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon “Black Black,” a fully blacked-out ceramic Speedy that is as “undercover” as […] Visit Hands-On With The Peren Regia Lunar Eclipse Dark to read the full article.

John Arnold’s marine chronometers were vital tools for calculating longitude at sea, trusted by explorers like Captain James Cook and used by the East India Company’s fleets. This pioneering spirit lives on in the modern Arnold & Son’s Globetrotter line, showcasing the brand’s distinctive approach to functional, finely crafted world timers. Earlier references are available […]

Ulysse Nardin presents a surprisingly striking new version of its most forward-thinking tourbillon, the Blast Free Wheel Maillechort. An interesting blend of classic finishing and bold, three-dimensional architecture, the limited edition piece is unlike the generally future-forward aesthetic pushed by Ulysse Nardin in recent years. The latest Blast Free Wheel retains the novel movement construction with elevated moving parts and a constant force mechanism integrated inside the tourbillon, but now set against a traditional, grained plate in maillechort, or German silver. Initial thoughts The Free Wheel is a long established collection, having been rolled out in several case styles over time, but this new incarnation is arguably the best one yet. The Le Locle-based brand is known for its overall loud designs and its tendency to push a very modernist look, so the old-school approach with maillechort is unexpected but appealing. The Blast Free Wheel still retains a somewhat loud case design, but the modernism here is more restrained and the futuristic movement is toned down by its finishing. As the name suggests, the main point is maillechort, a brass alloy better known as German silver. Long employed in historical watches, the material is usually associated with classic timepieces from the likes of A. Lange & Söhne or artisanal watchmakers, but here it compliments the avant-garde movement well. The soft silver-grey hue of the German silver serves as an excellent backdrop for...

The luxury watch industry is impacted by the slowing global economy, changes in consumer behaviour and tariff wars. Despite this challenging environment, Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reports solid revenues for the start of the year, with a positive trend for the first quarter ended 30 June 2025. Over the period, the Group’s sales are […]

Back by dope demand, Fratello EDC is here again for the first time since 2022! In this series, the Fratello team members let you take a peek into their bags and share their Everyday Carry (EDC) items. Lex will kick things off by sharing his daily essentials. What does he carry with him, and does […] Visit Fratello EDC: Lex Shares His Everyday Carry Essentials From Mismo, Ray-Ban, And Bergeon to read the full article.