Latest watch news · Page 259

Dial colours are an integral part of Doxa‘s iconic diving story. From the blazing Professional Orange that defined the SUB 300 in the 1960s to today’s rainbow of professional-grade divers, the brand has always known how to pair serious underwater credentials with a playful edge. Now, in collaboration with Watches of Switzerland, Doxa introduces a […]

I have had the pleasure of covering releases from Louis Moinet for several years. By and large, most of the watches have featured wild complications and materials. They’ve been fun, limited, and expensive. Therefore, when the brand debuted the 1816 Chronograph at Watches and Wonders 2025, we took notice due to its more modern design. […] Visit Hands-On With The Louis Moinet 1806 Chronomètre d’Observatoire to read the full article.

You may very well be looking at the pinnacle of watch modding. The Artisans de Genève Absolute Ruby is a personalized creation with a price tag of US$550,000 hanging from it. As the name suggests, rubies take center stage in this world-famous chronograph, which initially looked more humble when the client handed it over to […] Visit Modding To The Max: The Artisans De Genève Absolute Ruby Surpasses Anything The Watch Workshop Did Before to read the full article.

After several years with no additions to its line up, Roger W. Smith recently revealed the Series 6. Essentially a variation of the Series 4 triple calendar, the Series 6 is a time and date – hours, minutes, and seconds, plus the brand’s own “travelling date” that takes the form of a peripheral pointer under the main dial. Much of the watch is familiar, including the architecture of the movement and finishing, but the Series 6 does enjoy several upgrades over earlier watches, including the latest version of the single wheel co-axial escapement. Initial thoughts The Series 6 is quintessential Roger W. Smith in look, feel, and execution (and price). The aesthetic is familiar and certainly well loved, while the quality of execution is high. While its watches may not be hand “made,” they are certainly hand finished and the Series 6 illustrates that with its engine-turned dial, hand-made hands, and hand-engraved movement. The under-dial mechanism for the date and keyless works are especially beautiful, despite being concealed. I imagine this approach to the hidden parts is not merely a watchmaker’s vanity; I expect an open-dial version to come along in due time – if it has not already been ordered by a client. The Series 6 also demonstrates the advances made by the brand in terms of manufacturing. Equipped with modern equipment like CNC mills, Roger W. Smith watches today are far, far, far more refined than its earliest creations. Like the brand’s other watche...

A drunken idea involving Swiss rock became one of the most unique comeback stories in watchmaking history.The post The RockWatch from 1985 – 2025: how Tissot carved out a watch icon appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo Automatic first debuted at Baselworld 2017, and I remember every journalist I ran into, telling me to go check out the Bulgari booth. I met with Pascal Brandt (then marketing manager), and a genuine watch geek I had known for some time. He showed me Octo Finissimo Automatic in titanium, and it was a “Wow” moment. I felt like I was holding a future classic in my hands, comparable to someone holding the Royal Oak for the first time in Basel in 1972 (and yes, there is a Genta connection). I had a couple of initial thoughts when I first experienced the Octo – I knew Bulgari had already made two of the slimmest complication Octo Finissimo’s in 2015 and 2016, but I chalked that to a fashion brand making a high complication for their wealthiest clients. But this was different, Bulgari managed to pull off the slimmest automatic watch that is lightweight, yet durable, with a micro-rotor movement for about $12,000. The second thought was that this is something special and, for me, a must own piece. Before I get into the ownership aspect of the Octo, I will give a brief history on how Bulgari got elevated to a serious watchmaking brand. The story of Bulgari’s transformation from a luxury fashion brand to a high-end watchmaker began in the year 2000. The watch industry was struggling after the late 1990’s financial crisis. In July 2000, Bulgari paid 37.6 million Swiss francs to acquire Gerald Genta SA, Daniel Roth SA, as well as Manufacture de Ha...

The outfits, cars, and watches of one of the automotive calendar's most endearing events.

In recent years, French brand Yema has demonstrated its wish to move upward in quality and watchmaking credentials, while still offering classic, historically-inspired designs based on its icons, such as the Superman. This has been done through the development of manufacture movements, conceived and produced in France, including the CMM.10 Central Rotor, the CMM.20 Micro-Rotor, […]

Vieren celebrates its 5th anniversary with its new “One-Of-One V Collection” with 5 piece uniques. The collection enlists five world-renowned artists to put their stamp on the first Vieren model: the OG Automatic Matte White. Each unique piece can be purchased individually, or all five can be bought at once as a box set (depending … ContinuedThe post Vieren enlists 5 artists to reimagine its first watch with their own piece unique appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Musings on the Mono-ha art of "not making" and why we should let emotion play a bigger part in our conversations about watches.

Ōtsuka Lōtec had a viral moment over the weekend with the surprise launch of the No. 9, the latest creation from the Japanese microbrand headed by designer and watchmaker Jiro Katayama. These watches have captured the attention and imagination of enthusiasts worldwide for their unique steampunk aesthetic, filtered through a unique Japanese industrial design perspective. Up until now, their watches have been defined by interesting complications (wandering hours, retrograde displays, etc.) at ultra competitive price points topping out at around $5,000, and being genuinely difficult to obtain outside of Japan thanks to extremely limited production and simply not being offered to en masse to those outside the country. With the No. 9, it certainly appears that Ōtsuka Lōtec will continue to make watches that are tough to obtain, but they’ve thrown the pricing structure out the window with this release, offering up a far more complicated watch than anything they’ve previously attempted.  The No. 9 is a rectangular watch in a stainless steel case measuring 41.3mm by 26.4mm. It’s 10.35mm tall, which makes this a quite compact package, and all the more impressive given the mechanical complexity. Going through the list of features and mechanical complications here is going to be a bit like the Stefon sketch on SNL (“This watch has everything…”) so let’s just embrace it: across 278 components, this watch features a tourbillon, a jump hour, “rewinding minutes,” a...

Tissot releases two new Ballad COSC in two sizes, powered by the Powermatic 80 and 48 movements. A total of 8 new variants in this new sub-collection.

The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch is truly one of the few iconic watch designs from the 20th century. Indeed, it may be one of the most recognizable designs in all of horology. Some of us, however, are fans from afar. We appreciate the Omega Speedmaster, but our eyes go elsewhere. For those enthusiasts after something with […] Visit Five Non-Classic Omega Speedmasters Worthy Of Any Collection to read the full article.

Louis Erard’s collaborative series continues to grow with playful yet serious partnerships, and this time, the brand once again teams up with Vianney Halter for a bold new chapter in their Régulateur line. Dubbed “World Tour”, the project reinterprets the Steampunk-inspired Régulateur through a silver monochrome base design, then spins off a series of colour-coded […]

The watch community woke up to a flurry of announcements related to Watches & Wonders 2026 this morning, which is (gulp) just about 6 months away. The news includes the addition of multiple brands, including one major and longstanding holdout, as well as others moving to higher profile locations in Palexpo. The big news is that Audemars Piguet, makers of the Royal Oak and a member of the so-called “Holy Trinity” of old school Swiss Maisons, will finally be exhibiting at Watches & Wonders. Audemars Piguet had previously been one of the main draws at SIHH, a predecessor of Watches & Wonders, also held at the Palexpo, so the brand is no stranger to the convention center’s cavernous halls. In a press release, CEO Ilaria Resta explains “Watches and Wonders is more than an exhibition – it is a space for meaningful exchange with our peers and a celebration of our shared heritage and craftsmanship. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Audemars Piguet’s world as we shape the future of watchmaking together.” Audemars Piguet is not the only brand being added to the Watches & Wonders roster. Ten additional brands have been announced as participants as of this morning. Joining AP at the show for the first time are Behrens, Bianchet, B.R.M Chronographes, Charles Girardier, Corum, Credor, Favre Leuba, l’Epée 1839, March LA.B and Sinn. This lineup is quite varied, with everything from elaborate mechanical clocks, to more accessible tool watches represented, and brands...

AP arrival marks major new partner for top Geneva watch gathering even as some brands exit.

Initiated back in 2020, even though it was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic alongside Baselworld, Watches and Wonders Geneva was first created as a replacement for the SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) by the FHH, but soon became the highlight of the year for the watch industry, after Baselworld was cancelled entirely. […]

Henry Cavill opens up about his deepening love affair with horology, and finding peace in a Swiss valley with Longines.The post Henry Cavill on Longines: From Superman to Swiss valleys, and why we still need watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

“Around this table, the bravest knights will gather as equals. They will set forth in search of adventure, righting wrongs, protecting the weak and humbling the proud.” If you can read this engraved in pink gold, you’re up close and personal with an exclusive watch. This engraved line on the case back of the new […] Visit Introducing Watch Magic: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Knights Of The Round Table, The Enchanter Merlin to read the full article.

Girard-Perregaux has an extensive track record in watchmaking and is one of the most enduring integrated manufactures of the Swiss watch industry. In the 1980s, at a time when the quartz crisis had crippled mechanical watchmaking, the brand was among the first to champion the renaissance of traditional movements. Today, Girard-Perregaux announces the launch of […]

Girard-Perregaux (GP) has just taken the covers off a new in-house movement that will serve as a versatile platform for the brand, the Girard-Perregaux GP4800. Historically a significant producer of automatic movements, GP marks a milestone with the new, high-performance base movement that will gradually replace the 3000 family of movements that was once a workhorse employed by several high-end brands. Initial thoughts GP’s most famous creations are undoubtedly the historical Tourbillon with Three Gold Bridges and the more recent Constant Escapement. Significant as they may be, neither illustrates the brand’s past strength as a manufacture in the early decades of contemporary watchmaking post-Quartz Crisis, in particular GP’s position as a leading supplier of automatic movements.  It all began with the 3000 family of calibres introduced in 1994. Desirable for its slimness and high performance – the 3000 series was sub-3 mm thick while ticking at 4 Hz – this versatile platform served not only as a base for many of the brand’s own timepieces, but also powered well-known watches made by a number of prominent brands, including Cartier, Daniel Roth, Vacheron Constantin, and even MB&F;. A GP3000 found in the MB&F; HM2 And then inverted in the MB&F; HM8 Mark 2 The new GP4800 is clearly meant to replace the venerable-yet-aging 3000-series. Boasting a modern architecture and fine technical chops, the GP4800 is a step towards reclaiming GP’s past success as a movement ma...

Audemars Piguet has just made the surprise announcement that they'll be returning to the world's biggest watch fair for 2026.The post Audemars Piguet announces they’ll be at Watches and Wonders 2026 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Having last exhibited in Geneva six years ago, Audemars Piguet (AP) will return next year as an exhibitor at Watches & Wonders 2026 (WWG). The brand had departed the predecessor of WWG, Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH), in 2019 along with Richard Mille, opting instead to launch the latest products at its own events. AP’s return to the exhibition reflects the importance of WWG as the most important trade fair on the horological calendar. It also underlines the importance of exhibiting alongside respected peers. The central hall at WWG 2025 Alongside AP, another ten brands will be showing at the event, ranging from clockmaker L’Epée 1839 to Chinese watchmaker Behrens, as well as Credor (the sister brand of current exhibitor Grand Seiko), and Favre Leuba, a recently rebooted historical name. This brings the total exhibitor tally to 66, a number that includes giants like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, and Cartier. WWG will take place April 14-20, 2026, at Palexpo.  

Imagine getting a design brief for a new watch collection along the lines of, “once upon a time, in the legendary court of Camelot, King Arthur and his knights convened at the round table to discuss their next adventure in search of the Holy Grail”. A tall order, but one that Roger Dubuis’ creative team […]