Latest watch news · Page 26

When lot 71 hammers at Sotheby's New York Auction this weekend, it will punctuate a story that was started nearly sixty years ago in France—the lot number surely a nod to the year Le Mans debuted, 1971. The story of Steve McQueen and the film has been well told over the past half century, immortalizing a man and bolstering two industries in the process. It's essentially canon at this point, yet the story was never complete—until now. A cache of documents from the film's property master, held onto for decades after production closed, has finally set the record straight. And the last watch is coming up for sale this weekend. The Heuer Reference 1133B Monaco Screenworn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans, Circa 1969, up for auction at Sotheby's this weekend. Photo courtesy of Sotheby's. The 1960s were a formative decade for Heuer. The Autavia launched in 1962, the Carrera in 1963, and the Monaco in 1969—the latter completing a trio of Heuer chronographs all released that year with the Calibre 11, a movement developed jointly by Heuer and Breitling, built around a Buren micro-rotor with a Dubois-Depraz chronograph module layered on top, creating the first commercially available automatic Swiss-made chronograph. The Autavia and Carrera received redesigned cases for the occasion. The Monaco was something else entirely: a completely new watch, built around a patented square case sourced from EPSA, creating the world's first water-resistant square chronograph. With its angular form,...

Not too long ago, last February in fact, I had the opportunity to get my hands on a series of Miyota automatic movements, of which I disassembled the ubiquitous Calibre 9015. My prime goal was to learn more about its construction and simply find out how it looks when you take it apart. And as […]

The Orient AC0Q Diver II merges two of the brand's most popular dive watches into one 40mm automatic, available now from Orient Watch USA.

It's somehow nearly halfway through June, and your reward is a chance for a breather with a few interesting watches to distract you from the heat. While, to my knowledge, Hodinkee has no specific editorial policy for supporting sports teams, given that it's a New York-based publication, it feels only fair to note that I hope the NBA Finals conclude tomorrow and the Knicks get their (long-overdue) chip, and I hope the long-suffering fans get a chance to absolutely freak out. Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Cartier pocket watch sold for €3,980, the Explorer sold, but the auctioneer didn't list the price and hasn't answered my email yet, the Gruen Techno Quadrant sold for €1,300, the Tudor Ranger II for €1,600, the Broad Arrow Polerouter for £6,200, and the Railmaster did not sell. On to the main course. Strays Photo courtesy Dannenberg. If you're looking for ways to jump-start a relationship with a local watchmaker, or if you're simply in the mood for what promises to be an equally fun and maddening series of projects, here's a tantalizing box of Valjoux 72 parts/movements/dials/cases (if yes on chronographs but no on that particular option, here's a box of Tissot parts and here's one of Lemania and Valjoux parts). Crazy for LIP watches? It's your lucky day (well, technically, next Friday is).  Photo courtesy Finarte. Perhaps you, like me, have felt an odd urge toward asymmetric watches of late; if so, this Vacheron Constantin should get your motor running, and, ...

Typically, not a lot happens in the world of third-party mechanical watch movements. The ETA2824 reigned supreme for decades until Swatch Group stopped openly supplying them, giving way primarily to Sellita, Soprod, and La Joux Perret on the Swiss side, and Miyota and Seiko on the Japanese side. For the most part, the catalogs of those brands stayed relatively unchanged for many years, but now, it appears that there’s a bit of an arms race happening. The days of 42-hour power reserves are over, and brands are now vying for features and specifications once limited to more expensive calibers; to that end, there have been a series of interesting events/releases. First, the COSC announced the creation of the “Excellence Chronometer” standard with a -2/+4 accuracy standard among other considerations. Sellita launched the SW200-2 Power + movements with 65-hour reserves, new gear trains, and other improvements. The CEO of La Joux Perret spoke about the upcoming G-200 caliber, which will feature a 72-hour reserve and antimagnetic properties, on the Hodinkee podcast. And this week, a very exciting new automatic was announced by a surprising source: Ronda. The R150 launched in 2016 Ronda is a well-known Swiss manufacturer that was founded in 1946. Over their 80 years of existence, they have specialized in many things, from component manufacturing to ebauchés and full mechanical movements to, beginning in the 1970s, quartz calibers, which is what they are best known for today....

And quickly, as with all things enjoyable, we have come to the 7th article. This month, it is a mix of champagnes and still wines. Here is the run-down.

The Omega Speedmaster may be legendary, but that does not mean your collection needs one. Here’s who should buy it and who should look elsewhere.

Tudor’s partnership with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team is now entering its third season, and by now it has produced a small family of watches that is beginning to stand on its own. After the two joined forces in 2024, we got the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic Blue, giving F1 fans […]

Another Friday, another list. After picking our five favorite watches from the 1980s and the 1990s, it’s time to move on to the 2000s. By the turn of the millennium, mechanical watches had returned in full glory. If you were around in the early 2000s, you are undoubtedly aware of the rise of oversized watches. […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Iconic Watches From The 2000s to read the full article.

How much will this Steve McQueen Heuer Monaco sell for when it goes under the hammer on Monday in New York?

The Ocean Star 39, introduced in 2024, is one of the great propositions in Mido’s catalogue. Compact dimensions, a slim profile, and solid diving credentials make it a modern interpretation of the brand’s long-running Ocean Star collection, which traces its roots back to the 1940s. Now, the collection expands with a new reference, the Ocean […]

MB&F;'s twelfth Horological Machine is a flying-tourbillon wristwatch that docks inside a 15 kg, nearly 400 mm tall transforming robot companion, and only 36 will ever exist. MB&F; HM12 The Guardian: a flying-tourbillon wristwatch that docks inside a 15 kg, 400mm-tall transforming robot. Only 36 pieces ever, then it's gone.

The heat is on once again. The Fratello team members will share the best summer watches according to them, and I’ll kick off the hottest series of the year. I’ve picked the best summer watches I could find, ranging from sub-€1k to above €10k and beyond. Sun’s out, watches out! I’m not sure if it’s […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches — Lex’s Picks From Dennison, Panerai, And Certina (Again) to read the full article.

In 1989, Geneva’s storied watchmaker unveiled the most complicated watch ever made – the Patek Philippe Calibre 89. The genesis of the Calibre 89 arguably started almost a century before with a watch made in Besançon, the historical heart of French watchmaking. In 1977, the Association Française des Amateurs d’Horlogerie Ancienne (AFAHA) published the first issue of its journal Horlogerie Ancienne. The watch on the cover was the Leroy 01. The caption on the inside front page read, “Montre Leroy 01, la plus compliquée du monde” – “The most complicated watch in the world”. Inside, on page 15, a short article made the case: the Leroy 01, completed in 1904 by the Parisian firm of Louis Leroy for the Portuguese collector António Augusto de Carvalho Monteiro, held a title that no other timepiece had successfully disputed. In Geneva, the claim was noted. The first issue of Horlogerie Ancienne of 1977. Image – SJX composite/AFAHA Two years later, in early June 1979, Philippe Stern was at his desk in Patek Philippe’s offices on the rue du Rhône when Max Studer, the firm’s technical director, came in for what the records describe as a routine meeting. The 150th anniversary of the manufacture was a decade away. Among the ideas being considered to celebrate the occasion was a reproduction of the Henry Graves Jr. Supercomplication, the watch Patek had built in 1932, with its twenty-four complications, that had served as the benchmark of mechanical ambition ev...

It’s become increasingly hard, if not almost impossible, for brands to impress us with integrated-bracelet sport watches. There are only a handful that get it right from the start. With the Perception, the Sino-French brand Atelier Wen instantly created waves in 2022. It showed that not all great traditional watchmaking has to come from Switzerland. […] Visit The Atelier Wen Perception V3 Yún Proves That Something Great Can Become Even Better to read the full article.

It will be impossible to talk about the new Trafford Crossroads S without discussing the size of the case in great detail, which I fear might be disservice to the watch as a whole, because there are a lot of very nice things about the Crossroads, and it’s one of the most charming new watches from a microbrand that I’ve seen in some time. But the case size is critical, because Trafford has walked a very interesting line with this release, debuting the Crossroads S in two sizes and marketing each based on how they feel the case wears, not its actual measured size. It’s getting by on vibes, as the kids sometimes say. It also capitalizes smartly on the growing trend we’ve seen for smaller, more discreet watches in a really interesting way.  The Crossroads S is actually two watches: the Crossroads S 36 and the Crossroads S 40. Neither of these watches are named for their actual measurements, though. Instead, Trafford has used these pretty commonly understood sizing conventions to name the watches based on how, in their estimation, they actually wear. The Crossroads S 40 measures 35mm x 36mm, while the Crossroads S 36 comes in at 31mm by 32mm (both are 9mm thick). Looking at the watches side by side, and compared to other watches in circular cases that are true 40mm and 36mm cases is an interesting lesson in how we perceive size depending on shape. It also, in my opinion, illustrates how one of these watches is absolutely the “correct” size while another is, well, n...

The latest release become an elevated entry point into the undeniably appealing world of Timex Atelier

We’re back in Chicago and we feel it! From July 10–12, Windup Watch Fair Chicago returns for its fifth year, bringing together over 70 watch brands, thousands of enthusiasts, and some of the best conversations in watch collecting. This year, we’re excited to welcome everyone to an all-new home: Morgan MFG, a stunning industrial event space located just steps from Chicago’s vibrant Fulton Market district. Windup Watch Fair Chicago Friday, June 10 – Sunday, June 12, 2026 Morgan MFG 401 N Morgan St Suite #100 Chicago, IL 60642 Free and open to everyone. No registration necessary. The move to Morgan MFG marks an exciting new chapter for Windup Chicago. The venue offers significantly more room to explore, gather, and discover, along with something every watch enthusiast appreciates: incredible natural light. Whether you’re photographing your latest find, evaluating a new release, or simply enjoying a weekend surrounded by fellow enthusiasts, Morgan MFG provides an ideal backdrop for what promises to be our biggest Chicago event yet. As always, admission is free and open to everyone, making Windup the perfect place for seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers alike to get hands-on with watches they may have only seen online. We’re also thrilled to announce our lead sponsors for Windup Watch Fair Chicago 2026: Atelier Wen, Christopher Ward, Citizen, eBay Live, and Oris. We’re so grateful to our returning Lead Sponsors with their enthusiast-tuned collections. Stay tuned ...

The Autodromo Group C Turbo Sport pairs an analog dial with a digital display for the first time in the brand's history.

A Texas businessman filed legal action against Liberty Media and the operators of the Formula 1 racetrack in Austin, Circuit of the Americas (COTA), alleging they failed to protect patrons from a criminal gang targeting high-profile watches at the F1 Grand Prix of the United States.  The Richard Mille watch that was allegedly stolen by a gang at the F1 race in Austin.(Photo courtesy of Nicholas Saady, plaintiff's lawyer) Dean Whitlock alleges his Richard Mille RM 65-01 Split-Seconds Chronograph "LeBron James" was forcibly taken from his wrist by a group of thieves at the F1 race in October 2025. The theft occurred the day after another racegoer had their Richard Mille watch stolen by the same group of thieves at the event, the lawsuit, filed in the District Court of Travis County, Texas, alleges. A spokesperson for Formula 1, the racing series controlled by Liberty Media Corporation, declined to comment. Media representatives of the Circuit Of The Americas LLC did not respond to a request for comment. The companies have yet to respond to the lawsuit, which seeks "more than $200,000 but not more than $1,000,000" in damages and states that it will cost approximately $750,000 to replace the specific timepiece, according to secondary market values.  The case underscores the rising number of targeted luxury watch thefts in some regions. It raises questions as to who is responsible for personal security when someone wears a wristwatch valued at more than half a million dollars...

Christopher Ward and French watch artist seconde/seconde/ have partnered to produce the ultimate summer holiday watch for enthusiasts

Since becoming World Sponsor and Official Timekeeper of the famous Italian endurance rally in 1988, Chopard has created a large family of chronographs inspired by the cars, drivers and roads that made the Mille Miglia a legendary event. Among the most challenging sections of the route is the Raticosa Pass, a mountain road that has […]

Lately, no matter where I turn, I feel that I’m confronted with small watches, with exotic dials, and, with increasing frequency, set with diamonds or precious stones of some kind. It’s a well established trend at this point across both very high end luxury brands and more accessible fare, so it should never really be a surprise when a watchmaker takes a stab at something small and blingy. What is sometimes interesting to clock, however, is how a brand positions a watch like this, because there are multiple clear strategies and I think it’s interesting to consider what it says about the brand depending on the route they take. Watches in this category, or watches that bump against this category, tend to be watches that can traditionally be marketed toward women exclusively. If they’re relatively small and set with diamonds, they can be seen as inherently feminine, almost across the board. Some brands, however, lean into the current moment that is seeing men and women appreciate watches in this category.  Bell & Ross, who have just released the BR–05 36MM Blue Diamond Eagle Diamond (yes, that’s the actual name of the watch) have taken the former approach. The watch “asserts a femininity that is both timeless and contemporary,” according to their press release. The Blue Diamond Eagle Diamond (let’s go with BDED from here on out, an acronym that will almost certainly never be repeated in these pages) is a new take on the just released (in March) BR-05 36 mm ...

Christopher Ward and seconde/seconde/ team up for the fourth time. This time, we get the Christopher Ward C60 Pool Diver, a lighthearted take on the holiday/vacation watch. At its core, this is still the capable C60 Trident Reef, but it is covered — and I mean absolutely covered — in gags. If it’s a full […] Visit Introducing: The Christopher Ward C60 Pool Diver With Seconde/Seconde/ to read the full article.