Latest watch news · Page 37

When a watch brand celebrates a milestone with a high-profile ambassador, we usually know exactly what to expect: a limited-edition colorway, a signed caseback, and a predictable marketing campaign. But to celebrate 10 years with Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, Seiko threw out the playbook entirely. They didn’t just design a new dial. They spent three years engineering a completely bespoke, 1-of-1 mechanical marvel called the Seiko Star Time. The Inspiration: Shohei Ohtani’s Existential Question The Star Time wasn’t built for a catalog; it was built for Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.   To mark Ohtani’s 10th anniversary as a Seiko brand ambassador, the company set out to build a true piece unique. The concept was sparked by a philosophical question Ohtani himself asked: “How much time do I have left in my baseball career?”   Instead of a traditional chronograph that measures elapsed seconds, Seiko spent three years developing a watch that tracks the steady, relentless accumulation of time.  How Do You Count to a Million? It uses a newly architected in house movement to drive a highly unusual display of five concentric rotating discs. As the discs rotate, the numbers pass beneath a red line on the inner surface of the heavily domed sapphire crystal.  One million hours equates to just over 114 years of continuous tracking. The outer discs move so slowly that their motion is entirely imperceptible to the naked eye. Seiko design...

You could make the argument that, among all brands, models, and complications, the Patek Philippe split-seconds wristwatch is one of the most overlooked, underappreciated, and least understood in any catalog. "That's because no one ever sees them," said Ben, when I made that very argument in the office recently. True. It's hard to call a watch underappreciated when the entry point for buying one is in the low six figures. But let me explain. The Patek Philippe ref. 5373. Think about this: the first chronograph wristwatch Patek ever made was a split-seconds. The first. Oh, and it was the first made by any brand. And while people are clamoring for perpetual calendar references like the 2497, 3448, and 3940, Patek has made at least 44 different perpetual calendar wristwatch models over the years (not counting different case materials, gems, or the 3971). How many serially-produced split-seconds references? Well, about 12 or 13, depending on how you count them.  It wasn't until recently that the reference 5004—the first modern serially produced perpetual calendar split-second watch from Patek—began to receive its due at auction, and it finally broke a 13-year-old record for the reference. A 1436, the first serially produced rattrapante, can still be had for less than an F.P. Journe Chronomètre Bleu. That, frankly, is ridiculous. They're rare birds, and it's all the more impressive that we have nine of them on the table today, all from the same owner. The Patek Philippe r...

For the last several years, Islander has been a fan favorite at all the Windup Watch Fairs. Now, you can experience the same energy that Marc Frankel and his team bring to the Fairs right here in Brooklyn too. Join us and our friends from Islander on Thursday, August 6th from 6:30–8:30 PM in the […]

Casio’s new flagship aviation G-Shock is no longer just a launch announcement. UK pre-orders are now open for the GWR-B3000 Gravitymaster family, introducing a metal-supported structure, sapphire crystal and the first major evolution of Casio’s TOUGH MVT. analogue movement in 18 years. Three versions are entering the runway: the black-and-silver GWR-B3000-1A, the blue GWR-B3000A-2A and the coordinated grey GWR-B3000B-8A. All share the same Japanese-made construction, Tough Solar power, Multiband 6 radio control, Bluetooth connectivity and Triple G Resist protection. The choice is therefore about colour and finishing rather than accepting fewer functions on the least expensive model. UK pre-orders are open now Casio UK lists all three watches for pre-order, with expected delivery in four to six weeks. The GWR-B3000-1A costs £750, the blue GWR-B3000A-2A is £800 and the grey GWR-B3000B-8A reaches £870. Casio’s European pages mark the collection as new for August 2026; published European pricing is €799 for the 1A and €899 for both coloured versions. Official US pricing has not yet been announced. For international context only, conversions of the current British prices are approximately $1,010, $1,075 and $1,165 respectively. Those are currency conversions, not US recommended retail prices, so taxes and Casio’s eventual regional positioning may produce different numbers. ReferenceUK priceEuropean priceApprox. USDGWR-B3000-1A£750€799About $1,010GWR-B3000A-2A...

The Commonwealth Games return to Glasgow today, 23 July 2026, and Longines is marking the opening with a watch that looks as if it has borrowed its colour palette directly from the host city’s celebrations. The HydroConquest Commonwealth Games 2026 Edition combines the familiar toughness of Longines’ modern dive-watch family with teal, violet and pink details, then offers the result in two wearable case sizes. This is not merely a standard HydroConquest with a commemorative engraving. Longines has coordinated the dial, bezel and seconds hand around the visual identity of Glasgow 2026, while keeping the practical specifications collectors expect: 300-metre water resistance, a ceramic bezel, a silicon-equipped automatic movement and a properly adjustable rubber strap. There are also two distinct limited editions—39 mm and 42 mm—each restricted to 2,026 pieces. Glasgow 2026 begins today The 23rd Commonwealth Games run from 23 July to 2 August 2026. The compact programme brings up to 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories to Glasgow for 11 days of competition, supported by around 3,000 volunteers and roughly 500,000 available tickets. More than 200 gold medals will be awarded across ten sports, six of which include integrated Para competition. Those sports are athletics and Para athletics, artistic gymnastics, swimming and Para swimming, track cycling and Para track cycling, bowls and Para bowls, boxing, judo, netball, weightlifting and Para powerlifting, plus ...

Founded in 2010 by Belgian industrial designer Benoît Mintiens, Ressence questioned, from the start, something fundamental: how we read time. Its patented Ressence Orbital Convex System (ROCS), with its constantly rotating discs replacing conventional hands, has become one of the most recognisable displays in modern independent horology. Until recently, however, Ressence relied on a seriously […]

The colourful Orient Stretto models introduced earlier in 2026 are no longer just press-release watches: they are now appearing in official online stores and at authorised retailers. That change from “coming soon” to “available to buy” is the real news. Ten automatic references have arrived together, divided between the compact three-hand Stretto Date and the more elaborate Stretto Day & Night, giving buyers everything from restrained navy to unapologetic pink, orange and multicolour dials. The Stretto collection reaches stores Orient announced these watches on 10 February 2026, followed by the Japanese release on 26 February and an international launch during March. The important update is that the models can now be found in stores. Orient’s official UK shop lists all ten references with sterling prices and purchase pages, while Orient Germany shows the collection in euros. Availability will naturally vary by country and dealer, and the seasonal or limited references may disappear first, but collectors are no longer looking at prototypes or waiting for an undefined release date. Stretto itself is a young name, introduced in 2025 for Orient’s urban Contemporary range. The name comes from the Italian musical term for a passage that quickens towards a climax. That sense of accelerating energy suits this colourful second act rather well. The cases retain the architectural dial details of the original series, especially the wedge-shaped applied markers that Orient ...

Christopher Ward adds a sweet twist to The Twelve 36 with Pick ‘n’ Mix editions, textured, vibrant dials and just 50 pieces each.

One thing you can’t credibly accuse Christopher Ward of is being afraid of color. Hot on the heels of their Twelve Xander, a colorful and abstract limited edition collaboration with the Dial Artist that sold out in a single day, the UK based brand is back with the Twelve 36 (Ti) Pick ‘n’ Mix Limited Edition, a series of small Twelves that draw on a nostalgic love of sugary, colorful candy, the kind that you used to be able to buy in bulk by the pound at movie theaters to escape a hot summer day (sorry, but that’s a core memory for me).  These new 36mm editions of the Twelve are available in a total of six colorways, and their defining feature is a dial texture that the brand says replicates the sugar coating on the types of candy that we’re now, years and years later, told is essentially poison and that we should stay away from. The texture looks great in these Christopher Ward supplied images, but I’ll be honest: I’m not sure I immediately think of candy when viewing them, although I’m happy to make the connection. It begs the question, though, if every similar texture we’ve seen over these last few years is actually a candy dial? Something to think about.  OK, the dial colors. The collection consists of Sour Apple (green), Kola Krystals (brown), Fizzy Orange (orange), Cherry Pop (red), Blue Sherbet (blue), and Berry Burst (purple). In terms of candy alone, I feel the strongest pull toward Sour Apple (really, anything sour is immediately at the top of ...

If there was a way to celebrate the 225th anniversary of Breguet patenting the tourbillon, re-launching a version of the brand's iconic ref. 3350 was the obvious crowd-pleasing option. There was always something charming about that original tourbillon from the 1980s, but there were some downsides too. The new ref. 7357 is Breguet's best effort to solve those downsides, modernize, and give buyers what they say they've wanted for a long time. At a true-to-vintage 35mm diameter by 9.2mm thick (43mm lug-to-lug), with 30m of water resistance, it's the same but different. In a lot of great ways. For those not in the vintage or neo-vintage space, Breguet created an all-time great watch when Daniel Roth (prior to his own brand) worked for Breguet and modified a Nouvelle Lemania ébauche into a compact and impressive tourbillon wristwatch. You can see an original platinum ref. 3357 example below (the quick successor to the 3550). The tourbillon bridge design is different between these generations (both front and rear).  The guilloché pattern, finishing, and even the movement-side treatment are different, with a very neo-vintage hand engraving on the earlier example. That watch would forge the future of the Breguet brand and, after Breguet's then-owner, Chaumet, went bankrupt, push Roth to found his own brand, where the tourbillon became a focal point. So let's look at those changes a bit more closely. First things first, the new 7357 is, by no means, a budget option. Coming in at...

H. Moser & Cie. released its first minute repeater coupled with a tourbillon in 2019, exposing both complications on the dial. After several iterations, Moser unveiled an impressive, skeletonised take on the double-complication combo earlier this year. Since skeletonisation is often considered a complication in its own right, the triple-complication Endeavour Minute Repeater Cylindrical Tourbillon […]

Powered by light is still a niche option in the watch industry, but these Aquaracers from TAG Heuer prove the potential.

Summer is in full swing, and most of us are already in warmer climates or are getting ready to go there. That’s why we created a list of our favorite dive watches for the summer. We all know that dive watches don’t need color to work underwater. But summer isn’t just asking for water resistance. […] Visit The Top 10 Colorful Dive Watches For The Summer Of 2026 to read the full article.

If you have been following our Orient coverage lately, you will have noticed things have been anything but quiet. Earlier this year, the brand showcased its first no-date Bambino, and then Orient Star also presented the meteorite M34 F8 Date, followed shortly by the bold M34 F8 Skeleton. But let’s come back to Orient, the […]

Parmigiani Fleurier and Singapore's Sincere Haute Horlogerie has done it again! This time they released the Tonda PF Automatic 36mm Soft Violet SHH Edition.

During lunch with Aurel Bacs and Alex Ghotbi from the auction house Phillips, I started wondering out loud, “When are watches art?” What sparked my question was last month’s Phillips auction, which was the highest-grossing watch auction in US history. The sale made a record US$75.8 million, and every single lot was sold. No fewer […] Visit A Difficult Question That Needs Answering: When Are Watches Art? to read the full article.

Ask any seasoned collector what his or her grail watch was upon first entering the hobby, and chances are the answer will be very different from what it is today. As our knowledge grows and our tastes mature, so too do the watches we aspire to own. Sometimes the grail gets bigger, sometimes it gets […] Visit Fratello Talks: How Our Grail Watches Have Evolved Over Time to read the full article.

Few watch designs in history carry the timeless, effortless elegance of the Cartier Tank. Ever since Louis Cartier introduced the rectangular silhouette in 1917, it has been the gold standard for dress watches. But you don’t need to drop thousands of dollars to get that iconic Art Deco aesthetic on your wrist.  There is a specific kind of magic in the rectangular watch silhouette. It is an aesthetic that feels timeless, refined, and effortlessly chic, a design language that speaks of old-world elegance without being loud.  While the legendary Cartier Tank remains the gold standard for many, I have found that my own journey into watch collecting has been defined by finding that same “Tank” spirit in pieces that tell their own stories. Over the years, I have carefully curated a collection of rectangular timepieces that have become constant companions in my daily rotation. They aren’t just accessories, they are long-term partners that have seen me through countless days. Here is how I rank my personal collection of “Tank” alternatives. The Undisputed Champion: Seiko V115-0BE0 (SUP250) When searching for the ultimate homage to the Tank style minus the steep price tag, the Seiko V115-0BE0 (SUP250) easily emerges as the winner. Having spent years putting this watch through its paces, its status as my top pick is unquestionable. Its exceptional craftsmanship, refined finishing, and brilliant light play make it the ultimate spiritual heir to that luxury holy grail w...

Late last year, Rolex unveiled its accessories line, comprised of a range of cufflinks and the Submariner Date Desk Clock ref. 909010LN. In the typical Rolex fashion, the new accessories are conservatively styled; the desk clock is essentially a Submariner face enlarged to 80 mm. But in typical Rolex fashion, the clock is impressively made. The Submariner desk clock is an impressive piece of desk-bound timekeeping. Execution is top class with flawless fit and finish, while the mechanics (or more accurately, electronics) are advanced: the quartz movement incorporates a 400-year perpetual calendar, and surprisingly, decorative finishing. Initial thoughts The Submariner desk clock is an impressive object, sizeable, heavy, and clearly well made. It has to be seen – and held – in person to understand the quality of make. Elements like the brushed steel case (that’s ironically not water resistant), engraved bezel insert, and decorated movement speak to the precision manufacturing and finishing. This clock is a beautifully-made industrial creation. That said, the design is a boring. It’s basically a Submariner face blown up to 80 mm. Fans of the design will be pleased as Rolex did replicate the details of the wristwatch artfully, right down to the engraved flange around the dial and tiny crown within “Swiss made”. Fortunately, the insides of the clock are more advanced than the design. The cal. 8335 displays the time and date, but the date is actually a secular calend...

Three new Top times, one very specific 1963 Aston martin. wooden inner chapter ring, squircle sub-dials, Cal. B01 inside. Steel, steel-and-platinum, red gold, 1587 pieces in total. Breitling brings the Top Time back with three DB5 tributes: steel, steel/platinum bezel, red gold. Cal. B01, 41mm, limited runs 1022/315/250.

Breitling is no stranger to a racing inspired watch. Its history with the sport traces back to the debut of its Top Time collection back in 1964. Over the years the brand has most notably worked with Bentley Motors to create automotive-inspired wristwatches and dashboard-style clocks. In addition, we’ve seen Breitling commemorate several iconic models through its Top Time Classic Cars line, like the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Corvette, and Shelby Cobra. Earlier this year, Breitling made a pivot, announcing it was teaming up with Aston Martin and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team as the official watch partner. The duo’s first timepiece was the limited-edition Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 with a titanium case, carbon-fiber dial, and Aston Martin racing green accents. Now, we get another edition as Breitling gets back to its original racing roots with three new Top Time models that pay tribute to the Aston Martin DB5. The DB5 hailed from the same era as the original Top Time and was first introduced by Aston Martin in 1963. The model became one of the most iconic cars to grace the silver screen, namely films in the James Bond franchise, and cemented the luxury carmaker’s place in both automotive and pop culture history. Today, the two brands bring this spirit of the 60s into the modern era with the new Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 Tribute to Aston Martin DB5 in a trio of limited editions. The details of the new designs marry the codes of both makers with both tactile...

For 2026, Rolex had a pretty big year at Watches and Wonders Geneva. There was, of course, the much-debated high-end Rolesium and enamel Daytona, the revamped Yacht-Master II, or a new gold alloy named Jubilee gold for the Day-Date. Then, the Crown publicly showed the special edition steel and gold Oyster Perpetual 100th Anniversary. You thought […]

The Gebhard Duve-designed Audemars Piguet Disco Volante 5093 took the horological world by storm in the mid-1950s, and there’s no denying that it remains an exemplar of well-executed watch design today. With the combination of the ongoing Space Race and Mid-century futuristic design movement came an influx of wildly shaped and uniquely proportioned wristwatches throughout the middle portion of the 20th century. One of the most popular designs was the UFO, with brands like Omega, Timex, Zenith, Gruen, and Ruhla employing this case architecture in their 1950s, 60s, and even 70s catalogs. While I’ve had the chance to own a Timex UFO model and handle an Omega Dynamic, it’s the Ruhla you see pictured above that really caught my eye. Why? Let’s dig in. Brief History of Ruhla and The UFO Model Ruhla’s watch production, initially named “Gebrüder Thiel GmbH,” began in 1892 with its “Fearless” pocket watch, becoming the first mass-produced timepiece put to market. Fast forward decades later to 1952, and the company is renamed “Uhren und Maschinenfabrik Ruhla,” or Ruhla for short, and continues production of watches and movements for both the domestic East German and international markets. Ruhla quickly found great success throughout this era, with their plant becoming one of, if not the, world’s largest watchmaking factory. By 1963, the Ruhla logo seen on my UFO example was applied to all the company’s domestic models and was used until the brand’s closu...