Latest watch news · Page 393

Last week, midway through the watch industry’s biggest trade show, Donald Trump announced 31% tariffs on Swiss imports. The proposed tariffs, enacted as of this morning, immediately became the focus of many discussions in Geneva between brands, retailers, and the press, at Palexpo and beyond. The United States is the largest importer of Swiss watches in the world, so a new tariff of 31% on Swiss imports to the US has the potential to reshape not just the watch market in the United States, but the industry as a whole.  The announcement could not have come at a more pressure packed time. The entire watch industry – retailers, brands, manufacturing partners, collectors, and executives – was gathered in Geneva last week, doing the business that normally shapes the arc of the year. As the news was absorbed on Thursday, we witnessed brands and retailers reacting in real time, changing or solidifying plans as appropriate. The inescapable nature of the topic in meetings meant to showcase new products underscored the seriousness of Trump’s announcement, and the potential implications.  In seeking to understand the ramifications of the planned tariffs, we sought out an economist to help firm up our understanding of what the administration is seeking to accomplish. Brendan Cunningham is a professor of economics at Eastern Connecticut State University, and the author of Horolonomics, a website dedicated to “economic complications in watchmaking.” We started by defining o...

Christopher Ward says US consumers will have to absorb the 31% tariff on Swiss watches.

Just as Watches & Wonders 2025 comes to a close, Patek Philippe is opening the doors of its annual showcase of Rare Handcrafts at its historical home base along the Geneva waterfront. Now open for a period of three weeks rather than two as was the case for the 2024 exhibition, the exhibition features dozens of Dome Clocks, wristwatches, and pocket watches embellished with miniature enamel painting, cloisonné, marquetry, hand engraving, and other artistic forms of decoration. The view from the salon with the historic Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues on the left hidden by trees In addition to the usual nature-inspired themes, this year’s collection plays to nostalgia, including both rose-coloured memories of the past and antiquarian visions of the future. Visiting the Rare Handcrafts exhibit is enjoyable because intellectually it’s a level playing field; it’s mostly the same clocks and watches with the same specs and movements dressed up in different ways. This fact makes it easier to pay attention to one’s own heart, and to get drawn into the creations on an emotional level. Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50R-020 “Regent Street” Clocks While the selection of clocks is naturally centered around the brand’s iconic Dome Clocks, Patek is also bringing back desk clocks with a new version of the ref. 27001M which sold for more than US$10 million at Only Watch in 2021. For the corporate titan who has everything, the million-franc desk clock ref. 27000M is embellished with e...

The actor, and TAG Heuer ambassador, talks to us about the thought-provoking (and personal) new tagline and what it means to him.

watches and wonders 2025 patek vacheron lange

One editor takes the "F1" film release, the other takes the newest ceramic case from IWC. You choose which comes out on top.

With Christine Hutter at the helm, Moritz Grossmann – an indie brand that since 2008 pays tribute to one of the pioneers of Glashütte’s watchmaking – has consistently showcased its prowess in crafting technically sophisticated timepieces. The brand has also impressed with exquisitely crafted dials created using time-honoured techniques. This year marks an intriguing evolution […]

By some measures, Watches & Wonders 2025 was the biggest ever. Visitors rose 12% on the previous year to 55,000, and more inconveniently, the hotel room-nights were up 17% to 43,000, perhaps explaining why accommodation gets more expensive every year (but fortunately still far from the extortion of Basel). But I am certain by other measures Watches & Wonders (W&W;) was a down year. Orders by retailers for new watches are surely lower than a year before. There was an undercurrent of concern throughout the fair, even before American tariffs were announced halfway through. But as is often the case, most executives acknowledge a slowdown but predict their brand will outperform because it is better. The best of the Land-Dweller variants, the 40 mm in platinum Big and small brands One of the most interesting developments this year is the degree of novelty at big brands compared to independent watchmakers. In recent history indies tended to have the more notable creations – the F.P. Journe FFC from two years ago is one of the all-time greats – but this year the opposite happened. The two best launches during W&W; season came from big brands (or at least an establishment brand owned by a big group): the Rolex Land-Dweller and the Vacheron Constantin Solaria Ultra Grand Complication. The Land-Dweller incorporates an extraordinary number of innovations in its cal. 7135, while the Solaria is the most complicated wristwatch ever made, but importantly, it gained the title with a clev...

This Canadian accessories brand makes some cracking watch cases, as well as other useful horological accessories.The post Treat yourself to handcrafted luxury with Charles Simon accessories appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

It’s no secret that we are fans of the Tissot PRX here at Fratello. Multiple team members, including yours truly, own a PRX Powermatic 80, so we meet any new addition to the lineup with great interest. The latest expansion of the extensive PRX collection is a pair of red-dial versions of the PRX Quartz […] Visit Introducing: Bright Red Sunburst Dials For The Tissot PRX Quartz to read the full article.

Every year, in the months before Watches and Wonders, we receive a lot of press releases and watches up front. That way, we’re well prepared when the fair finally opens its doors. This time, we also asked Hermès whether it would be possible to get a preview of what the brand was working on. However, […] Visit Introducing: The Hermès Arceau And Cut Le Temps Suspendu Along With The Arceau Rocabar De Rire to read the full article.

As minimalist as it gets in the hand-made independent space.The post The stunningly simple Raúl Pagès RP2 is austere only at a glance appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introduced in 2010, De Bethune’s DB28 family distils the essence of Denis Flageollet’s unique watchmaking style with its futuristic silhouette, floating lugs, delta-shaped barrel bridge, exposed balance wheel, and, more often than not, the brand’s signature blued titanium elements. In 2015, the DB28 was revisited in a sportier version with a 100m water-resistant case known […]

Watches and Wonders is over, and it’s time to pick my favorite releases from Geneva. Fratello was there with a team of eight people to ensure we covered all the new watches we thought were interesting to read about. The Watches and Wonders show is also an excellent opportunity to meet with other people in […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - RJ’s Picks From Piaget, Chopard, Rolex, And More to read the full article.

GaryG has the pleasure of covering the wonderful Grönefeld One Hertz. For a watch fanatic, and especially for lovers of independent watch brands, it’s a dream come true to meet the makers of the watches that we admire.

Although I became a big Depeche Mode fan later, the most annoying song of the 1980s was “Just Can’t Get Enough.” The overly simple melody by the English electronic band haunted me when it played on the radio and when it wasn’t on. That simple song, with its sharp synthesizer sounds, square and steady disco […] Visit I Just Can’t Get Enough Of The New Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar to read the full article.

Amid the flurry of news over the past week, it’s easy to miss some of the key releases at Watches and Wonders 2025. Today, we’ll recap Panerai’s latest introductions with a roundup of all the new models. It was a good year for the maker of dive-inspired watches! We always look forward to novelties from […] Visit A Roundup Of All The Panerai Releases At Watches And Wonders 2025 to read the full article.

Brands from Parmigiani to Ulysse Nardin, Hermès, and Oris see few reasons to raise volumes.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that my meeting with Bremont at this year’s Watches & Wonders was among my most anticipated. For better or worse (probably worse, if you survey watch industry vets, media types, and longtime enthusiasts) Bremont’s output dominated much of the conversation during and after last year’s event. It was the brand’s first Watches & Wonders, and the public unveiling of an entirely new look for the brand. As I’m sure many readers will remember, it did not go over particularly well. But 2025 is a new year, and a new opportunity for Bremont to crystallize in the mind of observers what this new era will be about. Because, to be sure, it will not be like “old” Bremont. That ship has sailed, and while some of the watches introduced this year are in direct conversation with Bremont classics, they are still distinctly their own thing. That’s not a judgement, but it’s the reason why some Bremont loyalists will continue to dismiss the new novelties, even if from a bird’s eye view they appear that they might be a return to form. By the same token, someone like me, who was never really a hardcore Bremont enthusiast to begin with, might see silver linings and positive steps forward for the brand.  This is perhaps a longwinded way of saying that Bremont’s output at Watches & Wonders this year was a mixed bag, but a big improvement over last year. More importantly, regardless of whether you like the watches they debuted at the show, the vi...

Less pop, more poise.

Despite being an experienced watchmaker in his 50s, Nicolas Delaloye remains one of the discreet names in the independent watchmaking scene. But there are good reasons for that. This AHCI member just regained his independence and re-started making watches a few months ago, after a long period serving as a watchmaker-restorer at the Patek Philippe […]

Behind the scenes at one of the world's most unique and comprehensive archives of horology.

The perfect vintage-inspired French chronograph for a vintage-inspired French road race, this Scalegraph hits all the right notes.The post The Baltic Scalegraph x Tour Auto packages racing blues in a new water-resistant case appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Twenty years after the release of the Bell & Ross BR-01, which first showcased the square case shape and bold legibility that would become their aesthetic hallmarks, the Franco-Swiss brand is celebrating with new iterations of their most popular and recognizable watches. Among these new editions are four versions of the BR-05 36mm, which gives the model a smaller size and new dial colorways.  The most noticeable update to the BR-05 is right there in its name-the smaller and thinner satin-polished steel case measures at 36mm in diameter and 8.5mm in thickness, giving it significantly less heft than the previous 40, 41, and 42mm models. Four screws ensure that the upper section of the case is hermetically sealed to the bottom, and give the iconic rounded square extra urban-industrial character. An integrated bracelet furthers the watch’s sporty-yet-elegant silhouette, secured by a folding satin-finished buckle. A screw-down crown flanked by guards and emblazoned with the Bell & Ross ampersand logo ensures 100 meters of water resistance, while a Caliber BR-CAL.329 automatic movement ticks away inside, maintaining a 54-hour power reserve.  Each of the four new models features identical applique numerals and indexes, and skeletonised hour and minute hands (all filled with white Super-LumiNova X1). However, each dial varies in both color and material, all of which lean towards chic-versatility (yes, I did make that phrase up), but maintain a cohesive aesthetic. The first o...

Incredible and often one-of-a-kind Rare Handcraft creations, made using artisanal techniques such as enameling, engraving, marquetry, and gem setting, were on display.

Robin selects his top 3 timepieces from the recently concluded Watches & Wonders 2025.