Latest watch news · Page 4

The beloved vintage-inspired chronograph gets a new dial color, and it's a serious upgrade from the forest green original. The Chopard L.U.C 1963 Heritage Chronograph is back in a deep Prussian Blue dial, limited to just 25 pieces with the same excellent L.U.C 03.07-L calibre.

A decade after its debut, Tudor's explorer icon returns sharper, more refined, and with a GMT complication that changes the whole proposition. The Tudor Northflag GMT revives the discontinued North Flag with a new GMT movement, improved case finishing, and lume blocks. Here's what you need to know.

A jumping hour complication rooted in real independent watchmaking history, wrapped in the M.A.D.Editions formula. The MB&F; M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese brings a legendary jumping hour complication to the accessible M.A.D.Editions line, with a hidden rotor and a nod to watchmaking's rebellious past.

What We Know Last week, Vacheron Constantin presented the latest in their Métiers d'Art collection, the Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Animal Kingdom. The impressive collection, which is based on Vacheron's four-aperture display Métiers d'Art watch, is made up of six watches, each featuring a facsimile of an animal made out of an unexpected blend of materials and construction. Notably, each dial in the series was created not by a watchmaker, but rather by an independent artist. This last part is key to the Métiers d'Art idea, which offers watches as a platform for artistry of all sorts, resulting in a collection unlike any other I can think of. The six watches that make up this collection are the: Feathersnake, which features a snake made of several hundred pieces of Lophophore and Goose feather; Glassoctopus, which features a hand-melted and shaped glass octopus set on a hand-guilloched gold-base coated in dark blue; Oraygami, which sets a fever of origami paper rays again against a hand-guilloched gold-base finished in blue; Tigerbroidery, which renders a tiger through an embroidered silk dial using yellow and white gold wire, black ceramic–coated wire, and British and Japanese silk; Papercroc, which uses paper sculpture to evoke a crocodile; and Woodenwings, which features a marquetry dial rendition of a flacon. To go into the process behind each of these dials would take up far more time and space than is available here (maybe something to go into if ever I get to ...

We knew some big moments would come as Tudor notches its impressive 100th anniversary as a brand this year, and this is one of them: the revival of the North Flag. The aptly named collection has come to serve as the north star for Tudor’s modern offerings and set the tone for the brand in the past decade. When the model first debuted in 2015, it marked the first Tudor watch to house an in-house movement coupled with an exhibition caseback to show it off. The COSC-certified Caliber MT5621 that powered the original was just the jumping off point for Tudor to upgrade models across its catalog with manufacture movements and chronometer certification. Now, in the newly revived North Flag line, we get even greater attention on technical capabilities with METAS certification, giving it Master Chronometer status, as well as the addition of a GMT complication.Despite the advancements we’ve seen throughout the North Flag collection and in the newest edition today, the model remains deeply rooted in Tudor’s history and makes for a fitting addition to its 100th anniversary offerings. The Ranger II from 1973 has served as the historic touchpoint for the collection since its inception. There are several key design codes that create a throughline from the Ranger II to the original North Flag and now the latest edition. These include the black dial with large Arabic numeral hour markers, the arrow-shaped 24-hour and hours hands coupled with an angular seconds hand and a baton-shaped...

What We Know Only seven years ago, Czapek, a brand over 180 years old, opened its first modern boutique in Geneva, right next to the brand's original workshop from 1839. Soon after, it opened its first boutique on the Place Vendôme in Paris. Its first collection, called "Quai des Bergues," celebrated the first boutique; another collection celebrated that boutique in France. Now, the brand has reopened its Geneva boutique with a new look and is celebrating with a new watch from each collection. The newest Quai des Bergues "Midnight in Geneva" uses the brand's proprietary SXH1 hand-wound movement, cased in a mid-sized 40.5mm by 11.9mm stainless steel case with sandblasted, hollowed-out lugs. The watch is an impressive bit of watchmaking in a really elegant form. The watch has a power reserve indicator, weekday indicator, and subsidiary seconds, but the power reserve is a massive 7 days. The elegance comes in part from a beautiful dark blue aventurine dial with silver powder-coated steel Fleur-de-Lys hands, printed elongated Roman numerals, and a chemin de fer outer track. The watch, with a 50-meter water resistance, is limited to 18 pieces and retails for $28,600. The Place Vendôme Complicité Glacier Blue is a new treatment for the brand's open-worked double-escapement watch created in collaboration with Bernhard Lederer. While the previous watch was technically impressive but visually reserved, the Place Vendôme Complicité puts complexity at the forefront. The watch fe...

The master of materials is at it again, not giving us a completely new tactile feel for our watches with the new Soft Touch rubber.

Louis Moinet at the Pitstop cafe in the Quai des Bergues and got this hands-on with the two novelties: the Moon Meteor and the Stellarium Tourbillon.

What We Know While not a part of Geneva Watch Days (which starts this week), Chopard is preempting the show a bit with two new 25-piece limited editions in their L.U.C. line—the brand's in-house haute horlogerie division. The first up (and more expensive of the two) is the L.U.C. 1963 Heritage Regulator, a 40mm by 10.3mm watch in 18k ethical white gold with 30m water resistance. The dial—which conveys hours (in a subdial), regulator-style minutes, GMT, power reserve, running seconds, and date—is a sunburst-finished silver tone with blue-transferred numbers. The caseback showcases the manually wound, four-barrel (in series) L.U.C 98.02-L movement layout that delivers a massive 9 days of power (part of the Chopard Quattro technology). This kind of high-power-reserve movement has become pretty normalized for Chopard and, because of that, I don't think it gets the appreciation it deserves. The movement, running at 4Hz, is also fantastically finished and features a Poinçon de Genève quality hallmark, plus COSC accuracy certification. As mentioned, the L.U.C. 1963 Heritage Regulator is limited to 25 pieces and is now available, retailing for $50,900. On the sportier end of things is the 42mm by 11.48mm 1963 Heritage Chronograph cased in Lucent Steel. It features a deep blue sunburst-polished, galvanic-treated dial, an eggshell-colored printed dial, and Rhodium-plated white gold hands for the hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph, and 30-minute and 12-hour counters. The wa...

Marking a pronounced design shift for the British watchmaker, Bremont released the bold Terra Nova Jumping Hour model in 2025. A field watch inspired by early 20th-century military pocket watches and World War I trench watches, the Jumping Hour comes with two different displays: a 38mm montre à guichet-style watch with a covered dial and […]

A decade after it first debuted, Tudor has revived the Northflag. Originally a 1970s-inspired sports watch to showcase Tudor’s first-ever in-house movement, the Northflag has been upgraded inside and out. The rebooted Northflag gains a GMT function plus refinements all round, ranging from superior detailing on the case to lume blocks on the dial. And the movement is now a Master Chronometer, while the price stays true to Tudor’s value-oriented focus at just over US$5,500. Initial thoughts The original North Flag was a bit quirky with its power reserve indicator, and also probably ahead of its time; a Tudor with an in-house movement seemed like an odd concept back then. I liked it then, but the North Flag wasn’t a commercial success, so it is surprising that Tudor has revived the model. But the new Northflag is an immediately appealing watch, reflecting Tudor’s advancements in design, manufacturing, and branding. In fact, the Northflag is one of the most interesting watches in the current Tudor catalogue, alongside the equally recent Monarch. Although practically everything Tudor makes is well priced and an easy recommendation, almost all of Tudor’s best watches are variations of the Oyster case and Black Bay diver. The Northflag, on the other hand, is something else entirely. The angular, 1970s-style case is different, as is the dial. But all the elements are harmonious, and the design works. This is one of my strongest recommendations in the Tudor line-up today,...

First presented in 2015, the Tudor Northflag (back then named the North Flag) was an important model for the brand. Not only did it bring back a 1970s style – that of the slightly controversial Ranger II, a bold exploration-inspired take on the integrated sports watch – but it mostly was Tudor’s first watch with […]

Tudor's latest GMT watch is not what you might think... The Tudor Northflag is back with a bang

It’s fair to say that since Manuel Emch joined Louis Erard in 2021, the brand has blossomed. Whether it’s the wide range of collaboration watches produced with esteemed watchmakers (Silberstein, Chaykin, Halter) or its lineup of beautiful dials, often crafted with traditional decorative techniques at accessible prices, Louis Erard has become a go-to brand for […]

From the imposing astronomical clocks of Tudor England to the exquisite pendant watches of Victorian Britain, timekeeping has long been a symbol of power, prestige, and technological marvel within Europe’s royal courts. This new series explores the fascinating evolution of clocks and watches crafted specifically for royalty, tracing how these intricate masterpieces reflected the tastes, ambitions, and innovations of monarchs. Through the lens of craftsmanship, artistry, and historical significance, we reveal how these royal timepieces marked the passage of dynasties and empires. King George III, who reigned from 1760 to 1820, had a deep interest in science, particularly astronomy, horology, mathematics, and natural philosophy. He was one of the most scientifically minded British monarchs and commissioned several important horological instruments and supported scientific institutions during his reign. King George III (1738–1820) is often remembered for his struggles with mental illness during his long reign, but he was also deeply engaged in science, astronomy, and horology. Although his interest did not necessarily come directly from his grandfather, King George II, there are examples of important commissions made prior to him succeeding to the throne. One such piece is the magnificent Grand Orrery below made by leading London maker, Thomas Wright in 1733. Image 1 – George II’s Grand Orrery, Fleet Street, made by Thomas Wright, c.1733. King’s College London © T...

Czapek returns to its historical roots in Quai des Bergues with a new boutique. Releases 2 new models in the Quai des Bergues and Place Vendome collections.

Tudor just unveiled its new Northflag watch. The name isn’t new, as the brand initially launched this explorer’s model in 2015, just before Baselworld. I clearly recall that launch, which featured Tudor bringing Land Rover Defenders into a dark Swiss forest (ensuring safety) to reveal the watches inside an adventurous tipi tent setup. The Tudor […] Visit A New Adventure With A Familiar Name: The New Tudor Northflag GMT to read the full article.

What We Know Tudor's North Flag has always been something of an outlier. It was originally launched in 2015 at Baselworld and was the first Tudor to feature one of the brand's in-house movements. Only ever available in two specs, on a bracelet or on a leather strap, the North Flag (91210N) was discontinued in 2021. Today, the Northflag (now one word) returns, evolving the 2015 offering with a single reference that sports a 24-hour hand for a second time zone.  The new Northflag, ref. 9140G1A0U, uses 316L stainless steel for its 40mm case and integrated bracelet. The case is 12.7mm thick and 48.8mm lug-to-lug. Compared with the 40 x 13.3 x 50mm of the original North Flag, this new model should be more compatible with smaller wrists thanks to its more compact dimensions. The water resistance is 100 meters, and it has a domed sapphire crystal up front and a display caseback.  Inside, and viewable via that display caseback, is Tudor's MT5652-U automatic movement. It's a 4Hz METAS-certified Master Chronometer with a stated accuracy of -0 to +5 seconds/day. For those keeping track, this is the same second time zone-equipped movement found in the Pelagos FXD GMT. Both the date and the GMT function are set via the crown, and adjusting the second time zone is done by jumping the local hour hand to a new time zone (such as when you land at your destination) in standard "flyer" GMT functionality.  Like its predecessor, the second-gen Northflag's dial is black, with minimal text an...

A celebration of proper independent watchmaking, looking back at the early days of creative thinking, unusual displays and complications that, back then, felt almost rebellious. A best of all we love here at MONOCHROME, served on a platter by the great minds of MB&F;… And at a fairly attainable price, as you’d now expect from […]

The new M.A.D.Editions M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese might just be the best design the brand has cooked up yet.

Ask any watch fan about the different M.A.D.Editions, and you’ll probably hear about the wacky, colorful aspects of the M.A.D.1 or the bonkers and fun modifications to the standard off-the-shelf caliber that powers the watches. For the new M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese, the brand presents a watch that almost looks deceivingly modest. But we all know […] Visit Paying Homage To “The Troublemaker Of Watchmaking” With The M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese to read the full article.

For it’s third M.A.D. Edition, MB&F; has reimagined Vincent Calabrese’s signature jumping hours complication. While still allocated via raffle, the M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese represents a significant departure for MB&F;’s entry level sub-brand, being the first to fully conceal the winding rotor and the first to be based on a historical design from a notable watchmaker. Initial thoughts Vincent Calabrese is a pioneering independent watchmaker who co-founded the Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI) alongside Svend Andersen in 1985. Mr Calabrese is perhaps most well known for developing highly original movements for other brands including the Corum Golden Bridge and the first-ever flying tourbillon wristwatch movement for Blancpain in 1989. But Mr Calabrese also produced watches under his own name, including the Baladin that served as the inspiration for M.A.D.3. Maximilian Büsser and Mr Calabrese have been friends for years and discussed collaborating on a watch project many times, but the M.A.D.3 is their first joint effort. The M.A.D.3 is affordable as such things go, at CHF2,900. That’s roughly equivalent to where original Baladins trade on the secondary market, depending on the specifics. But the M.A.D.3 is a worthy remake in a more contemporary size and should prove more reliable and easier to service when the time comes. For better or worse, the solid value proposition almost dictates a mechanism to manage demand, so buying a M.A.D.3 isn’t a...

Today marks the introduction of the M.A.D.3, the third entry in the MB&F; spinoff, M.A.D.Editions brand. If you've spent the past few years entering raffle after raffle in hopes of securing a watch from the brand, this new design may offer another opportunity in this game of chance. The groundbreaking first entry in the series came from the mind of none other than Max Büsser, and the very different follow-up was spearheaded by prominent watch designer and frequent MB&F; collaborator Eric Giroud. This third edition taps into a watchmaker who, while quite a bit further out from the direct radius of MB&F;, has always maintained a philosophy on the expression of time in a very similar vein. An example of a Corum Golden Bridge. Photo courtesy of Das Kunst- und Auktionshaus Kastern GmbH & Co.KG. Calabrese's Baladin. Photo courtesy Christie's. Vincent Calabrese, though not necessarily a household name like many of his contemporaries, is certainly a legend. He's the man responsible for the iconic floating-movement architecture of the Corum Golden Bridge and the co-founder of the independent watchmaking consortium Académie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendants (AHCI, as you might more commonly know it). And among the dozens of patents behind his name, and many inventive executions of complications, he's always played with the concept of displaying the time. So I suppose Calabrese and Büsser are a match made in heaven, and here, we have the M.A.D.3 edition in all of its bright, sa...

More than a decade after unveiling its first in-house minute repeater, Piaget has revived the once-record-setting calibre in a familiar-looking guise. The new Polo Minute Repeater pairs the ultra-thin, micro-rotor cal. 1209P with the modern Polo case and a striking, partially open-worked guilloche dial. Initial thoughts The Polo Minute Repeater is a new watch, but it bears a striking resemblance to the Emperador Coussin of 2013. This isn’t that surprising, since the contemporary Polo — refreshed in 2016 — borrows significantly from the Emperador’s case design. But in this case the similarity is more than skin deep, since the Polo Minute Repeater shares the same movement as its predecessor: the cal. 1209P. This ultra-thin calibre was once the world’s thinnest minute repeater — a title it maintained for three years before the launch of the Bulgari BVL 362, based on a 1980s Gerald Genta calibre. The Polo is big but flat, measuring 48 mm wide but just 9.3 mm thick. The size is partly due to the movement construction, which spreads out the major component groups into two slim planes with the escapement, micro-rotor, and twin minute repeater hammers on on one level, and the racks and centripetal governor on top. This 2010s-era sizing is arguably out of step with current fads where small watches are all the rage, but the watch is elegant and evokes 1970s “jumbo” watches with its wide-but-flat profile. In any case, wearability is probably a moot point considering t...