Latest watch news · Page 40

Two new refined limited editions from Seiko celebrate a big anniversary with the brand's signature shade of blue.

What We Know The day after Memorial Day brings the promise of warmer days, long summer nights, and backyard cookouts. Timex and J.Crew have decided to mark the occasion in a way that feels entirely right for the season—and perfect for us here at Hodinkee—with the release of the Timex MK1 for J.Crew. The MK1 is one of Timex's most storied models, originally rooted in military-inspired design. This version trades military-spec field watch utility for a leisurely day on the water. Housed in a 36mm gold-plated stainless steel case with a clean white dial, crisp Arabic numerals, and a printed rail track, the star of the show is unmistakably the small figure swimming across the dial. That figure, true anglers will recognize it immediately, is a brook trout—rendered from an original watercolor by J.Crew's in-house artist. It's a matter-of-fact detail that is unexpected, and works. With the trout and enlarged numbers taking up precious dial real estate, branding is limited. The Timex logo is on the front, the J.Crew logo on the caseback. Built for long days on the water, the MK1 for J.Crew offers 50m of water resistance and sits behind an acrylic crystal. It runs on a quartz movement, with an 18mm lug width and a neatly braided dark brown leather strap that has the signs of it only getting better with time. The Timex MK1 for J.Crew launches May 28th at $198 and is available at Timex.com, JCrew.com, and select J.Crew retail locations. What We Think What more could you ask for...

What We Know For the last ten years, Louis Vuitton has worked with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, to support humanitarian and developmental aid for children worldwide. To mark the tenth anniversary of the partnership, the house is releasing a one-of-a-kind time object—a soccer ball reimagined as a clock—to be auctioned exclusively at Sotheby's from June 9 to 18, with the hammer price going directly to UNICEF. The piece brings together La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, the Swiss movement maker L'Épée 1839, and the house's trunkmaking heritage, all in the shape of a soccer ball, timed perfectly ahead of this year's World Cup. With Louis Vuitton's F1 partnership now in its second year, the brand has been planting its flag deeper in the world of sport. Having a soccer ball serve as the vessel for this milestone feels like a natural extension of that direction, and there's something fitting about the spherical choice of form to commemorate this occasion. At the center of the piece, time is told through a sculpted golden steel dome that forms the upper half of the clock. Two rotating cylinders handle the work: one tracks the hours, the other the minutes. The minute track is engraved with Louis Vuitton's Monogram motif and flowers, and the top of the cylinder carries the "Louis Vuitton Paris" signature. Moving outward, the hour and minute apertures are rimmed with diamonds—144 white for the hours, 120 black for the minutes, totaling 1.03 carats. Inside, L'...

We’ve recently covered 145th anniversary limited edition releases from Seiko in the Presage and Astron collections, and I bet some of you have probably been wondering, “Hey, what a dive watch?” Seiko, of course, has not forgotten about the Prospex line when it comes to anniversary themed limited editions, and have recently announced the HBC005 and HBB001 in the same blue/silver colorway that is becoming the visual signature of this anniversary celebration.  First up is the HBC005, which is built on the platform of their current 62MAS inspired reissue. This heritage focused dive watch has its (modern) origins with watches like the SPB143, but received a handful of small updates about two years ago to make it more wearable (and fix the somewhat awkward 3:00 date window for what I believe is a more under the radar 4:30 execution). The case comes in at 40mm in diameter and 13mm thick, with a lug to lug measurement of 46.4mm. Water resistance is 300 meters, and the movement is the 6R55 with a 72 hour power reserve.  The dial is silver with a subtle brushed finish and lume filled, rectangular hour markers. The blue seconds hand is matched with an aluminum bezel insert in blue. There are no obvious signs of it being a limited edition on the dial – just the normal Seiko wordmark at 12:00 and the Prospex logo and two additional lines of text highlighting the power reserve and water resistance below it. The clean silver/white dial paired with the blue accents give this div...

Tudor continues with its modern “dark” aesthetic by launching a new version of the Black Bay Ceramic, now presented for the first time on an integrated ceramic bracelet. Originally introduced in 2021 as the brand’s first METAS-certified watch, itself following the unique Black Bay Ceramic One created for the Only Watch 2019, the model has […]

Just last week, I visited the workshop of Petermann-Bédat in Renes. I had a morning to kill on the way to Lausanne for a project, and instead of sleeping off some jetlag, I decided to do something productive. And, actually, something that makes me happy. Spending time with Gaël Petermann and Florian Bédat is always a pleasure. I put a lot of stock in the personalities of independent watchmakers, and I think it's fair to consider them artists you want to support, not just for the art but also for how you connect with them. Far from a buyer, I still seem to operate on a similar wavelength to the two. But the added bonus is that I finally got to see their new reference 1826, which was launched for The Hour Glass in Japan, and boy, was it a stunner.  No, the name isn't a typo. While the larger (and relatively recently released) ref. 1825 from 2025 featured a 38mm case; the watchmakers have been able to downsize the two new versions to 36mm, made in white and rose gold. Actually, they made the original caliber with a 36mm case in mind, but, to paraphrase, they didn't feel the market was ready. Turns out that it was maybe not the best for the global stage, but perfect for one market in particular. The difference is pretty dramatic in person. But so is this recent generation of watches in general. Petermann-Bédat's business arch has been a yo-yo from a simple-looking but technically complex deadbeat watch (shown above) that launched the brand, then an incredibly complex spli...

TAG Heuer expands the Aquaracer Solargraph 200 with four new models in steel and titanium, all powered by the solar-driven TH50-00 caliber.

What We Know The Annual Editions from German brand Glashütte Original are quite self-explanatory from their name. Each year, Glashütte Original adorns one of its vintage-inspired designs from the Sixties collection with a new colorway. There's no hard-and-fast rule about what colors make an appearance—past dials have ranged from subtle to loud, muted to saturated, and smooth to textured. This year's Sixties Chronograph Annual Edition goes for maximum visual impact with a very unconventional purple dial, produced in-house at their dialmaking facility in Glashütte. This 2026 edition opts for the distinctive textured dial that has accompanied a few of the past Sixties models, produced through a stamping process for the bronze dial base. After a galvanic coating process that adds a layer of gold to the base dial, purple lacquer is hand-applied and then fired at high temperatures to set the color.  A unique design detail of the dial is the lack of applied hour indices. Rather, the now purple lacquer dial is hand-engraved to reveal strips of the bronze base, acting as those markers and a warm contrast to the rest of the dial. Once this step is completed, the entire dial gets a protective clear lacquer coating, and the dial text is printed on. Gold-plated hands are paired to complement the tone of the bronze hour indices. And of course, any Sixties Edition from Glashütte Original means some heavily stylized numerals, seen here at twelve and six o'clock. As this year's Annu...

Revived in 2015, Czapek owes its name to the famous Czech-born Polish watchmaker who co-founded Patek, Czapek & Cie in 1839 and then went solo with his own company in 1845. In just over a decade, Czapek has developed 10 in-house movements spread across its five main families. The Promenade collection, unveiled in 2024, fills […]

The evolution of Awake has been fascinating to observe over the last few years. From high concept blockchain and space inspired sports watches, the brand took a left turn into traditional craft techniques, and is now working to refine those ideas further in their latest collection. The new Son Mài Guilloché Main Collection combines the Son Mai lacquer techniques the brand has employed in previous collections with evocative, hand-applied guilloche work. These new watches also have updates to the case and dial that we imagine will carry through to further Awake releases in the pipeline.  I had a chance to see these watches in person at Chronopolis in Geneva earlier this year, and then again at the Windup Watch Fair in San Francisco, and each time I came away very impressed with the dial work, which is clearly the chief selling point here. To summarize, these dials use the same “Son Mai” lacquer technique, perfected by artisans in Vietnam, that we saw the brand debut in 2024. The resulting bold, vibrant colors really carry these watches and give a very old practice a lot of modern charm. For the new collection, Awake has added guilloche to the mix. Before the lacquer finish is applied, each dial has a meticulously applied guilloche pattern engraved into the dial by traditional rose and straight line engines by craftspeople in Italy. When the lacquer finish is added later, it accentuates the guilloche in a dramatic way, highlighting the depth of the engraving and the ri...

Czapek extends their Promenade Goutte d'Eau collection with the with the Goutte de Rosée in Green Enamel. Release notes with commentary.

Bangalore Watch Company was founded in 2018 and has since built its catalogue with native India in focus. Aviation, cricket, space exploration and national industry have all served as foundations for its collections, often narrative-driven. Last year, the brand introduced the Peninsula Professional, a rugged, adventure-ready bezel-less sports watch inspired by India’s mountains, coastlines and forests. […]

We reviewed both the Halios Seaforth IV and Tudor Pelagos FXD to compare comfort, design, value, and long-term appeal between these two titanium dive watches.

The idea that great chronographs need to cost serious money has become one of the biggest myths in modern watch collecting. Yes, the upper end of the market is packed with six-figure grails and impossible waiting lists, but the truth is that some of the most compelling chronographs on the market sit comfortably below the […] Visit What Are 10 Of The Best Chronographs Under €3,000? to read the full article.

What We Know The Aquaracer, first introduced in 2004, is the tough tool watch in the Tag Heuer lineup, and the Solargraph is one of the most recent extensions of the Aquaracer range, bringing quartz timekeeping and fuss-free solar power to the brand's generalist dive watch. Just in time for Summer (in this hemisphere), Tag Heuer has launched an extension of the Solargraph, offering new colorways and the option of a new, smaller case size.  In 2022, Tag Heuer began using La Joux-Perret's new solar-powered movements in some models that it labeled 'Solargraph' as part of an exclusive deal with the Swiss movement maker that saw the brand's owner, LVMH, later take a minority stake in LJP. Today, Tag Heuer is updating the Aquaracer line with four new 40mm models (spanning steel or titanium), as well as four 28mm-diameter steel-case versions for the first time. All the new models are powered by the Solargraph movement, underscoring the brand's commitment to new solar tech, which is also used in its relaunched Formula 1 watches. The new 40mm Aquaracer comes in both steel and titanium models and features an updated bezel with 'rider' tabs and grain-textured elements, as well as a sharper, finely brushed case construction with added fluted elements at 9 o'clock to better balance the crown guards at 6 o'clock. TAG says the handset has also been updated, and the bracelets are now easily interchangeable, with quick-release spring bar tabs, allowing for easy swapping to rubber or othe...

Glashütte Original’s Sixties Annual Editions have become something of a tradition, using colour and texture to reinterpret the spirit of the late 1960s through fun and expressive dials. From the vivid green tones of the early editions to the fiery orange degradé models, the glacier blue versions of 2020, the textured references of 2021, and […]

The coming together of the high-end and affordable segments of the market will be seen first-hand at this year's Milano Watch Week.

Last year, Louis Erard entered the integrated sports watch segment with the 2340 collection, a sharply designed and relatively accessible proposition built in titanium and steel, with a nicely executed integrated bracelet. Named after the postal code of Le Noirmont, the brand’s home in the Swiss Jura, the 2340 marked a departure from the regulator […]

Ask me for a list of my favorite affordable dive watches, and the 38mm DS Action Diver in titanium will be on it every time. When Certina released the lightweight 38mm version of its popular diver, it stood out immediately, and not just for its great dimensions, solid specs, and attractive price. It’s also not […] Visit Certina Updated The Popular DS Action Diver 38mm Titanium, But Did It Get Better? to read the full article.

The most talked-about release from Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) at Watches & Wonders was the refreshed Master Control collection, which debuted on a surprising integrated bracelet. Available with or without perpetual calendar or power reserve complications, the Master Control Chronometre is powered by the latest version of the brand’s long-running cal. 899, which is now certified by both COSC and a new internal standard called the High Performance Guarantee (HPG). Initial thoughts Since the Master Control Chronometre debuted at Watches & Wonders, I have been asked multiple times whether it is a dress watch or a sport watch. Setting aside the issue of the false dichotomy that exists between these categories, the Master Control Chronometre presents itself primarily as a dress watch on a bracelet. While the bracelet’s angular facets evoke those of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas, the staid Master Control dial is what defines the look. The simple sunray finish and slim hands — not to mention the lack of any lume — firmly root the Master Control Chronometre in the dress watch category. The soft blue and brown dials are each attractive in their own right, with colour-matched date wheels to avoid any harsh transitions. While the text is arguably superfluous, the ‘Chronometre’ label is more interesting than the typical ‘Automatique’ text that mars most Master Control dials. In terms of the value proposition, it’s a tale of two metals. The stainless steel model isn’t...

Being the serious-minded German brand that it is, A. Lange & Söhne almost never makes unique or one-off watches. But just before Watches & Wonders opened its doors last month, Lange presented the Grand Complication in white gold with a black enamel dial to its lucky, large-wristed owner. First launched in 2013, the Grand Complication was a watch of many superlatives – the most complicated, most expensive, and most biggest Lange wristwatch ever made. Six of the 50 mm originals were made, all identical and all resembling a pocket watch with lugs. The new Grand Complication, on the other hand, feels more contemporary, but it remains the most complicated, expensive, and biggest Lange wristwatch ever made. The unique Grand Complication. Image – Owner Initial thoughts Lange’s “grand comp” was launched at Watches & Wonders when it was still a Hong Kong event. I was surprised by the watch, and while impressed by the technical achievement, it felt derivative. As it was then, the Grand Complication was essentially a replica, right down to the white enamel dial. The new Grand Complication looks and feels like an entirely different watch. Made in-house like Lange’s recent enamel dials, the black champleve dial is striking and modern. The white gold case contributes equally to the fresh look that departs the 19th century aesthetic. Image – Owner However, in a strange twist, the new case material leaves the brand logo along the dial flange even more obvious than before. T...

TAG Heuer has expanded its Aquaracer collection with the introduction of new Solargraph powered references in two case sizes. The TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional Solargraph watches are straightforward dive watches that should have a large mass market appeal with a (relatively) low entry price and an appealing movement technology that is geared toward grab-and-go versatility. These aren’t necessarily the most enthusiast forward watches in TAG’s collection, but they make a lot of sense as a simple quartz watch to have ready for vacations or other travel in the summer months when you don’t want your watch to weigh too heavily on the mind.  In terms of marquee dive watches from large brands, the Aquaracer has a relatively short history, with the name first being used in 2004. For that reason, I think it’s sometimes an afterthought when it comes to Swiss dive watches from major brands, but it certainly has developed a niche of fans through the launch of interesting limited editions that have played with color and material over the years, and a design that doesn’t obviously trade on the look and feel of competitors from brands like Rolex, Tudor, and Omega. The Aquaracer has also always been pitched at a wide audience, with a variety of case sizes and variants that are meant to appeal to the masses. These new releases follow in that tradition.  First up is the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph in 40mm, which the brand has positioned as the “ultimate t...

Launching a dress watch collection today is not that easy, especially when enthusiasts have already seen decades of Calatrava-inspired cases, engraved dials, and heat-blued hands coming out in every price segment imaginable. But refinement can matter just as much as reinvention. For Sero Watch Company, the goal was not really to create the most original […]