Latest watch news · Page 78

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...

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. […]

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 […]

Last year at the Windup Watch Fair in New York City I was approached by Jared Woods and Mickey Brown, the co-founders of Parivas, a brand that I had not heard of until he walked up to me with his business card in hand. At the time, Parivas hadn’t really launched officially. They handed me a rough prototype of a 3D printed watch and loosely explained the concept behind the brand, which approaches watch design through the perspective of engineering, making use of the most cutting edge additive manufacturing technologies. It seemed like a cool, ambitious project. There are lots of cool, ambitious projects, many of them led by talented watch industry outsiders, and I’ve found that sometimes there’s an inverse relationship between the coolness and level of ambition and the ultimate success rate. Now Parivas is here in a much more official capacity, with the launch of the Exo.1, a $7,500 3D printed design object with an intricate lattice frame and a trademarked finishing technique of the brand’s own invention. It comes at a time when 3D printed watches are having a bit of a moment. Holthinrichs and Apiar have released notable watches with 3D printed cases, and Ming manufactures an incredible bracelet that might be the single most impressive 3D printed watch object I’ve handled. The technology is clearly improving and it seems like enthusiasts are more receptive to these ideas than they ever have been. The one thing all of these brands have in common is that they claim ...

The BOVET Récital 28 Prowess 1, with its unique roller system, is the brand's answer to the challenge posed by Daylight Savings Time to world time watches.

David Candaux, born and raised in Le Solliat, in the Vallée de Joux, belongs to a lineage of watchmakers. Yet his work consistently merges classical craftsmanship with highly personal engineering and design solutions. After years at Jaeger-LeCoultre, where he contributed to some of the manufacture’s most ambitious projects, and later collaborations with some of the […]

Yoni Ben-Yehuda is a longtime pillar of the New York City watch collector scene, an original member of the Red Bar crew, and someone who earned his credibility the old-fashioned way: through genuine passion and years spent learning about and actively supporting watch enthusiasm. That foundation matters because it explains the trust he's built since, and quietly, almost invisibly, he has become the hand behind some of the most high-profile watch collections in the world. You've seen those wrists on Instagram and red carpets, and now we're thrilled to feature the collection of the man behind the scenes.  Today, as Head of Watches at Material Good — one of the most respected watch destinations in America — Yoni oversees sales across nine locations and a deep partnership with Audemars Piguet. But the role only makes sense when you understand where it comes from. His watch story starts in his teens with a gift from his mother that would foreshadow an impressive collection that is expressive, fun, and very specific.   As Yoni himself puts it, "watches are these forever objects in a disposable world," and you can see the progression of his life, his passions, and his depth in the space represented by his watches. In the above video, Yoni and Ben highlight several special watches from Yoni's collection. Here is the list in chronological order of appearance.  Alfred Hammel steel watch Audemars Piguet RA Ultra-Thin Self-Winding Tourbillon ref 25656 (on matching bracelet with...

Akhor is an independent watchmaking brand that made its debut less than a year ago at Geneva Watch Days 2025. The brand introduced itself with a particularly intriguing collection and concept built around the idea of “time in balance”, rooted in a highly original vision of time itself. At its core lies a proprietary movement. […]

TAG Heuer unveils four new Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph models, with two in steel and two in different grades of titanium. The 40mm steel versions feature either a blue or green dial and polished center links in the bracelet, while the Grade 2 titanium one sports the Aquaracer Solargraph’s signature polar-blue accents and a sandblasted […] Visit Introducing: The Redesigned 40mm TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph In Four Variants to read the full article.

This watch made me lose my loupe during Watches and Wonders this year. It also made me lose my mind. After the product presentation at the Chronoswiss booth during the last edition of Watches and Wonders, I was so impressed by this watch that I left my loupe on the table and stumbled out to […] Visit Hands-On With The Svelte And Soft Chronoswiss Delphis Art Deco, An Enchanting 150-Piece Limited Edition to read the full article.

Modern styling with retro Aquaracer cues, TAG Heuer's new Solargraph is a sports watch with ultimate versatility and details to match