Results for Co-Axial vs Swiss Lever Escapement

The Entry-Level Ulysse Nardin Freak Gains a Grand Feu Enamel Dial

Ulysse Nardin gives its most affordable Freak a new look with a blue flinqué enamel dial and rose gold case. The brand has launched three other Freaks with enamel dials over the past two years, but all were small-run, retailer-exclusive limited editions. The Freak X Gold Enamel, on the other hand, is not retailer-specific and will be limited to 120 examples. The watch puts Ulysse Nardin’s investments in silicon fabrication and dial making to good use, and with good results. The combination of traditional métiers d’art with state-of-the-art technology also makes it more approachable to traditionalists than a typical Freak. Initial Thoughts Even as it nears 25 years on the market, Ulysse Nardin’s Freak remains avant-garde in aesthetics and technology. The Freak looks and feels like a small-batch concept watch, rather than the collection staple it’s become. It’s hard to believe you can walk into a retailer and walk out with something like this from a major Swiss brand for less than six figures. A rarely mentioned refinement is the use of clear sapphire jewels, rather than the typical reddish-purple rubies. It’s rare for brands to harmonize jewel colors with the rest of the watch, but it always results in a more cohesive look. Besides striking looks, its also a surprisingly practical watch, with a reasonably sized case, respectable lume, and 50 m water resistance. Overall, a well-rounded package, though the US$10,300 premium for the enamel dial over the regular ...

Hands-on - The Surprisingly Attainable Horage Autark Tourbillon

We’ve covered independent Swiss watchmaker Horage many times in the past few years, including several of its in-house movements from automatics to micro-rotors to tourbillons. The latest Autark Tourbillon separates itself as it’s truly a rare feat in watchmaking, combining a micro-rotor and tourbillon within the in-house K-TMR calibre. It’s all wrapped in Grade 5 […]

Introducing - The Ever-Shifting Colours of the new Chronoswiss ReSec Snake Manufacture

Chronoswiss, founded in 1983 by the late Gerd R. Lang, has always been associated with regulators. Following the brand’s acquisition by Oliver Ebstein and its relocation from Munich to Lucerne, additional complications, including the ReSec, a retrograde seconds indication, joined the lineup. Its combination of old-school decorative techniques with kinetic displays and some of the […]

Report: Geneva Spring Auctions 2025

Despite everything, including tariffs and a strong Swiss franc, the Geneva auction season turned out to be a strong one, with some of the strongest results being in the most surprising segments. The bigger winner this season was Phillips, which sold a bit under 200 lots for CHF43.4 million including fees, while also claiming the most valuable lots for the season, reflecting Phillips’ strong leadership and team. Despite being the market leader by some margin, the Phillips catalogue was arguably the riskiest as it included several high-value pocket watches and clocks – timepieces that not part of mainstream collecting today. Yet the gamble paid off with the most valuable timepiece this season being its Breguet Sympathique no. 1 that sold for CHF5.51 million. Christie’s achieved CHF21.2 million with a similar number of lots that were arguably more conventional in taste and format than at Phillips. One of its most valuable lots was a Cartier Crash “NSO” with a special order dial that sold for CHF736,000 – one of the biggest surprises of the season but proof that being eye-catching enough for social media is a big factor in desirability and value today. Interestingly, the Crash sold for exactly the same as the Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari. The Crash went for about 15 times the original retail, while the RM UP-01 was about half of retail. The Crash NSO “nickele” grey. Image – Christie’s Over at Antiquorum, the tally was CHF10 million – from almost 800 lot...

Zenith Defy Skyline Review

While the El Primero movement architecture may serve as the face of the Zenith brand, it is the Defy collection that remains its soul. The Defy represents an historically significant ethos for Zenith, a creative foundation that is just as important to the Swiss brand’s past as it is to its future. Originally meant to be a showcase of innovation and ideas, the Defy collection serves dual purposes: to preserve and celebrate innovations of the past in the “Revival” subfamily, and to continue innovating for the future in the series’ other branches. In 2022, the brand took a big step toward the future of the collection with the release of the Zenith Defy Skyline, a watch that simultaneously looked to build on successful elements of the past and also to capitalize on the integrated-bracelet sport watch trend that had taken hold of the industry. The Zenith Defy collection has roots in the 1960s and ‘70s, when many of the brand’s most iconic and exciting references were released (you can read a more in-depth history here). Many of these have been reborn in the form of modern Revival references, allowing a new generation of enthusiasts to discover them again, or for the first time. These designs weren’t afraid to take risks, from the shape of the case, to the bracelet integration, right into the dial colors and textures. The Defy name quickly came to signify a huge amount of character, and that’s on full display within the brand’s current stable.  In finding a mo...

Hands-On: The New Nivada Grenchen Chronosport Blue

Spring started strong for Nivada. The Swiss watch brand released two new models in its Chronosport line, expanding it to five watches. We were lucky enough to try both the automatic and the mecaquartz versions. In this review, I’ll go hands-on with the former, namely, the Chronosport Blue. But before we get into that, let […] Visit Hands-On: The New Nivada Grenchen Chronosport Blue to read the full article.

Collectability teams up with Dennison and Emmanuel Gueit for its first-ever watch creation

Dennison and Collectability team up for both of their first-ever collaborative creations.The post Collectability teams up with Dennison and Emmanuel Gueit for its first-ever watch creation appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Record Breaking Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing Debuts at Auction

If you want to own the world’s thinnest mechanical watch, the Konstantin Chaykin ThinKing, you’ll have to fight for it at The Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, which will see the first production example go under the hammer. The 1.65 mm stature of the ThinKing is even more impressive coming from a small Russian independent watchmaker, considering previous records were set by big Swiss brands ranging from Piaget to Richard Mille. Notably, this is not the first time a landmark release has been trusted to an auction that isn’t linked to a charity. The most famous example of this was the Patek Philippe Calibre 89 (ref. 989J) back in 1989 at Antiquorum’s thematic sale. The ThinKing will be sold in the first session of the auction, which starts on May 10, 2025, at 2 pm. The ThinKing in profile. Image – Phillips Mr Chaykin achieved the record-setting height with clever construction, including a “double balance wheel” system that places an intermediate wheel between the balance and escapement, allowing both to sit on the same plane. Another notable technical feature is a barrel that is open on both sides, and no thicker than the mainspring itself. And unlike most serially-produced Konstantin Chaykin watches, each ThinKing is made, finished, and assembled by Mr Chaykin himself. Wearability is enhanced by the bolt-on protective shroud in titanium christened “PalanKing”. This increases the height to 5.4 mm, but adds key-less setting and winding, and automatic winding by a...

Lookbook: Level Up Your Watch Game with Boundary Layer Studio’s Latest Strap Collections

The post Lookbook: Level Up Your Watch Game with Boundary Layer Studio’s Latest Strap Collections appeared first on Worn & Wound.

First Look - The Breguet Classique Souscription 2025, Celebrating the Brand’s 250th Anniversary

This year, one of the most important names in the watch industry is celebrating its 250th anniversary. I’m of course talking about Breguet, the brand created by the all-important Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1775, Quai de l’Horloge in Paris (even though he was Swiss, A.L. Breguet worked most of his life in Paris except during the […]

Studio Underd0g Introduces the Av0cado and Guacam0le Chronographs, a Clever Response to their Imitators

In our current age of disingenuous AI and copyright controversies, sometimes the best way to beat a design thief is to…imitate them right back? In perhaps the cheekiest move we’ve ever seen a watchmaker execute in response to an influx of copycat designs from no-name brands, Studio Underd0g has done just that. Instead of taking the legal route-an endeavour that is time-consuming, costly, and largely pointless in today’s world of mass-production and dropshipping-the British watchmaker has employed a tactful play of horological judo, and  produced two new models inspired wholeheartedly by the very designs stolen from them. Enter the Av0cado and Guacam0le, just as colorful, cheerful, and charismatic as the rest of their lineup, with an extra dollop of good humor on the side.  Take one look at the knockoffs from a myriad of random “brands” and you’ll see what Studio Underd0g is talking about. The color schemes, design cues, and even text details are shamelessly ripped straight from the authentic watchmaker’s catalog. This is, of course, the sharp side of the double-edged sword for a brand with a visual style as instantly recognizable as Studio Underd0g’s, even given their relative youth as a company; when you create a style that resonates with so many people, you’re bound to have imitators.  They haven’t cut any corners with the Av0cado and Guacam0le, though, despite the comedic backstory. Both are in direct response to a company called Proxima’s k...

Vacheron Constantin Introduces the Most Complicated Wristwatch, Ever

If you were to sit me down at a desk and ask me to write down 41 watch complications off the top of my head, I think the result would be rather like Ross Geller trying to name the 50 states in that one episode of Friends. There’s just no way I could do it. Forty-one is an absurd number of complications to even conceive of, let alone cram into one surprisingly wearable watch. And yet, that is what Vacheron Constantin’s one-of-a-kind watchmaking department, Les Cabinotiers, has managed to do. Just about a year after introducing the world’s most complicated watch of any kind - a pocket watch containing 63 complications - Vacheron has unveiled the Les Cabinotiers ‘Solaria Ultra Grand Complication.’ It’s hard to know where to start with a watch like this, especially since I haven’t had the opportunity to see it in person, so to begin, I’ll just say this: I am wildly impressed by this watch, and you should be too. It’s a serious step up from their previous most complicated wristwatch - the Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers Celestia Astronomical Grand Complication 3600, which housed 23 complications. It’s worth saying here that, even before getting to the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication, Vacheron Constantin had a very good Watches & Wonders. The brand is celebrating its 270th anniversary this year and they’ve done a hell of a job with it. Their new 127-piece limited edition Traditionelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar, with its novel movement and ann...

New: Ba111od Chapter 4 Infinity Flying Tourbillon with video

The king of affordable Swiss made tourbillons releases a new flying tourbillon priced below the CHF 11k: The Ba111od Chapter 4 Infinity Flying Tourbillon.

The New Tudor Pelagos Ultra Dives Deeper Than Ever Before

Tudor takes its dive watches rather seriously, and the new Tudor Pelagos Ultra is about as serious as they come. The brand has been making divers since 1954. Back then, the deepest-diving model had a humble 100m water resistance rating. Since then, the brand has kept busy evolving, looking to improve its formula. That quest […] Visit The New Tudor Pelagos Ultra Dives Deeper Than Ever Before to read the full article.

The Alpina Alpiner Extreme Automatic Gets a Thematically Appropriate Blue Dial

Alpina’a venerable Alpiner collection has no shortage of eye-catching dial textures, complications, and even experimental pizzazz. But perhaps what it was missing was a model that exemplified both the 1933 origins of the line and its future as an iconic Swiss sport watch. Enter the new Alpiner Extreme Automatic, sporting a dial color that makes so much sense, it’s a little baffling that Alpina hasn’t tapped into it before. The glacier blue hue of the face immediately conjures images of icy slopes, and the repeating Alpine summit triangle motif that texturizes the dial and brings the design straight to the Alps. The Alpiner Extreme Automatic also hangs onto distinctive design features that make it instantly recognizable: the rounded square cushion case, measuring at 39 x 40.5mm, in chilly steel. A vertical brushed satin finish on the bezel (matching that of the three links on the bracelet) contrasts the mirror-polished case, and the triangle motif can be found again on the six exposed screws that circle the bezel.  A screw-down crown with a rubber ring of glacier blue both assures the Alpiner’s 200m water resistance, and brings a unified sense of color and form to the fringes of the design. A slightly-lighter blue outer minute track with white markers runs around the perimeter of the dial, adding some dimension to the face of the watch, while applied silver, luminous indexes mark the hours. A date window at 3 o’clock, hand-polished silver and luminous hour and mi...

The Tank Louis Cartier is back, bigger and better than ever, with an automatic movement and stunning dial

Does bigger mean better when it comes to the Cartier Tank? Read on to find out.The post The Tank Louis Cartier is back, bigger and better than ever, with an automatic movement and stunning dial appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Vacheron Constantin Marks 270 Years with Most-Complicated-Wristwatch-Ever

This year is quite the anniversary for Vacheron Constantin, with the brand turning 270 years old. To mark the occasion appropriately, the Geneva-based manufacture created the mighty Les Cabinotiers Solaria Ultra Grand Complication – La Première, the culmination of eight years of development. Now the most complicated wristwatch ever, this unique wristwatch boasts 41 complications on two faces, encompassing five rare functions as well as a world first – a celestial object tracker. All of that is contained in a surprisingly compact, but still large, case. (A detailed list of the complications is available in the addendum below.) Initial thoughts Timepieces of such complexity reach beyond the realm of horology and can be regarded as engineering marvels. In a sense the Solaria is not unexpected since VC has a long history of making ultra-complications – “The Berkley” pocket watch was just unveiled a year ago – but the Solaria is one of the most fascinating watches in recent memory. The numbers behind the Solaria are impressive. Beyond the 41 functions, the watch is powered by the cal. 3655 that’s made up of 1521 pieces and the subject of 13 patents. The watch took eight years to develop and construct, which is impressive for a single timepiece. Surely VC will trickle down some of the developments related to cal. 3655 and install them in simpler timepieces, but condensing 41 complications into a wristwatch no thicker than 15 mm is an engineering feat that cannot b...

Every Vacheron Constantin from Watches & Wonders 2025, including the most complicated wristwatch ever made

The oldest continuously operating watchmaker is bringing serious heat.The post Every Vacheron Constantin from Watches & Wonders 2025, including the most complicated wristwatch ever made appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

[VIDEO] Deep in the Heart of Texas: Recapping the First Ever Windup Watch Fair Dallas

Everything’s bigger in Texas, and that now includes the Windup Watch Fair! On March 15-16, 2025, Windup made its grand Lone Star State debut at the historic Hickory Street Annex in Dallas. Kicking off its 10th-anniversary celebrations, the fair brought together over 40 watch brands, passionate collectors, and curious newcomers-because let’s be honest, who doesn’t love hanging with a bunch of watch lovers? The Hickory Street Annex, originally built in 1921 as a Gulf Oil distribution center, set the perfect scene with its warm-industrial vibes. The airy, two-level venue gave guests plenty of room to dive into the world of horology-chatting with brand reps, trying on watches, and maybe even convincing themselves that they definitely need just one more piece for their collection. The lineup? Absolutely stacked. Christopher Ward dazzled with their Anglo-Swiss masterpieces, including the ever-impressive Bel Canto and The Twelve. Oris, while proudly sporting Miss Piggy pink, also celebrated 60 years of dive watch excellence with a special anniversary edition, while Zodiac launched some striking new designs in the form of the Super Sea Wolf Compression Skeleton Night Diver. One of the weekend’s standout moments was the special screening of a brand-new documentary, America Telling Time: 150 Years of Bulova, which chronicles the brand’s history of innovation and firsts. The film explored the brand’s deep roots in American watchmaking, highlighting its role in everyth...

Retrospective: Tomas Looks At The Early Flying Officer “Truman” - The Most Iconic Gallet Watch Ever Produced

If there is any Gallet watch that almost certainly sells for more than $10,000, it’s an early version of the Flying Officer with a black dial. Although it is a very expensive watch, proper research and documentation are limited. The details raise multiple questions. Let’s start with the basics. The Flying Officer, the most important […] Visit Retrospective: Tomas Looks At The Early Flying Officer “Truman” - The Most Iconic Gallet Watch Ever Produced to read the full article.

The Entry-Level Urwerk UR-101 Gets the T-Rex Treatment

Modelled on the first-ever Urwerk wristwatch, the UR-101 T-Rex is the independent watchmaker’s latest entry-level model. Priced at CHF38,000 before taxes, or about US$43,000, the UR-101 combines the brand’s signature wandering hours display with an aged bronze case finished with a scale-like guilloche. Initial thoughts Urwerk doesn’t do vintage-inspired watches often, and when it does the result is restyled enough to make it clearly modern. This is in keeping with the brand founders’ ethos, which looks forward rather than back. That’s the case with the UR-101 T-Rex. Though it takes the same form as the vintage original, it’s recognisable as a new creation. The vintage-inspired concept is appealing, as is the sub-US$50,000 price. While I like the idea of a revival, I find the “T-Rex” pattern a bit too aggressive. A polished finish that replicates the original would have been unimaginative, but more subtle engine turning would be an interesting counterpoint to the avant-garde style of the watch. That said, since the UR-101 is a limited edition of 100 pieces, I can safely assume that new variants are planned for the future. The tab on the back releases the crown to set the time Vintage inspired The new UR-101 is Urwerk’s second historically-inspired watch after the UR-102 “Reloaded” of 2023 that was similarly based on the brand’s early creations. Like its predecessor, the UR-101 retains the form of the vintage original, but is scaled up to 41 mm wide ...

Introducing - Orient Introduces Its First-Ever Collaboration with Peanuts, with 4 Snoopy-Themed Models

As we’ve seen recently, Orient, a Japanese watchmaker owned by the Seiko Epson Corporation, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Created in 1950, it has since made a name for itself in the accessible segment with watches such as the Mako or the Bambino. There’s another important name that was created that same year; a […]

IWC Portugieser Buyer's Guide

IWC is a Swiss watch company, founded by an American, whose history is closely tied with Germany. But one of its most enduringly popular timepiece families is called the Portugieser, and it’s likely that lots of enthusiasts and would-be owners don’t even know why - or that the watch itself preceded that now-familiar name by many decades. What's indisputable is the Portugieser's key role in IWC's history and its impact on watchmaking - from its humble origins as a market-specific experiment to its modern incarnation as a major pillar of IWC's collection.   1939: Two Portuguese Businessmen Walk Into a Watch Factory… Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Actually, don’t bother, because I’ll be retelling the origin story of the IWC Portugieser anyway, for those who aren’t familiar with it. Like much of the rest of the world, in the throes of the Great Depression and under the gathering storm clouds of a second World War, the Swiss watch industry was facing rough economic times in the 1930s. The International Watch Company, based in Schaffhausen in Switzerland’s German-speaking north, dealt with the challenges in a number of practical ways. One was by making wristwatches that could be worn by military pilots for the aerial combat that was looking increasingly inevitable. (I tell that story in much more detail here.) Another was by expanding its reach to international markets such as Portugal. Thus it came to be that two gentlemen by the name of Antonio...

The Cornell Watch Company Introduces Two New References, and Announces a Partnership with Hour Precision to Produce Watches in America at Scale

When John and Chrissy Warren relaunched the Cornell Watch Co. in 2023, it was something of an experiment. They wanted to revive luxury watch making in America … at scale. Now, with their launch year behind them, the Warrens have proven there is an appetite for high-end American watches, having sold and delivered their first 15 build slots for the beautifully crafted 1870 Classic Enamel. Now the Warrens are moving on to the next phase of their company: moving from producing small numbers of artisanal watches to producing hundreds of watches a year that compete in quality with Swiss brands. Part of the appeal of Cornell’s first watches in the relaunch, the 1870 Classic Enamel, was that the watch was put together by America’s leading watchmaker, Roland Murphy. Murphy’s reputation as an artisan who produces work of the highest quality made him an ideal partner for an American brand. His name leant credibility to the project and his years of experience running RGM Watch Co. meant the watches would be beautiful examples of craftsmanship. But relying on RGM Watches to assemble Cornell’s watches had a downside: the high-level hand-finishing they utilize means RGM doesn’t produce huge quantities of watches. And, of course, Cornell isn’t even the center of RGM’s business, meaning the 15 Cornell 1870 CEs produced by RGM in 2024 - 16 if you include a piece unique that was auctioned off - represent roughly what could be expected from the partnership year-over-year: ...

Introducing - The Cleaner Hanhart 415 ES Pure Chronograph

Hanhart, the German brand with Swiss roots, produced stopwatches in the early 1920s, followed by Flieger chronographs for pilots in the late 1930s. Today, it is one of the go-to brands for retro pilot watches updated with contemporary materials and movements. At the end of last year, Hanhart released the 415 ES, a faithful recreation […]

Christopher Ward Responds to Customer Feedback and Adds a 38mm Version of The Twelve to the Permanent Collection

“Through constant emails, face-to-face requests at events, and in the comments of our social posts, it has been impossible to ignore the requests for this ‘Goldilocks’ case size. We are a brand that listens to our customers––you asked and we delivered.”  –Christopher Ward’s CEO and Co-Founder Mike France It’s always refreshing when the feedback of the watch community is recognized by at least one company or representative within the watchmaking industry. To hear Mike France and Christopher Ward directly address their customer’s concerns is exactly what makes the microbrand/indie sphere so great. Whether you believe they’ve expanded beyond their microbrand status to “legacy micro,” “independent,” or some other higher level of categorization, the brand’s acknowledgement of customer input speaks volumes about their character and ability to take and utilize constructive criticism––perhaps a result of their humble beginnings as a true microbrand. After the critical acclaim the 36mm and 40mm Twelve models received, Christopher Ward is set to release a fresh take on their popular design with the new Twelve 38. The stainless-steel case, which made its limited edition debut last year in the “Ice Cream” collection, measures 38mm across, 43.3mm lug-to-lug, and 9.95mm thick, thanks to its ultra-slim Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 movement. With 26 jewels, a smooth 4Hz beat rate, and a 38-hour power reserve, these reliable and durable automatic move...

Trying On Two Versions Of The Holthinrichs Signature Ornament, The Dutch Brand’s Entry-Level Watch

Michiel Holthinrichs, an architect turned watch manufacturer, made a name for himself and his brand by introducing the world’s first watch with a 3D-printed stainless steel case in 2016. State-of-the-art technology and machining processes created cases with swooping lines and sensual curves, but the human touch made the watches sexy; the machines could only do […] Visit Trying On Two Versions Of The Holthinrichs Signature Ornament, The Dutch Brand’s Entry-Level Watch to read the full article.

Rare Finds - The Never-Produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar

James Dowling shares with a special watch from his personal collection: The never-produced Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar with the calibre 5355.

Hands-On: Bulgari And MB&F; Team Up (Again) For The Most Futuristic 'Serpenti' Ever

Four years after the two brands' first collaboration, two of watchmaking's best designers get creative with an icon.

The Best Watch Ever?! | Know Your Complications | Diving Deep | Part II