Hodinkee
Hands-On: The New Christopher Ward Twelve 660, With A 6.6mm Thin Case
The simplest, thinnest version of the Twelve might be the best one yet.
368 articles · 237 videos found · page 11 of 21
Hodinkee
The simplest, thinnest version of the Twelve might be the best one yet.
Hodinkee
Top U.K. watch brand shifts distribution to existing U.S. entity to cut prices for U.S. customers.
Hodinkee
Taking an affordable chiming watch and adding the visual impact of old-school handcraft (even if in a more modern process) keeps the cult classic rolling in a new – well – Classic way.
Hodinkee
The beloved British brand updates its core offering with its most popular complication.
The watch is a striking skeletonized celebration of 20 years of brand history and 10 years of the Caliber SH21 in-house movement.
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Hodinkee
The shockingly affordable C1 Bel Canto has captured collectors’ attention and plotted a new course for the brand. And if you missed it the first time, or the second time, you're about to get a third chance.
Hodinkee
An American take on a classic British chronometer.
Worn & Wound
The 2026 Windup Watch Fair San Francisco is just days away, and we’re fairly certain there’s never been a Windup with as much going on as this one. Alongside everything you’d expect—like amazing lead sponsors including Bremont, Brew, Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, and Oris—this fair also features 80+ brands from around the world and a slew of extracurricular activities across all three days. Here’s a quick guide to everything happening in and around the big weekend in The Bay Area, starting with a reminder of the where and when. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture San Francisco, CA Free and open to everyone No registration necessary EDC Expo, Giveaways, and More We’re excited for the return of the EDC Expo, presented by GiantMouse. Longtime supporters of Windup, the team at GiantMouse is elevating the gear and accessories section in a meaningful way with their ACE Riv in titanium, brass, green canvas Micarta, and more. Nearly a dozen everyday carry and accessory brands will greet you at the front of Gateway Pavilion. For the first time, you’ll also find Kindred Motorworks on-site, showcasing their meticulously restored EV Broncos—and yes, you can sign up to test-drive one through some of San Francisco’s most iconic streets. Our friends at Fitwell will be joined by their mustachioed mate Andy from Andy’s Watches on Instagram and TikTok at their EDC Expo b...
WatchAdvice
As Raymond Weil comes out of their shell, so do more incredible timepieces. But have they hit a new peak with the Freelancer Complete Calendar? Let’s find out! What We Love: An elegant and versatile design Quality-of-life upgrades to a classic complication Excellent value proposition with few competitors What We Don’t: Movement finishing somewhat lacklustre The calendar is hard to see from a distance Do we need the lume? Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 This article was originally published as Is The New Raymond Weil Freelancer Complete Calendar Their Best Yet? There’s a rapid surge happening in watchmaking right now. No, I’m not talking about the newly imposed 39% U.S. tariffs on Swiss watches (though that’s a story in itself), but rather the quiet re-emergence of the middle market. As household names climb further upmarket, a new wave of brands are pushing harder than ever, flexing their creative and horological muscles to prove what they’re truly capable of. Christopher Ward is one; Frederique Constant and Maurice Lacroix are others. But perhaps the most impressive contender in this power shift is none other than Raymond Weil. Nearly 50 years young, the family-owned independent has been quietly racking up achievements and accolades. Their breakout moment came with the GPHG-winning Millésime collection, followed by ambitious world timers and flyback chronographs — complications that once f...
Worn & Wound
Set against the breezy waterfront backdrop of Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, Windup Watch Fair San Francisco returns to the Gateway Pavilion. As always, it’s free, open to all, and once again poised to transform The Bay into a hub for horological discovery for the weekend. Windup invites seasoned collectors and first-time enthusiasts alike to engage directly with brands, handle watches up close, and immerse themselves in a weekend that blends craftsmanship, community, and culture in a way few events can match. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture San Francisco, CA Free and open to everyone. No registration necessary. With over 80 brands joining, we’d like to thank all of our sponsors, especially this year’s Lead Sponsors: Bremont, Brew, Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, and Oris. Bremont After its introduction to Windup at last year’s NYC event, Bremont comes to San Francisco for the first time as a Lead Sponsor. Bremont brings a distinctly British sense of rugged precision with the Supernova 41mm Chronograph. Built with the brand’s aviation and military DNA in mind, the Supernova strikes a compelling balance between technical capability and refined design. Its compact 41mm case wears with versatility, while the chronograph functionality underscores Bremont’s commitment to utility-first watchmaking. Brew Brew has been a constant fixture at every Windup from d...
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Worn & Wound
If there’s a more beautiful place to spend a weekend surrounded by watches, we haven’t found it. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco returns… and yes, it’s still the one with all the views. We’re talking sweeping sightlines of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz sitting quietly in the distance, salt air rolling through Fort Mason and, if last year was any indication, the very real possibility of whales breaching right off the pier while you’re mid-conversation about your next watch. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture San Francisco, CA Free and open to everyone. No registration necessary. Inside Gateway Pavilion, you’ll find our Lead Sponsor brands who you know and love: Bremont, Brew, Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, and Oris. We are so grateful for their ongoing support of Windup and the whole enthusiast community. Each Lead Sponsor will be sharing and debuting watches that are well worth seeing in person. Alongside their new releases, go hands-on with over 80 brands’ products from around the world and experience their craftsmanship firsthand. Here’s a list of just some of the other amazing brands attending this year’s Windup Watch Fair San Francisco: This year, the EDC Expo returns, presented by GiantMouse. Everyone at GiantMouse have been staunch supporters of the Windup Watch Fairs for years and we’re honored that they’ve stepped up this year to really cha...
Hodinkee
Plus, Adrian Barker of Bark & Jack stops by to talk business news and his first-ever watch collab with Christopher Ward.
Teddy Baldassarre
In the wild world of watches, the words “affordable” and “complicated” are most often mutually exclusive. The more complicated a piece is, I think, the more we all brace ourselves to expect the correlation of a dramatic surge in price. It’s par for the course. But in recent years, there have been some watchmakers out there that have dared to do the unexpected, to bring high complications down to the realm of mortal purchasing power. As always, measuring affordability remains a personal conundrum, but there is no denying that there are now options for perpetual calendars, jump hours, and the like that are now paired with a more easily digestible price tag. In today’s guide, I’m tipping my hat to the various watch brands out there that have invested time and resources into leveling the playing field, crafting pieces of high horology that are more accessible than ever before. Across 10 pieces, we’re running the gamut of style and utility, but each piece is unique in its own way, and definitely worthy of your consideration if you’re looking for a complicated watch at a not-so-complicated price point. Christopher Ward Bel Canto Case: 41mm Material: Grade 5 Titanium Movement: Caliber FS01 Automatic Water Resistance: Price: Starts at $3,995 The only logical jumping off point for a guide such as this is with the watch that revolutionized haute-horology bells and whistles at an unheard-of price tag: the Bel Canto from British maker Christopher Ward. You’ve...
WatchAdvice
As Raymond Weil comes out of their shell, so do more incredible timepieces. But have they hit a new peak with the Freelancer Complete Calendar? Let’s find out! What We Love: An elegant and versatile design Quality-of-life upgrades to a classic complication Excellent value proposition with few competitors What We Don’t: Movement finishing somewhat lacklustre Calendar is hard to see from a distance Do we need the lume? Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 There’s a rapid surge happening in watchmaking right now. No, I’m not talking about the newly imposed 39% U.S. tariffs on Swiss watches (though that’s a story in itself), but rather the quiet re-emergence of the middle market. As household names climb further upmarket, a new wave of brands are pushing harder than ever, flexing their creative and horological muscles to prove what they’re truly capable of. Christopher Ward is one; Frederique Constant and Maurice Lacroix are others. But perhaps the most impressive contender in this power shift is none other than Raymond Weil. Nearly 50 years young, the family-owned independent has been quietly racking up achievements and accolades. Their breakout moment came with the GPHG-winning Millésime collection, followed by ambitious world timers and flyback chronographs — complications that once felt far beyond the brand’s reach. And at Watches & Wonders Geneva this year, Raymond Weil unveiled perhaps its most...
Teddy Baldassarre
When it comes to watch consumers' interest, there has over the past several years been a rising level of interest in watch brands that deviate from what might be viable for the mass market luxury watch brands but appeal to a niche but passionate audience. These so-called microbrands have represented one of the fastest-growing segments of the mechanical watch market, in which small shops can produce quality products that compete for connoisseurs' attention with the titans of the business. In the past several years, we've handled hundreds of watches from different microbrands out there; In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the best microbrand watches that the market has to offer in a variety of price ranges. What makes a Microbrand Watch? Now first, it is important to try to best classify what a microbrand is and what it isn’t. To me, a microbrand is a limited-production watch company that typically specializes in a particular style that does not have extensive resources to produce its own in-house calibers or other proprietary parts. This classification can get a little grey in the area of independent watchmakers that typically either have higher levels of watchmaking, like a Habring2, who have a master watchmaker like Richard Habring at the helm, or are a brand like Christopher Ward, who produce a high number of pieces and has in-house production capacities. The Best Microbrand Watches: The Latest Additions Santurce A microbrand with a strong Puerto Rican per...
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Worn & Wound
The Windup Watch Fair is all about what makes this hobby great: passionate communities, hands-on experiences, and a chance to discover something new. This year’s San Francisco edition checked every box, delivering an unforgettable weekend of horological energy, Bay Area vibes, and the best of watches and everyday carry. Thanks to our lead sponsors-anOrdain, Christopher Ward, Fortis, Frederique Constant, and Oris,and, of course, you, our readers and extended Worn & Wound family, Windup SF 2025 was one for the books. Back at the Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason on Pier 2, the venue once again proved itself a perfect stage. With a wide-open two-level floorplan and sweeping views of the bay, over 90 watch and EDC brands set up shop, creating a space where enthusiasts could get up close with everything from microbrand gems to industry heavyweights. And it was packed with action. The Panel & Podcast Room buzzed with live talks and behind-the-scenes conversations. We unveiled exclusive drops, including the Bulova Snorkel Edition-made just for the show-alongside special events like Bulova’s 150th anniversary documentary screening at the Alamo Drafthouse in the Mission. Christopher Ward brought the premiere of Freewheelin’, their new documentary on the innovative C12 Loco, with North American Brand Director Mike Pearson and Senior Designer Will Brackfield on hand to dive into the story behind the design. The ever-growing EDC Expo presented by NOMATIC also turned heads. Th...
Worn & Wound
The countdown is on. The 2025 Windup Watch Fair is just days away, and if you’re anywhere near San Francisco, this is your official wake-up call: you don’t want to miss this. From May 2nd through May 4th, the Windup Watch Fair will transform Pier 2, the Gateway Pavillion at Fort Mason, into a haven for watch lovers, gear junkies, collectors, and curious newcomers alike. With nearly 90 different watch and EDC brands on display-including some of the most exciting names in independent watchmaking. It’s the perfect place to get hands-on with timepieces you’ve only seen on screens-and maybe even walk away with your next favorite watch. Here are the details: Fort Mason – Gateway Pavilion, 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco Friday, May 2: 12PM – 6PM Saturday, May 3: 12PM – 6PM Sunday, May 4: 12PM – 5PM Free and open to the public We’re also thrilled to welcome our incredible lead sponsors: anOrdain, Christopher Ward, Fortis, Frederique Constant, and Oris, each bringing something special to the table. Whether you’re after design innovation, heritage craftsmanship, or a bold new statement piece, these brands are sure to deliver. But that’s just the beginning. Experience the EDC Expo Presented by NOMATIC This year, we’re continuing to turn up the volume with our EDC Expo presented by NOMATIC. Whether you’re into sleek multitools, ultra-functional bags, or purpose-built accessories, this section is dedicated to the best in everyday carry gear. This year, insid...
Hodinkee
Christopher Ward says US consumers will have to absorb the 31% tariff on Swiss watches.
Worn & Wound
That’s right-Windup Watch Fair is heading back to the Bay Area, and we couldn’t be more excited. From Friday, May 2nd to Sunday, May 4th, 2025, the Gateway Pavilion at the Fort Mason Center is the place to be for watch lovers, collectors, and anyone who just appreciates great design and craftsmanship. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco Friday, May 2 – Sunday, May 4, 2024 Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture San Francisco, CA Free and open to the public. If you’ve never been to Windup before, here’s the scoop: it’s a free, three-day event created by Worn & Wound to bring together the watch community. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just getting into the hobby, this is your chance to see amazing timepieces up close, chat with the people who make them, and connect with fellow enthusiasts-all in a fun, laid-back atmosphere. Not to mention, Windup SF is easily held at one of our most iconic venues: Pier 2 in San Francisco Bay with unforgettable views of both Alcatraz and The Golden Gate Bridge. This year, we’re stoked to have an incredible lineup of lead sponsors, including anOrdain, Christopher Ward, Fortis, Frederique Constant, and Oris. These brands are bringing their A-game with some seriously cool watches, and you’ll get the chance to check them out firsthand. Expect a killer mix of independent and well-known brands, hands-on experiences, and the opportunity to buy watches directly from the people who craft them. Plus, there...
Teddy Baldassarre
I recently had the chance to drop in to the District Time watch show in Washington, D.C., a microbrand-centric watch expo that has grown steadily over the years, with this year’s edition featuring more than 50 brands. Loren Sciurba and his team from The Time Bum blog, along with co-sponsor McDowell Time, did a fantastic job bringing the horological heat to a traditionally underserved Mid-Atlantic market, and based on the wall-to-wall crowds over two days, the event was a resounding smash. I had a blast on this run-and-gun road trip, getting to spend the day with our intrepid media maestro, Danny Milton, connecting with old friends and making new ones in this celebration of watch culture at its absolute finest. Even with a larger space this year, lines at the booths were stacked, with queues for brands such as Christopher Ward extending halfway through the length of the hall. There was plenty to see and try on, with Danny having way too much fun posing with the Heisman Trophy at the Axia Time booth. And if you didn’t get the chance to check it out yourself, we’ve got you covered. Some of these watches are brand new, and some new to us with our first in-hand impressions, but it was fantastic to experience a lot of these microbrands up close, given the difficulty in seeing many of them first-hand before clicking the “Buy It Now” button. So here, in alphabetical order, are ten standouts that really won our hearts and minds, and will likely be lightening our wallet...
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Worn & Wound
A Week In Watches returns with a look at a plethora of new releases that include updates from Christopher Ward, Glashütte Original, Nomos, and Tissot. Everyone has a new dial color or case size, it would seem, but they all work well here, bringing new renditions to old favorites, and further dialing in already great platforms. The big news this week comes from Longines, who redesigned their HydroConquest family with a new collection of GMT watches. Unique colorways and a few odd details on the dial preserve some of that classic HydroConquest character, while showing some serious sings of maturity in the process. In other news, we’re about a year away from the 2024 summer Olympic games in Paris, and Omega is ready to kick things off with a new Seamaster 300 commemorating the games. Omega and the Olympics go way back, like way way back, so it’s no surprise to see Omega getting a head start on things with a new LE, and we suspect that this won’t be the last to do so. Finally, can you ever have too much of a good thing? Tissot doesn’t think so, and just keeps iterating on the wildly popular PRX range, most recently with new dial colors and even a fully gold plated example in their 35mm Powermatic 80 PRX line. It should come as no surprise that they work rather well. Catch more details on these watches in our full intro. Reminder that you can catch us again in 2 weeks for more watches, people, and news in episode 62 of A Week In Watches. The post A Week In Watches, Ep....
SJX Watches
On 27 April 1927 a nurse walked into a room at the Cleveland Clinic carrying a leather case. The patient was sixty-four, a section of skull removed, the ache of radiation still working behind his eyes. On the charts he appeared as James Ward Packard, co-founder of Packard Electric and Packard Motor Car Company. To the nurse he was a difficult case. To Geneva he remained the client for whom Patek Philippe had just completed movement number 198’023, an astronomical watch that had absorbed three years of calculation and bench work. James Ward Packard. Image – Lehigh University Photograph Collection Inside the case lay a carillon minute repeater on three gongs, coupled to a full perpetual calendar with moon phase, equation of time, and sunrise and sunset indications calculated for Warren, Ohio. On the reverse, a deep blue sky disk carried five hundred and twelve gold stars, turning at sidereal speed around a small Polaris. The sky above his birthplace had been compressed into a circle of lapis and gold, moving in his hands as it moved above the town where he had been born, built factories, endowed an engineering laboratory, and which he now understood lay beyond any realistic hope of return. Consolation held little appeal for him. Packard placed his trust in precision, in the ability to describe a situation so exactly that it became bearable. The watch answered a question he had circled since childhood: if the world always exceeds your grasp, can you still know, to the min...
Worn & Wound
James Ward Packard (1863–1928) was a prominent American industrialist, inventor, and watch collector. Best known as the founder of the Packard Motor Car Company, which manufactured some of the most luxurious automobiles of the early 20th century, Packard was also an avid horology enthusiast and one of the most influential watch collectors of his era. His rivalry with Henry Graves Jr. over acquiring the most complicated and exquisite timepieces played a pivotal role in advancing the art of watchmaking. James Ward Packard was an engineer both in and out of the classroom. He wired the door and alarm clock of his dormitory room with switching mechanisms and rigged telegraph lines to friends’ rooms. Five years after graduating, he applied for the first of over forty patents. Upon graduation he and his brother started manufacturing incandescent carbon arc lamps. In 1890, Packard opened the Packard Electric Company with his brother in their hometown of Warren, Ohio. Packard and his first business partner, George Lewis Weiss, initially purchased a Winton automobile in 1898. After experiencing multiple issues with it, Packard personally suggested improvements to Alexander Winton. When Winton dismissed him, Packard decided to build a better car himself, leading to the creation of the first Packard automobile. Their company, the Packard Electric Company, made automotive electric systems. It was purchased by General Motors in 1932. The Packard Automobile Company was purchased by S...
Worn & Wound
Editor’s Note: In this week’s installment of our ongoing “3 for 5k” series, reader Christopher Lee presents a collection that incorporates two watches he personally owns, and one that might be entering his collection soon. These three watches cover a lot of horological ground, from a classic Swiss diver, to the most tech-forward watch in Seiko’s catalog. You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. Oris Aquis – $2,400 When setting out to name three watches for $5k, I knew I wanted to have at least one dive watch. It was the style of watch that first got me hooked on the hobby and in my opinion, every collection should have one. To me, the Oris Aquis has qualities that make it extremely desirable. Personally, I own the Caliber 400 model, but for the purposes of this list I will refer to the Sellita powered version. First off, the Aquis has great build quality and finish. The watch feels substantial in the hand and features 300m of water resistance. Furthermore, the transitions from polished surfaces to brushed are razor sharp. The head of the watch feels extremely solid with crown guards that are screwed onto it, which for me is a purposeful nod towards the longevity of the case. The bezel and its ceramic insert feel great to use with its snappy ratcheting feedback. Every set of links on the integrated bracelet features polished outer links and full articulation, contributing to a comfortab...
SJX Watches
Having been resurrected three years ago, Ikepod is returning to collaborations with contemporary artists, this time for Megapod designed together with Tom Christopher, best known for his paintings of New York City streetscapes. Based the automatic model launched last year, the Ikepod X Tom Christopher Megapod is a 200-piece edition sold exclusively online, reflecting the reborn Ikepod’s focus on affordable watches sold direct to the consumer. The Tom Christopher Megapod is the brand’s first artist collaboration since the Jeff Koons and KAWS watches created by an earlier iteration of the company. To recap, the brand was originally founded by Swiss businessman Oliver Ike and industrial designer Marc Newson in 1994, but failed to achieve commercial success despite its distinctive designs, in part due to high retail prices that resulted from its small production and high-quality components. It closed its doors in 2006, before being revived by art collector and dealer Adam Lindemann, whose influence helped gets Mr Koons and KAWS on board. But the brand continued to focus on pricey watches, and went bust once again in 2012. Now owned by a pair of Swiss entrepreneurs, the latest iteration of Ikepod is very much sticking with entry-level watches. Initial thoughts Having been the brainchild of Mr Newson, and then backed by Mr Lindemann, Ikepod’s idiosyncratic timepieces were long popular with certain well-heeled fans of contemporary art. Kanye West, for instance, sported a...
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