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Fratello
March LA.B initially caught my eye with the release of its AM2 GMT Grall Edition in 2024. But the French brand has been around for much longer than just a few years. It is the brainchild of three friends - Alain Marhic, Jérôme Mage, and Joseph Châtel. They share a passion for surfing and 1970s […] Visit Hands-On With The Exciting New March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The niche market for modern automatons just a little less tiny with Hugo Rittener’s Le Majordome, a mechanical butler that pop ups and greet the onlooker on demand. In the tradition of historical automatons, Le Majordome is entirely mechanical and driven by complex clockwork, and made entirely by hand. Initial thoughts Hugo Rittener is a young automaton maker from the Vaud region of Switzerland. Having cut his teeth working with François Junod, one of the most celebrated talents in the field, Mr Rittener has now gone into business for himself. Against this backdrop, Le Majordome (“the butler” in English) represents a foundational release. Compared to the timepieces we sometimes call mechanical art, this tabletop automaton serves no actual utility; there’s no time-telling and no complication other than the bronze figure itself. In terms of pure mechanical art, this is as artful as it gets. Having taken over 1,000 hours of work, from design to finishing, the (Le) Majordome is a mechanical animation of a bronze-sculpted and gold-plated butler figure, which raises his top hat towards those who actuate the mechanism. Mr Rittener poetically describes the Majordome as an automate d’accueil - meaning “welcoming automaton”. The mechanical butler does in fact greet its audience, so it could be used as an extravagant welcoming party trick. Hugo Rittener will make 10 pieces of the Majordome in total, over the course of some years. Given the highly artisanal process...
Fratello
Rado has a long-standing collaborative relationship with Les Couleurs Suisse. Until now, this has led to 12 releases that used Le Corbusier’s 63-shade color system, which he described in his book Polychromie Architecturale. For its latest collaborative effort, Rado took it a step beyond just using the Swiss-French architect’s color system. While these watches each […] Visit Introducing: The Rado True Round × Les Couleurs Le Corbusier Special Editions to read the full article.
Monochrome
Hitting the road to Fleurier, the discovery of L’Atelier Bernard was not what I expected. Bernard is a rather dated first name – one you rarely hear anymore for young people in Europe’s French-speaking countries. So, when I pushed open the door of their workshop in Fleurier, I was expecting to meet two old Swiss […]
SJX Watches
Startup independent brand Mermont has just made its public debut with the heavyweight La Parfaite, translating as “perfect one” in French. Assembled and adjusted by independent watchmaker Nicolas Delaloye, La Parfaite is among the most affordable platinum watches on the market, despite its contemporary case size and upscale construction. Initial thoughts At first glance, Mermont’s debut watch could pass for a handsome, stainless steel Breguet Souscription homage, probably priced accordingly. However, La Parfaite is not stainless steel, it is (mostly) platinum – and surprisingly affordable. Sebastien Bey-Haut, a watch and photography enthusiast, founded the brand, enlisting none other than Nicolas Delaloye, a Genevan watchmaker and AHCI member, to bring it to life. Though less commercially successful than some of his peers, Mr Delaloye is a respected independent watchmaker who spent eight years with the Patek Philippe Museum. Mr Delaloye personally polishes the single hour hand, performs final adjustment, and cases up the watches. It’s unusual for an upstart brand to debut with a precious metal watch, but that’s exactly what Mermont has done. But that hasn’t stopped the brand from focusing on the value proposition, pricing the La Parfaite well below industry norms for a platinum watch, especially a full size mechanical watch. Priced at CHF10,998 before taxes, La Parfaite is a full 38 mm in diameter and certainly among the least expensive mechanical platinum wa...
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Fratello
Although its 150th anniversary technically ended in 2025, Audemars Piguet inaugurates the Arc manufacture to celebrate the brand’s one-and-a-half-century existence. This 23,700m² facility brings local production teams together under one roof, and it is a clear indication that AP is proud to be from the Vallée de Joux and wants the region to thrive and […] Visit Audemars Piguet Inaugurates The Arc - A New Site In Le Brassus Bringing Different Watchmaking Crafts Under One Roof to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet (AP) has formally inaugurated the Arc Manufacture in its historical home of Le Brassus. Designed by de Giuli & Portier of Geneva, the 23,700-square metre building will accommodate 700 employees under one roof - a number that would have been almost unheard of in the days of the historical établissage system. It connects to, and partially wraps around, the existing Manufacture des Forges, which was completed in 2008 and housed around 300 employees - an impressive figure for its time. The expanded manufacture should ultimately help boost production, especially considering it was designed with Industry 4.0 in mind. In other words, it’s a smart factory. This includes a Goods-to-Person (GTP) automated sort and retrieval system which uses 66 robots to pick the needed components, which are then delivered by robotic shuttle. While such systems are already used by high-volume luxury watch brands like Rolex and Omega, few haute horlogerie brands have the volumes to justify such an investment. According to AP, the GTP system saves an average of 15 seconds per operation. But more than scale, the new manufacture should deliver higher quality of product – namely superior reliability and less defects – across AP’s offerings. Like other new manufactures of its type, the Arc is extremely energy efficient as well thanks to 321 metres of electrochromic glass, which can automatically change opacity to regulate the amount of light, and heat, allowed in. The building...
Monochrome
The pursuit of perfection is what drives many watchmakers to venture out on their own. But what perfection means can be different for each and every one of them. New to the independent watchmaking scene, and in a literal pursuit of perfection, is Mermont and its debut La Parfaite watch. Founded by Sebastian Bey-Haut and […]
Monochrome
For over 180 years, L’Epée 1839 has been one of the greatest specialists in high-end mechanical clocks, from traditional carriage timepieces to captivating, bold creations like the 1520-component Albatross and other time-telling objects developed in cooperation with MB&F;, cars and aeroplanes for Tiffany & Co., or an Imperial Hot Air Balloon for Louis Vuitton, to […]
Fratello
It’s Sunday, which means it’s time to wake up with a nice cup of coffee and another Sunday Morning Showdown. This week, Mike and Jorg will go up against each other in a matchup that you could see coming a mile away. They picked two gold heavy hitters and natural rivals from Omega and Rolex. […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch “Reverse Panda” Vs. Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Le Mans” to read the full article.
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Monochrome
If I had to describe the return of L.Leroy, once one of France’s most illustrious watchmaking houses, with its name respected as much as those of Breguet and Ferdinand Berthoud, it was very theatrical. Founded in 1785 by Charles Leroy in Paris, it became famous for its marine chronometers, regulator clocks, and commissions for European […]
Time+Tide
Baltic's latest take on its Scalegraph, produced to commemorate the French Transat Café L’Or yacht race, is designed as a skipper’s tool.The post Baltic’s Scalegraph takes to the high seas with the Transat Café L’Or Limited Edition appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
The last few weeks of the year are usually pretty quiet on the new release front, but there have been a handful of last minute limited editions come across the wires recently that are definitely of at least some interest. We just brought you news of a new Doxa LE from our friends at Topper Jewelers in Burlingame, CA, and in what amounts to an insanely quick turnaround, they’re back again with what surely has to be their final release of the year, a new collaboration with Zenith. This watch does one of my favorite things a watch can do, which is to completely hide its coolest feature most of the time, only allowing it to be visible under very specific conditions. It’s the same reason I love the less obvious and more subtle Grand Seiko dial textures – it’s the watch equivalent of a secret handshake. The Defy Extreme Diver Topper Edition is built on Zenith’s contemporary diver platform, an overengineered, 600 meter diver in the Defy line. Zenith has done a nice job of building out their diver selections in the last year or so, almost to the point where it’s hard to believe that they went so long without a true diver in the collection. At the moment, enthusiasts have the choice between the Defy Extreme Diver like the one seen here, or an only slightly more sedate “Revival” diver that’s essentially a one to one recreation of a vintage reference. The shared DNA between the two is obvious, and the way Zenith has positioned these watches within their own cata...
SJX Watches
Louis Erard continues its prolific run of collaborations with the Le Régulateur Louis Erard x Worn & Wound, designed with the New York-based publication behind the value-focused Windup Watch Fair. Known for reinterpreting its popular regulator model through limited editions created with independent watchmakers and designers, Louis Erard now turns to a collaborator rooted in accessible watch culture, resulting in a design that blends layered dial architecture with the brand’s familiar 39 mm steel case and reputation for value. Initial thoughts If there’s one brand that has managed to build an identity around collaborations, it’s Louis Erard. Over the past few years the brand has released an astonishing range of limited edition series, usually built around the Le Régulateur platform, designed in collaboration with a diverse mix of watchmakers and designers. Notable releases include collaborations with Konstantin Chaykin and Vianney Halter, but these are just two among many. Louis Erard’s latest is a collaboration with New York-based Worn & Wound, a watch blog with an e-commerce business. Worn & Wound is also the driving force behind Windup Watch Fair, a collector-focused watch fair that takes place in New York, San Fransisco, Dallas, and Chicago each year. Worn & Wound’s primary focus is value-oriented watches, so the collaboration with Louis Erard makes perfect sense. Like most of the brand’s watches, Le Régulateur is a good value, managing to sneak in just u...
The post Introducing the Louis Erard x Worn & Wound Le Régulateur Limited Edition appeared first on Worn & Wound.
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SJX Watches
Independent watchmaking continues to draw enthusiasm from collectors, particularly as a new generation of creators begins to establish its voice. New brands are springing up to cater to that demand, and one of the most interesting recent debuts is The Owl by L’Atelier Bernard, a sold-out six-piece limited edition that blends unconventional aesthetics with equally unconventional mechanics. Handcrafted in Fleurier by the young duo Bernard Van Ormelingen and Bernard Braboretz, the watch showcases now familiar elements of artisanal finishing and inverted-movement architecture, along with something rarely seen, a duplex escapement, which makes The Owl a more distinctive entry in the crowded field of emerging independents. Initial thoughts The Owl is handcrafted by a pair of young and talented watchmakers, the Bernards who gave their name to the brand. Clearly a show of their shared aesthetic sensibilities and technical chops, the Owl is meant to kickstart the independent creators’ artisanal venture in Fleurier. One of the Bernards is not new to independent watchmaking; those who closely follow independent watchmaking might remember Mr Van Ormelingen’s name from Van Bricht, a now-defunct brand for which he produced guilloche dials. The Owl is unexpected and intriguing on several fronts. Its aesthetics, mechanics, decoration, and layout seem almost at odds with one another, yet the result is a distinctly artisanal object. There is no conventional dial; instead, the watch pr...
Monochrome
Independent and proudly small-scale, Brellum thrives carving its niche in modern Swiss watchmaking. Founded by fourth-generation watchmaker Sébastien Muller, the brand produces only 299 pieces per year, each officially COSC-certified, meticulously decorated, and sold directly to end consumers. Following the recent release of the Pandial Power Reserve Chronometer LE in steel, Brellum now offers a […]
Fratello
Today, we’ll go hands-on with the latest Brellum release. The Pandial Power Reserve Black Titanium LE Chronometer builds upon this month’s earlier introduction of a similar model in steel. Considering that this is the brand’s most feature-laden watch, it’s worth taking a closer look. With such small production runs, Brellum maintains an aggressive release schedule. […] Visit Hands-On: The New Brellum Pandial Power Reserve Black Titanium LE Chronometer to read the full article.
Monochrome
March LA.B is a multi-product French company founded in 2009 by three friends passionate about surfing and 1970s retro design. Named after the month March, followed by an acronym for Los Angeles and Biarritz, where the founding partners reside, March LA.B retails a portfolio of surfer-friendly products with eyewear, wetsuits, small leather goods, shorts and […]
SJX Watches
Chopard marks 30 years of the Chopard Manufacture with the L.U.C Grand Strike – its most ambitious complication to date, a minute repeating clock watch with grande et petite sonnerie striking on a pair of sapphire gongs. This comes on the heels of Chopard’s sister brand, Ferdinand Berthoud’s Naissance d’une Montre 3, making 2025 arguably the most significant year for Chopard, product wise, since the 1997 launch of L.U.C. Initial Thoughts For hundreds of years the sound of clocks coordinated human society. In fact, the very word “clock” comes from the Latin word clocca, meaning bell. Before the noise pollution of the modern day, the bells of clock towers could disseminate accurate time over several miles. It is only that many first complicated the first watches, which were made by clock makers during the 16th century, were equipped with strikes. In 2016 Chopard launched its first self-developed chiming watch, the L.U.C Full Strike, a two-train trip repeater with sapphire gongs. It is not much of a surprise, I’ve multiple people speculate that a grande sonnerie was the next step given the design depictions Chopard made with the Full Strike. Even the name, “Full Strike” sounds like the name of a grande sonnerie, not just a repeater. The Grand Strike is class leading technically, it’s only weakness, the middling strike work power reserve is easily forgiven when considering its size. Aesthetically, however, the watch struggles, at least for me, though the si...
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Monochrome
On the occasion of Dubai Watch Week 2025, Chopard unveils the L.U.C Grand Strike, the brand’s most complex watch to date, with a Grande Sonnerie, a Petite Sonnerie, a Minute Repeater and a tourbillon regulator. Just like the brand’s Full Strike minute repeater, its acoustic merits are nothing short of extraordinary, in particular thanks to […]
Fratello
As 2025 draws to a close, we are slowly getting ready to look back at some of this year’s best releases. But the wonderful people at Chopard said, “Hold your horses! We are not done yet.” With the stunning L.U.C Grand Strike, the brand celebrates the 30th anniversary of its manufacture in style. Incidentally, it […] Visit Chopard Celebrates The 30th Anniversary Of Its Manufacture With The Stunning L.U.C Grand Strike to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The world’s largest luxury group, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), just announced that it has taken a minority stake in Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret, an important supplier to the group’s watch brands as well as the industry at large. Owned by Citizen of Japan, La Joux-Perret also controls a few of its own brands, including Arnold & Son and Angelus, that will remain independent. The solar-powered TAG Heuer Formula 1 that relies on technology licensed from Citizen Initial thoughts LVMH’s investment in La Joux-Perret marks a logical next step in its long-term effort to consolidate movement production within the group. Such arrangements are becoming increasingly common - Hermès and Chanel, for instance, have taken similar minority stakes in movement makers Vaucher and Kenissi, respectively. LVMH, which owns TAG Heuer, Bulgari, Zenith, Hublot, and of course Louis Vuitton, had already hinted at this direction. Last year, Frédéric Arnault, son of Bernard Arnault and then the head of LVMH’s watch division, proposed expanding Zenith’s manufacture to supply movements to other group brands. That plan has been partly realised with Zenith now producing Bulgari’s Solotempo calibre. However, the idea of Zenith supplying a high-volume brand like TAG Heuer always seemed unlikely, which helps explain this latest move. La Joux-Perret’s solar technology for movements is particularly important to TAG Heuer, the most important watch brand in LVMH in terms o...
Time+Tide
Is this the return to the old Roger Dubuis that watch enthusiasts have been waiting for?The post Roger Dubuis celebrates its 30th anniversary with the Hommage La Placide, a revival and tribute to its traditional roots appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
When Hermès introduced the Cut at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024, we said it arrived fashionably late to the integrated-bracelet party. However, the quirky 36mm pebble-like cushion case, in combination with the playful numerals, brought something exciting to the popular and overcrowded genre. At Watches and Wonders this year, the Parisian maison didn’t introduce any […] Visit Hands-On With The Hermès Cut Le Temps Suspendu And The Arceau Rocabar De Rire to read the full article.
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