Results for White Gold vs Platinum

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Gerald Genta 19h ago

Introducing: Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater Golden Obsidian

What We Know Today, at Geneva Watch Days, Gérald Genta has announced the latest version of its Geneva Minute Repeater. This new version of the watch, which was originally released around this time last year, swaps the black Onyx dial of that release for a novel dial in Golden Obsidian. Other details are largely unchanged, continuing the trend of the revived Gérald Genta expanding its lineup with caution and deliberation. As with last year's Gérald Genta Geneva Minute Repeater, the Golden Obsidian uses the 40mm-wide, 9.6mm-thick yellow-gold version of the cushion-shaped Geneva case (as opposed to the 38mm version introduced earlier this year in the time-only models, which you can read about here). The protruding single-lug design, found on a handful of Genta watches from the later stages of his career (including the Credor Locomotive), means this watch wears pretty close to 40mm lug-to-lug. Inside the Geneva Minute Repeater is the in-house GG-002 movement, developed by La Fabrique du Temps. It's a 3 Hz movement with 80 hours of power reserve and an impressively loud minute repeater. It's a nice bit of watchmaking, and — as Mark intimated when he went hands-on with the Onyx-dialed version of this watch last year — it fits nicely into the lineage of Genta-designed minute repeaters. The big talking point with this year's Geneva Minute Repeater is the Golden Obsidian dial. Golden Obsidian — a material I had not encountered before this watch — is a volcanic glass that...

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Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute Yesterday

Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Tribute To The Animal Kingdom

What We Know Last week, Vacheron Constantin presented the latest in their Métiers d'Art collection, the Métiers d'Art Tribute to the Animal Kingdom. The impressive collection, which is based on Vacheron's four-aperture display Métiers d'Art watch, is made up of six watches, each featuring a facsimile of an animal made out of an unexpected blend of materials and construction. Notably, each dial in the series was created not by a watchmaker, but rather by an independent artist. This last part is key to the Métiers d'Art idea, which offers watches as a platform for artistry of all sorts, resulting in a collection unlike any other I can think of. The six watches that make up this collection are the: Feathersnake, which features a snake made of several hundred pieces of Lophophore and Goose feather; Glassoctopus, which features a hand-melted and shaped glass octopus set on a hand-guilloched gold-base coated in dark blue; Oraygami, which sets a fever of origami paper rays again against a hand-guilloched gold-base finished in blue; Tigerbroidery, which renders a tiger through an embroidered silk dial using yellow and white gold wire, black ceramic–coated wire, and British and Japanese silk; Papercroc, which uses paper sculpture to evoke a crocodile; and Woodenwings, which features a marquetry dial rendition of a flacon. To go into the process behind each of these dials would take up far more time and space than is available here (maybe something to go into if ever I get to ...

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TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph Carbon Yesterday

Introducing: TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph Carbon Limited Edition

What We Know This weekend, Formula 1 returns to Ferrari's home track (for the series, at least) of Monza, and with that return, TAG Heuer is releasing a new version of the eponymous Monza Flyback Chronograph. The watch was originally released in 1976 to celebrate Ferrari's return to the top with the constructors' and drivers' Formula 1 championships, with its black-coated case setting the stage not only for the model's future but also for similar releases from Heuer (and later TAG Heuer). A Monza isn't a Monza unless it's black, so this new release fits the remit perfectly: a 42mm by 15.22mm case in forged carbon, with red accents on the dial. Often known as the Niki Lauda (after the driver who won the title in 1976), the original watch featured a lot of red (and was reissued over a decade ago), though the dial layout has changed significantly from the original. This time, that red has been swapped around, with accents on the minute-counting and chronograph hands, the combination pulsometer and tachymeter flange scale, and the flyback mark at 6 o'clock. The date is still included, moved to 9 o'clock (which in turn puts running seconds at 6 o'clock), but with an angled window. The indices are all printed, and the hands and hour markers use white Super-LumiNova. The watch is powered by the COSC-certified Caliber TH20-12 automatic movement, running at 4Hz. TAG Heuer didn't provide specifications here, but past versions of the Monza with this movement had an 80-hour power rese...

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Patek Philippe s Quintessential Calatravas 2 days ago

Recommended Reading: John Nagayama's '96' Is An Essential Guide To The Rarest Of Patek Philippe's Quintessential Calatravas

In this week's edition of our ongoing book review column, I thought it was a good time to highlight a reference that's been sitting on my shelf for a while but was sadly out of stock by the time it arrived at my place two years ago. Well, luckily for us, John Nagayama's masterful Patek Philippe tome, simply called "96," has been reprinted, and out of the 450 copies released for sale just a few weeks ago, there are still a couple left. John Nagayama, at his old office in Tokyo, Japan. John Nagayama, known as @johnbehalf on Instagram, is the undisputed king of the reference 96. That's saying something. The long-lived, miniature (by today's standards) time-only Patek Philippe has become the framework and measuring stick for basically every dress watch that's come since, and long-time collectors have never turned a blind eye to it. But recent interest, driven by Mike Nouveau over on TikTok in particular, and acceptance of a 30.5mm watch has put it back on the map. But Japan, where Nagayama is based, became the Mecca for small watches and 96 obsessives. Nagayama has probably forgotten more than nearly anyone will ever know about time-only Patek. And he doesn't forget hardly anything. If you browse his site, you'll see some super esoteric stuff. While writing this, his homepage featured one of the 10 known ref. 433, this one in platinum and rose, with an amazing three-color dial. His personal collection (from which he pulled four amazing watches for a past story we did in Japan)...

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WristBuzz

Is the Rolex Submariner the most iconic watch ever? 5 days ago

Is the Rolex Submariner the most iconic watch ever?

Seventy-two years, one silhouette, and the single most recognised watch on earth. The Submariner survived James Bond, Steve McQueen, the quartz crisis, the wait-list era, and its own ubiquity. Time to answer the question everyone tiptoes around: is it actually the most iconic watch ever?

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Breitling Tabarly 5 days ago

Bring a Loupe: A Hamilton Cross Country, A Heuer Titanium Quartz, A Movado Super Sub Sea Chronograph, And More

Welcome to August's end, everyone. I never know how to start these things—there's too much variety in most of our days, meaning that, short of borderline universal cultural experiences, it's hard to know what we'd all even know about. That said, I'd like to offer quick thanks: I've now lucked into writing Bring A Loupe for six months, and it's just tremendous fun, soup to nuts. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to working as hard as I can to not bore you for as long as I'm allowed. Also, boo to Dolly Parton's and Tim Curry's passing. Terrible plot twist. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Hublot Orlinski's on hold, the Seiko Sportura sold for €1,350, the Breitling Tabarly for €760, and the Yema Tomahawk for £800. Strays I have failed to highlight fun skin divers over the last couple of weeks, so let me ameliorate that lack with this Dupont and this LIP. They share identical all-steel skin diver cases; the differences in their bezels are awfully minor, and the Dupont's got a bracelet, so maybe that's enough of a needle-mover. This Breguet Chronoscope pocketwatch in platinum's not in perfect condition—the dial's got a few spots—but it is also incredibly gorgeous, the design is fantastic, and Monaco Legend Group sold a silver version in 2023 for €16,000, so plan accordingly. I could be wrong, but it looks like this ultra-thin solid gold quartz Jaeger was made by other brands as well, among them Bulova (who called their version a Phantom) and Microma (appare...

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SJX Watches

Voutilainen 28TI Aug 25, 2026

Why Is Everything Inverted?

At the beginning of the year, we wondered if 2026 might become the year of the jumping hours wristwatch. While that trend is still developing, a spate of new releases in the past few months has crystallised another trend that’s been taking shape for a number of years: the inverted movement. While not an altogether new format, it’s hard to miss its growing popularity. What is an inverted movement? There’s no hard-and-fast rule for what constitutes an inverted movement, since the category itself has emerged informally. That said, a simple definition takes the term at face value: a movement that’s been reversed inside the case, such that barrel(s), gear train, and escapement are fully exposed on the wrist. The dial, if there is one at all, is usually consigned to a dial flange or small, off-centre time display. Ordinarily, an inverted movement begins its product lifecycle like any other conventional calibre. The Voutilainen 28TI, for example, was adapted from the brand’s normal cal. 28, with an additional train over the centre wheel to reverse the direction of the hands. However, sometimes the inverted variant is selected as the launch platform, with a conventional sibling that follows later — sometimes much later. The inverted cal. 507DR that powered the Breguet Tradition 7027 — the watch that arguably pioneered this trend back in 2005 — pre-dated its conventional counterpart by two decades. The cal. VS00 that powers the Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 is...

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WatchAdvice

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Aug 21, 2026

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Le Petit Prince Review: Two Materials, Two Personalities

I take IWC’s latest Le Petit Prince chronographs for a hands-on review to discover how two materials completely transform the same design. What We Love Eye-catching white ceramic case and deep-blue dial contrast Ceramic model is lightweight and comfortable to wear, despite its substantial dimensions Two distinct personalities across ceramic and steel What We Don’t Full white ceramic edition lacks everyday versatility Both models are still relatively thick on the wrist 46 hour power reserve is modest by modern watchmaking standards. Overall Rating: 8.6 / 10 Value For Money: 8.7/10 Design: 8.5/10 Wearability: 8.7/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 To mark 20 years of its collaboration with the heirs of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, IWC expands its Le Petit Prince lineup with new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph editions in stainless steel and white ceramic. This was one of IWC’s main themes for Watches & Wonders 2026, with a wide range of models carrying the signature Le Petit Prince design. There are few collections as closely connected to IWC’s modern identity as the Pilot’s Watch, which carries a design inspired by the functional appearance of cockpit instrumentation. The Pilot’s Watch Chronograph then combines this aviation-inspired design with one of IWC’s best-known mechanical strengths in watchmaking: chronographs. IWC Schaffhausen’s connection to the story of Le Petit Prince began in 2006, when the Swiss watchmaker started collaborating with the descendants of Fren...

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Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Aug 20, 2026

Introducing: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Limited Edition

What We Know The 1950s were big years for Blancpain—first in 1953 with the introduction of the Fifty Fathoms, then a few short years later in 1956, when the Bathyscaphe arrived as a "civilian counterpart" as diving gained popularity. Revived in 2013, it's remained a core part of the modern Fifty Fathoms lineup ever since. We're not strangers to the Bathyscaphe here at Hodinkee, either—we teamed up with Blancpain on our own limited edition back in 2019. Today, to mark the Bathyscaphe's 70th anniversary, Blancpain is releasing a 300-piece limited edition that takes inspiration from the 1968 reference and updates it in all the right ways. The homage to the '68 piece is evident at a quick glance; the first thing I noticed was the vintage Blancpain logo, which sets the tone for what the brand is trying to do here. The sunburst meteor grey dial is lifted straight from the 1968 piece as well, as are the baton hands and indexes in 18k white gold, both filled with a vintage-colored Super-LumiNova that gives the lume a warmer, aged look straight out of the box. The steel bezel extends into a ring at the base of the box crystal—another detail pulled directly from the '68 watch—and its ceramic insert with lacquered numerals swaps out the original's black hesalite. That same fidelity carries through to the case. At 37.4mm in stainless steel, it's sized to match the 1968 piece on which it draws inspiration, rather than the smaller 35mm case Blancpain used on the original 1956 Ba...

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Seiko x Tradman's Bonsai Presage Aug 18, 2026

Introducing: Seiko x Tradman's Bonsai Presage Classic Series

What We Know It may not always come as a surprise when Seiko releases a new collaboration, at least in the abstract. Still, it is always exciting to see just who Seiko has chosen to partner with, and what that partnership can turn into. This time, Seiko has paired itself with Tradman's Bonsai, a Japanese creative collective whose mission is to celebrate and continue exploring the traditional art of Japanese Bonsai through both the creation of Bonsai spaces and the pursuit of collaborations with brands in the street culture, fashion, and art worlds. The result here is the latest addition to Seiko's Presage line, Seiko's dressier alternative to other, more technical watch families likeProspex. It's also the line Seiko often uses to celebrate heritage Japanese aesthetics and artistry, making it a perfect canvas for Seiko to honor Bonsai, an art form that involves growing, cultivating, and shaping small-scale trees with rigorous dedication and precision. With this watch, Seiko has evoked Bonsai trees in several ways, most clearly with the introduction of a new dial color and texture. Inspired by the bark of aging pine trees, the new pattern gently spirals outward from the center of the dial and is paired with a deep green gradient treatment and a dual-curved sapphire crystal with an AR coating on the inside. A 38mm stainless steel case with a fluted bezel and yellow-gold-tone finish houses the dial and the watch's 6R51 movement, a time-only automatic from Seiko with a 72-hour ...

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Massena Lab Aug 13, 2026

Introducing: The Albishorn Marinagraph Classic

What We Know Swiss brand Albishorn, carving out a niche with "imaginary vintage" designs, just released a simplified version of its regatta chronograph with the Marinagraph Classic. I first covered this complication in my hands-on review two years ago with the Albishorn Maxigraph, the brand's debut model and a collaboration with Massena LAB. Since then, the regatta chronograph has lived on under Albishorn's "Water" collection as the Marinagraph, combining the complication with a tide bezel. Today's Marinagraph Classic isn't all that different from the Marinagraph Classic Racing. Visually, the biggest difference is the swap from that colorful aluminum insert tide bezel to a large bidirectional sapphire bezel with more traditional, lumed markings. And yes, there are new dials too. While the sunray-brushed black dial remains, the new dial comes in the form of a white fumé color, with what could have been misconstrued as a shadow in the brand photography actually a subtle dark fade around the edges of the white dial. The black dial sports contrasting silver hands and markers, while the ones on the white fumé dial offer a stark black contrast. On both dials, the ten-minute retrograde regatta countdown scale at 7 o'clock is colored in blue and red, while the chronograph and regatta seconds hands are matched on each dial in either red for the black dial or blue for the white. My favorite feature since the first Maxigraph has been the aperture at 3 o'clock, serving as a running ...

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WatchRider

Swatch Aug 12, 2026

Swatch Marks Spain’s Total Solar Eclipse With a 24-Hour MoonSwatch Mission to the Sun Solar Eclipse SSX01J100-1

Swatch has created a new version of the Bioceramic MoonSwatch Mission to the Sun for Spain’s total solar eclipse on 12 August 2026. Called Mission to the Sun Solar Eclipse, reference SSX01J100-1, the watch is available only in Spain and only for 24 hours on the day of the eclipse. Online purchases are limited to three watches per person. The watch is reference SSX01J100-1 and was offered exclusively in Spain for 24 hours. Image: Swatch. A small change with a clear eclipse connection This is not a completely new MoonSwatch. It uses the familiar Mission to the Sun colour scheme with a bright yellow Bioceramic case, white tachymeter bezel and white rubber strap. The gold-coloured dial has a sun-brushed finish, while white hands and hour markers keep the display easy to read. Orange hands add contrast to the chronograph seconds and the three white subdials. The Solar Eclipse edition keeps the yellow and white Mission to the Sun colour scheme. Image: Swatch. The important new detail is the black chronograph pusher at two o’clock. The lower pusher remains yellow, so the dark upper button stands out immediately. It represents the Moon moving in front of the Sun during totality. Swatch has changed only one control, but that contrast gives the watch a direct link to the event without covering the dial in extra text or graphics. The black upper pusher represents the Moon covering the Sun during the total eclipse. Image: Swatch. The new moon appears on the back The other change i...

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Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour Aug 10, 2026

Introducing: The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour 'Ultimus'

What We Know Fears just announced the final chapter of its Brunswick Jump Hour collection, and this appropriately named Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour 'Ultimus' might just be the collection's most interesting execution yet. Designed in collaboration with British watch content creator Andrew Morgan, the Ultimus takes the modern design cues from the Brunswick Jump Hour all the way to eleven, with a stark black-and-white sensibility in a very sleek "Phantom White" dial execution. The focal point is the new jump hour dial, and yes, it's very lumed. Rather than in typical Brunswick Jump Hour executions, which hide all inactive numerals, this dial execution uses sapphire to reveal the oversized hour disc beneath and leans into it as part of the design. A black outer ring holds minimal branding, and within are two luminous ceramic discs—the lower disc is for the rotating (and jumping) hours, and the other disc floats above, housing the printed minute track and the oversized black minute hand. That center lumed ceramic disc above is also connected to a frosted outer ring, which holds the printed minute numerals and offers a subtle peek at the inactive hour numerals on the rest of the dial. At twelve o'clock is a magnifier, which replaces the typical framed window we've seen on the other Brunswick Jump Hours to highlight the current hour and its numeral(s) in full. The steel case is unchanged in this edition, with a diameter of 40.5mm, a thickness of 12.8mm, and a lug-to-lug of 47mm. I...

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SJX Watches

Seiko Celebrates Honda’s Quirky Bike Aug 7, 2026

Seiko Celebrates Honda’s Quirky Bike with 5 Sports Motocompo

Compact, affordable Japanese icons collide in the Seiko 5 Sports Motocompo Limited Edition ref. HDB010, a collaboration with Honda that celebrates a collectable and compact 1980s motorbike. It recreates the Motocompo’s Daisy Yellow paint, retro typography, and even its packaging. And at 36.4 mm in diameter, it too can fit in the back of the Honda Jazz. Initial thoughts The Honda Motocompo was an adorable folding scooter briefly offered as an option on the Honda Jazz/City during the early 1980s. When folded up, it was small enough to squeeze into the back of a subcompact car, or even an Acura NSX. Its retro styling is back in fashion, and low production numbers — due to weak sales — make it quite collectable today. Honda offered the Motocompo in three colors: Caribbean Red, Shetland White, and the Daisy Yellow you see here. Image – Honda Motor Company I find the colour choice odd, as to me Honda means red — from the NSX to the brand’s motorcycles. “Honda Red” is the brand’s corporate colour, after all. If this colourway makes me think of anything, it’s Kill Bill: Volume 1. The case back crystal, however, is classic Honda red, concealing the industrially finished workhorse cal. 4R36. Colour aside, the Honda wordmark is appealingly subtle, and the stylised “automatic” text at six, which echoes the original Motocompo branding, turns an otherwise unnecessary label into a defining element of the design. Bluntly speaking, Seiko typography fell off a cliff ...

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Monochrome

Mido s Multifort 8 One Jul 31, 2026

Introducing - Mido’s Multifort 8 One Crown is Back in Black PVD

Founded in Switzerland in 1918 by George Schaeren, Mido is currently positioned as an entry-to-mid-level Swatch Group brand, prized for offering exceptional value and robust build quality. Placing more emphasis on bolder design, Mido has sparked interest for its accomplished remakes of golden oldies like the Multifort TV Big Date and the Decompression Timer and […]

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Hodinkee

TAG Heuer Team Ikuzawa Jul 30, 2026

Introducing: TAG Heuer, Team Ikuzawa, And Bamford Return With A Second Collaboration

What We Know It feels like eons ago, but it was only three years back when TAG Heuer first collaborated with Team Ikuzawa and Bamford to release a Carrera chronograph. Just like Tetsu Ikuzawa in a Porsche 906 back in 1967. Oh, how time flies. Now the trio is back with a second collaboration from the minds of Tetsu's daughter and the team's principal, Mai Ikuzawa, brought to life by Bamford and TAG Heuer. With the compact 39mm Carrera "Glassbox" shape and the team's white-and-red accents, the watch draws on Mai Ikuzawa's decades of experience blending design, fashion, and motorsports. First things first. The watch is 39mm by 13.86mm in brushed and polished stainless steel, with that domed "glassbox" crystal that magnifies the dial and creates a 3D effect on the flange. The dial is white with a really unexpected Clous de Paris finish, the Team Ikuzawa branding at 6 o'clock, just above a date window with red text, and red text for TAG Heuer and Carrera at 12 o'clock. The edge of the dial has black-printed minute markers and numerals. The 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock has an unusual pinball-and-roulette-wheel design, and the hands have touches of red with luminous filling. Even the crown has a red stripe around it—the whole thing is unabashedly bold. Inside the case is the TH20-10 movement, with an 80-hour power reserve and a 4Hz frequency. You can see the automatic movement through the caseback, but it's slightly obscured by printed branding on the caseback for Team Ikuzaw...

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Daniel Roth prior Jul 23, 2026

Hands-On: The Breguet Classique Tourbillon 7357

If there was a way to celebrate the 225th anniversary of Breguet patenting the tourbillon, re-launching a version of the brand's iconic ref. 3350 was the obvious crowd-pleasing option. There was always something charming about that original tourbillon from the 1980s, but there were some downsides too. The new ref. 7357 is Breguet's best effort to solve those downsides, modernize, and give buyers what they say they've wanted for a long time. At a true-to-vintage 35mm diameter by 9.2mm thick (43mm lug-to-lug), with 30m of water resistance, it's the same but different. In a lot of great ways. For those not in the vintage or neo-vintage space, Breguet created an all-time great watch when Daniel Roth (prior to his own brand) worked for Breguet and modified a Nouvelle Lemania ébauche into a compact and impressive tourbillon wristwatch. You can see an original platinum ref. 3357 example below (the quick successor to the 3550). The tourbillon bridge design is different between these generations (both front and rear).  The guilloché pattern, finishing, and even the movement-side treatment are different, with a very neo-vintage hand engraving on the earlier example. That watch would forge the future of the Breguet brand and, after Breguet's then-owner, Chaumet, went bankrupt, push Roth to found his own brand, where the tourbillon became a focal point. So let's look at those changes a bit more closely. First things first, the new 7357 is, by no means, a budget option. Coming in at...

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Jul 22, 2026

Hands-On: The Haim Watch Co. Annum

Haim Watch Company, a Chicago-based microbrand, marked its fifth anniversary in 2025 by introducing an intriguing new timepiece called the Annum. I first saw the watch last fall at the WindUp Watch Fair in New York City, where the brand's founder, M. Zakir Miah, brought along a prototype that immediately caught my attention. Visitors at the event received a sneak peek of the Annum alongside previous creations like the Viajero worldtimer, a model I reviewed last year. Since that initial preview, the Annum has undergone a bit of an evolution, including a subtly redesigned case and a few small tweaks to the dial. In its final iteration, the Annum offers a compelling complete calendar watch that punches well above its weight and continues what Haim Watch Company has achieved with its Viajero: creative, supremely wearable takes on complications that stand out the price point. The Annum comes in three dial variations. "Dark Cobalt" and "Stone White" are solid-colored dials with a sunken-in CNC guilloché center section and applied hour markers on the grained outer dial ring. But when it was time to pick which variant I'd spend some time with for this hands-on, it was the semi-transparent "Fumée" dial that I wanted to see, and it wasn't even close. From afar, the Fumée iteration reminds me of the dials of great skeletonized perpetual calendars of old, thanks to the display of the module underneath the smoked PVC (plastic) dial. On this dial, the subdial rings and minutes track ...

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Audemars Piguet launch it makes Jul 16, 2026

Introducing: The Swatch Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch

What We Know It's kind of funny saying this, but it's been a bit of time since we've seen a new Moonswatch. Given the news cycle around this year's Swatch x Audemars Piguet launch, it makes a lot of sense that Swatch has held more Moonswatch releases in its back pocket, ready for when the time is right to get people talking again about its most popular high/low collab. Today's new Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch is the most limited of the Moonswatches, with only 1,969 pieces made in total. It's certainly a special execution, with an homage to Apollo 11's Moon landing in—you guessed it—1969. But unlike an actual Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, where the story is a huge part of the appeal to the collector, I have a feeling that this Moonswatch's appeal lies in its use of Omega's 18K Moonshine Gold. It's certainly not the first time Swatch has used Omega's gold alloy in Moonswatches, but this one has a lot of that gold. With the dial, hands, pushers, and crown all in Moonshine Gold, there are eleven grams total in each of these watches. Interestingly, Swatch is saying that the gold used for this edition is melted down from spare Omega parts from that era, which then ties the connection with Omega much closer together. This edition pairs a matte black Bioceramic case with all those bits of gold and black accents to complete the look. The Moonshine Gold dial is given a vertically brushed finish. No lume to be found on these hands, as the gold beveled applied indices are fi...

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Worn & Wound

Timex pieces found Jul 16, 2026

Organic Second-Hand Horology: The Joys of Uncovering a Used Gem at a Local Shop or Sale

Finding a watch at your local Goodwill or community rummage sale sparks a certain kind of euphoria in a watch collector that’s hard to capture from any other source or stimulus. My watch collecting journey started at a local flea market with two Timex pieces found in a basket of old silverware, buttons, and thimbles. At age twelve, I still can’t identify what made those watches stick out to me like sore thumbs––or why I decided to invest my hard-earned leftover $5 allowance money on them––but that feeling like I discovered a diamond in the rough is a high I continue to chase into the present day. Why does finding and purchasing a watch second-hand from a local sale or thrift store feel so incredibly rewarding? To support my theories with some examples, I invite you to take a trip down my own personal memory lane and look at some of the timepieces I’ve picked up at thrift stores, yard, garage, rummage, estate, and community sales throughout my years of collecting. For those keen-eyed readers out there, you may have noticed I skipped over a classic locale for second-hand goods: antique stores. I want to save that lengthy discussion for another day, as there is a far deeper discussion into the idea of price vs. value vs. availability that will take far longer than a side tangent to be included here. Putting antiques aside for another day, let’s discuss what makes a thrift find feel so valuable. The Thrifty State of Mind Everyone loves a good deal. Do I really ...

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Krayon Jul 13, 2026

Introducing: The Krayon Parhelion, A Maximalist Take On The Brand’s Anywhere Watch

What We Know Pretty much anything that independent watch brand Krayon produces feels like it rests solidly in the if-you-know-you-know realm of exquisitely engineered high-end complications. The brand's focused catalog contains variations on three main complications—the universal sunrise and sunset calculator that is the Everywhere, the watchmaker-adjustable sunrise and sunset-indicating caliber that is the Anywhere, and the most recently introduced weekday and weekend pointer date display in the Anyday. Sure, Krayon's recent Pac-Man collaboration in a limited run of Anywhere watches might feel like an odd one out, but most of the examples I've seen on the wrists of collectors have all flown well under the radar with tastefully measured executions. But if you've ever wondered what a Krayon would look like with a touch—scratch that, a lot—of bling, well, the new Parhelion might just do the trick. It's hard to mistake this new watch for anything else in the catalog thanks to the sheer number of baguette-cut sapphires set across the entire watch—159 of them, to be exact. To house this number of gemstones, the case is 42mm in diameter, made from an alloy of white gold with a high percentage of palladium for a very white hue to match the brightness of the stones. Thickness, given the complication, is impressive at 9.5mm. When I first saw a prototype of the Parhelion a few months ago, only the bezel was inlaid with sapphires, in a stunning gradient from white to blue. Bu...

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Worn & Wound

Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired Jul 8, 2026

Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired by Classic Teak Boats

Good things are worth the wait, according to Frederique Constant. Every two years, the Geneva-based watchmaker releases a new collector’s piece in their sought-after Classics Runabout collection, which represents, according to the brand, the combination of Genevan craftsmanship and Italian nautical influence. The 2026 model has been, of course, highly-anticipated; the Classics Runabout Automatic GMT represents a new chapter in Frederique Constant’s celebrated line.  The new GMT model, presented in collaboration with the Riva Historical Society, brings a 42mm footprint and two colorways: deep blue and teak-brown. Both models and their aesthetics are inspired by boats restored by the Riva Historical Society, and come with a miniature replica of said boat. The polished stainless steel case features three-part construction, and a midrange thickness of 12.85mm, giving it a decently chunky presence on the wrist. Still, the larger size is deceptive, given the bezel-less design; the GMT instead features an outer 60-second track, and a center 24-hour disk, giving it a filled-out look that slims the watch down visually. Arabic numerals appear at 12, 3, and 9 o’clock, and hand-applied indexes fill in the remainder of the hour markers, with a date window nestled at 6 o’clock. What results is a balanced dial that feels both busy and calm, given the limited color pallet, with blue and brown dial options both rounded out by beige-gold numerals and text details. All hands and ind...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Seiko Jul 7, 2026

Introducing: The Rally Diver Returns For The Fourth Collab Between Seiko And Rowing Blazers

What We Know After a string of three successful collaborations, the trio of Seiko, NYC-based clothing brand Rowing Blazers, and Eric Wind of Wind Vintage is back after a long hiatus with its fourth set of creations. If you're thinking that the two new models might seem awfully familiar, you'd be right. They're essentially a continuation of one of the first models in the original Rowing Blazers Seiko collaboration, reference SRPG49. That "Rally Diver" from 2021 itself served as an homage to a vintage Rally Diver Seiko from the late sixties, a watch that Eric Wind credits as the first vintage watch he'd ever purchased. Now, five years later, the group is bringing forth two new versions of this Rally Diver Seiko 5 Sports watch, each numbered and limited to a generous 2,500 pieces, bringing the total for this launch to a pretty large 5,000 units. The blue Rally Diver, ref. SRPM19 continues the 42.5mm sizing of the 2021 edition, while the green dial comes in a smaller 38mm case size. The distinctive checkered aluminum insert on the unidirectional rotating bezel is rendered in silver and either bright blue or forest green, matching the color of the double-signed dial. While the handset is primarily brushed, the pointing half of the seconds hand is striped in red and white. Both models are delivered on a steel bracelet (yes, with that familiar stamped Seiko 5 clasp), and the green Rally Diver includes an additional blue nylon strap. In contrast, the blue Rally Diver includes an a...

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WristBuzz

The Best Royal Pop Straps for the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: Helvetus, Delugs, Wristbuddys, StrapOps Jul 7, 2026

The Best Royal Pop Straps for the Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: Helvetus, Delugs, Wristbuddys, StrapOps

Swatch's plastic Royal Oak needs an actual strap the moment you get it home. Here are the four makers doing colour-matched integrated-lug Royal Pop straps in leather, rubber, canvas and everything else. Prices, colour ranges, quality, and which to buy per watch reference.

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Worn & Wound

Jul 2, 2026

Four Brands Redefining American Watchmaking

This weekend is the 4th of July. And it’s not just any run of the mill 4th of July, it just happens to be the 250th anniversary of American independence. America’s semiquincentennial (honestly, I’ll be glad when I no longer have to use, read, or think about that particular word) is certainly a time for celebration, just like any other Independence Day. But this one does feel somewhat momentous. I mean, it comes with its own logo, after all. It also comes with many commercial opportunities, as does every anniversary, something long known and understood in the watch community. So it’s no surprise that we’ve seen an inordinate (some would say tiring) amount of watches brandishing that “250” logo or “1776” or the colors of our flag, often from brands that aren’t even American!  Look, we love it that Swiss, British, German, and Japanese brands want to help celebrate this special birthday, but if I’m being honest, I find most of these watches in red, white, and blue with that omnipresent logo on the dial a little, I don’t know, not great? An “America 250” novelty item should be something bought at a gas station on the way to a fireworks celebration (maybe as you fill your truck with $6/gallon diesel) that can be easily discarded at the end of the night. Or maybe it should be a commemorative coin bought on the Home Shopping Network at 2:00 AM at a price you can’t resist. Should it really be a watch? I feel like it shouldn’t, but that’s just me....

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Ming dealers seizing Jul 2, 2026

The Art Of Being A Value-Driven Collector

The industry-wide market fluctuations that took shape in the wake of the pandemic pushed an often-taboo conversation in the collecting community: are we collecting for investment or are we collecting for pleasure? Sure, it's not quite that black-and-white, but certain shifts in the market and collector behavior over the past six years are undeniable. When the value of particular brands and models began to skyrocket, the secondary market showed clear signs that people were capitalizing on the opportunity to profit, and, in turn, the pure notions of "I buy what I like" or "I collect because it's fun" began to come into question. At one end of the spectrum, many collectors were essentially becoming dealers, seizing a moment when there was a massive return on investment to be had. However, even those collectors who didn't get fully swept away in the hype at the height of the market became acutely aware of the value their watches held and how, quite literally, in the blink of an eye, that value could change for better or worse. "Hype moments are not inherently bad or good," suggests Charles Tian, Founder and CEO of WatchCharts. "Some hype is expected for a healthy market—if the market is actually alive and things are happening, that means there are passionate people in the market, and you are inevitably going to get some hype. The question is how you navigate these moments in the context of your own collecting journey." According to WatchCharts and Morgan Stanley's quarterly ...

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WristBuzz

Greubel Forsey Balancier QM: A New Hallmark and a Refined Take on the Brand's Accessible Classic Jul 1, 2026

Greubel Forsey Balancier QM: A New Hallmark and a Refined Take on the Brand's Accessible Classic

The Balancier gets a serious upgrade, and a new designation that could define how Greubel Forsey talks about quality from here on out.

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F Fratello

Fratello

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph Jun 29, 2026

Is This The Best Livery Ever? Introducing The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph × Gulf

What is the best livery in motorsport history? Is it John Player Special Lotus, Rothmans Porsche, Marlboro McLaren, Martini Lancia, or Silk Cut Jaguar? Are we missing one? For many people, the ultimate race car livery is light blue and marigold. In their eyes, nothing beats the look of a Gulf-sponsored Porsche 917K or Ford […] Visit Is This The Best Livery Ever? Introducing The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Automatic Chronograph × Gulf to read the full article.

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Longines Jun 26, 2026

Bring a Loupe: The Most Important American Watch Ever Made, A Vianney Halter Jump Hour, An Omega Soyuz, And More

Happy Friday, friends, and congrats on tackling another week. The days are now growing shorter (if you're north of the equator), and if you, like me, live in a state where fireworks are legal, best of luck for what will presumably be a very loud and long week. But before all that, let's take a moment and enjoy some watches. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Dugena and Mulco chronographs don't sell till the 27th, but the Rolex 6241 sold for 2,000,000 CHF, the Patek 5960 for 34,000 CHF, the Excelsior Park Monte Carlo passed, the Longines for TKTK (emailed, price not updated), and the Tavannes for TKTK (sells 6/25). Strays For all the Movado heads, this pocket watch looks spectacular, and if that doesn't ring your cherries, here's a gold-plated dual-time that's almost intimidatingly beautiful. My urge to recommend no-name skin divers will apparently never abate, and this week's pick is this Altitude that looks fantastic and is unlikely to sell for more than a few hundred dollars. Speaking of excellent divers, here's a Lip Nautic Ski, and, sure, it's a quartz watch from the 1970s, so (some) headaches await (though the watch is currently running, according to the listing), but I'm lately unable to shake an intense fondness for these latter Piquerez super compressor cases with their huge bezel and recessed crowns. Lastly, this Ebel is perfect; please buy it, someone, so I can stop thinking and debating if I should pursue the thing. Before getting into the main watches, I'd lik...

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Hodinkee

Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate Now Jun 25, 2026

Introducing: The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate (Now In 38mm)

What We Know Today, Blancpain has downsized its ultra-thin Villeret Ultraplate dress watch, with new options in 38mm for greater wearability. The previous 40mm options of the 'Golden Hour' series, which I covered last October, remain, but the 38mm options are going to be much more appealing all around as proper dress watches. The case still remains incredibly thin, especially for a self-winding watch, at 8.35mm, but the 38mm downsizing now offers a short 43.35mm lug-to-lug measurement for small wrists and those who prefer the more traditional proportion of how a dress watch should look on the wrist. Here, four options are presented within these new measurements: three with stainless steel cases, and one in 18K red gold. The dial design continues the visual update introduced last October in the Villeret series, with simplified Roman numerals, the applied "JB" logo at 12 o'clock (standing for Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, who the brand credits as the founder), slim but still lumed leaf hands, and a skeletonized rotor. In stainless steel, there are three dial colors available. Salmon is a first for the Villeret collection, with a copper-hued dial paired with anthracite-coated 18K gold numerals. My favorite of the lineup, the Villeret Ultraplate featuring a warm champagne-hued dial with 18K yellow gold numerals set within a steel case with a green nubuck strap, will be offered as a boutique exclusive. More classic pairings of white gold numerals in a steel case and red gold numeral...

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