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Results for Watches and Wonders 2026

35,467 articles · 267 videos found · page 127 of 1192

The Business of Watches Podcast: Christopher Ward CEO Mike France Hodinkee
Christopher Ward CEO Mike France May 20, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Christopher Ward CEO Mike France

This week on The Business of Watches, we're talking to the head of what's now the largest U.K.-based watch brand, Christopher Ward. Under the direction of Chief Executive Officer Mike France, the Swiss-made, approachable-priced watchmaker has enjoyed outsized growth in recent years, due in part to popular and surprising releases like its Bel Canto chiming watch and its commitment to keeping prices in check. Photo courtesy Christopher Ward.  Now Christopher Ward, which recently overhauled its core Sealander collection, is eyeing an ambitious retail expansion plan in its biggest market, the United States. France lays out the economics and business case for the brand's unique retail approach, powered by deep community relationships built with customers over the past two decades. The ambitions aren't insignificant. From a handful of showrooms now, the company could have as many as 25 to 30 locations in the U.S. alone within half a decade, the CEO says.  He sees Christopher Ward as a brand with the potential to reach £250 million in total annual sales, up from about £50 million today. France expects to hit £100 million in annual sales within three years. He's also refreshingly candid about the threat that U.S. tariffs posed to the business and how the levies forced it to change the way its watches are shipped to and distributed in the country. Tariffs were also a significant drag on financial results in 2025, but the brand is forecasting a rebound in 2026 if import dutie...

Introducing – The Calatrava-Inspired Horologically Unique HU-01 Finale Series, Smaller and with Diamond Dials Monochrome
Patek Philippe Calatrava 96 basically May 16, 2026

Introducing – The Calatrava-Inspired Horologically Unique HU-01 Finale Series, Smaller and with Diamond Dials

Like many microbrands, Singapore-based Horologically Unique was fueled by a passion for watches and the desire to create something personal, something that would first answer the own requirements of the creator. In this case, the idea was to offer a watch that respects as much as possible the Patek Philippe Calatrava 96, basically the blueprint […]

A Fistful of Jade: Windup in a Bay 2026 with Marathon & Prometheus Design Werx Worn & Wound
Ming May 15, 2026

A Fistful of Jade: Windup in a Bay 2026 with Marathon & Prometheus Design Werx

There are few places on earth that feel as mythologized and untamed as California’s Big Sur coastline. The cliffs seem too steep, the Pacific too violent, and the roads too beautiful to be entirely real. It’s the sort of place that attracts a particular kind of person, someone who sees adventure not as spectacle, but as a pursuit. For Windup in a Bay 2026, that pursuit led to Jade Cove. What began years ago as a loose gathering of watch enthusiasts and divers has quietly evolved into one of the most distinctive traditions orbiting the Windup Watch Fair. This year’s expedition, organized with support from Marathon Watch Company and Prometheus Design Werx, brought together divers, military veterans, writers, firefighters, instructors, photographers, and gear obsessives for a weekend that became less about the treasure hunt that it began as, and more about rediscovering why people chase experiences like this in the first place. Windup in a Jade Cove The origins of the “Windup in a ____” concept were humble. When Windup first came to Chicago in 2022, a small group of enthusiasts who had connected online through watches, diving, and social media decided it would be more meaningful to actually spend time together outside the convention hall. What started as an informal Lake Michigan dive jokingly called “Windup in a Lake” gradually evolved into something larger, eventually becoming a recurring series of adventure-focused gatherings tied loosely to Windup events aro...

Introducing – New Textures and Dial Colours for the Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba and Khaki Navy Scuba GMT Monochrome
Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba May 15, 2026

Introducing – New Textures and Dial Colours for the Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba and Khaki Navy Scuba GMT

When dive watches start to flood the watch scene, it’s a sure sign that summer is just around the corner. With this in mind, Hamilton updates its go-anywhere, do-anything 40mm Khaki Navy Scuba line with wave-patterned dials and new colours. For those venturing abroad, Hamilton also proposes three new editions of its pragmatic travel-oriented diver, […]

Audemars Piguet and Swatch send the watch world crazy, Cartier quietly opens a new space in Sydney, while Rolex drops a new doc instead of a watch Time+Tide
Audemars Piguet May 15, 2026

Audemars Piguet and Swatch send the watch world crazy, Cartier quietly opens a new space in Sydney, while Rolex drops a new doc instead of a watch

There’s nothing like a good Swatch release to turn the watch world upside down, and that’s exactly what we’ve seen this week. Fresh after our brilliant British Weekender in NYC, where watches were firmly on enthusiasts’ minds, Audemars Piguet and Swatch decided to bring watches into the forefront for everyone, announcing a new collaboration that everyone, … Continued

Hands-On With The Stylish And Practical Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5396R-016 Annual Calendar Moon Phase Fratello
Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref 5396R-016 Annual May 14, 2026

Hands-On With The Stylish And Practical Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5396R-016 Annual Calendar Moon Phase

In 1996, Patek Philippe launched a watch to bridge the gap between its dress watches and perpetual calendars. The brand needed more sales; the Nautilus was not a hype watch yet, so what did Patek do? It launched a classic calendar watch that looked like a perpetual calendar, but it actually was a watch with […] Visit Hands-On With The Stylish And Practical Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5396R-016 Annual Calendar Moon Phase to read the full article.

Seiko Celebrates Its 145th Anniversary With The Prospex HBC005 And HBB001 Limited Editions Fratello
Seiko Celebrates May 14, 2026

Seiko Celebrates Its 145th Anniversary With The Prospex HBC005 And HBB001 Limited Editions

To celebrate Seiko’s 145th anniversary, the Japanese brand has created a series of watches featuring a nice combination of blue and white. The series pays tribute to Seiko Blue, resulting in some surprisingly fresh creations. The new Seiko Prospex HBC005 and HBB001 limited editions proudly sport a crisp white dial with a vibrant blue bezel. […] Visit Seiko Celebrates Its 145th Anniversary With The Prospex HBC005 And HBB001 Limited Editions to read the full article.

Hands-On With The New Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004 And HCC007 Fratello
Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004 May 14, 2026

Hands-On With The New Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004 And HCC007

Seiko is celebrating its 145th anniversary this year, and that results in new watches paying tribute to this respectable age. Among them are these two new Presage Classic Series watches, both limited editions, available in 36mm and 39.6mm sizes. Let’s have a closer look at the HCC004 and HCC007, shall we? Seiko Presage Classic Series […] Visit Hands-On With The New Seiko Presage Classic Series HCC004 And HCC007 to read the full article.

Windup Watch Fair San Francisco 2026 Recap: Our Biggest Bay Area Weekend Yet Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant May 13, 2026

Windup Watch Fair San Francisco 2026 Recap: Our Biggest Bay Area Weekend Yet

If there was any doubt that Windup Watch Fair San Francisco had evolved into something far bigger than a traditional watch show, this past weekend erased it completely. Over three unforgettable days at Fort Mason’s Gateway Pavilion, over 7,000 enthusiasts, collectors, first-timers, industry veterans, and curious passersby packed the waterfront for what became our most ambitious and experiential Windup San Francisco to date. Watches were still the heart of it all, of course, but this year the Fair expanded in every direction imaginable: panels, parties, padel, live art, whisky tastings, DIY watchmaking, EV Broncos, giveaways, podcast recordings, and more all combined into a weekend that felt less like a trade show and more like a full-scale enthusiast festival. None of this would have been possible without the support of our incredible Lead Sponsors: Bremont, Brew, Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, and Oris, all of whom helped bring new energy, new releases, and memorable experiences to this year’s Fair. From Bremont’s rugged space-watch presence to Christopher Ward’s endlessly crowd-drawing Bel Canto conversations, from Frederique Constant’s padel panel and activation to Brew’s playful industrial design language, and not to mention Oris celebrating 60 years of mechanical freedom—each Lead Sponsor helped define the personality of the weekend in a different way. The show floor itself was nonstop from open to close every day. Approximately 90 brands from ar...

De Rijke and Co.’s Balancing Act Worn & Wound
De Rijke May 13, 2026

De Rijke and Co.’s Balancing Act

The watches made by Dutch independent De Rijke & Co. are all charming and considered designs, but it’s difficult to trace any defined throughline between them. While most upstart brands tend to find their lane and iterate on a concept ad nauseam, De Rijke has consistently kept us on our feet while avoiding the creative quicksand that can come with a successful watch.  The brand first made a splash with the Amalfi, a smart, Bauhaus-informed driver’s watch with a clever two-piece case design that could be rotated through 90 degrees to orient the dial at the ideal angle for the wearer to read while their hands gripped a steering wheel or handlebars. The Amalfi had a timeless design and a romantic origin story that involved the brand’s founder, designer and engineer Laurens De Rijke, embarking upon an 11,000 kilometer Vespa tour of the Amalfi Coast. It was a basic design that De Rijke could’ve played with and re-editioned to death, and while the brand has iterated on the Amalfi concept, the approach they’ve taken was wholly unexpected.  The watches that followed the debut Amalfis were a series of limited edition collaborations featuring the iconic Dutch cartoon character “Miffy.” The Miffy collabs have featured everything from moonphase designs, to enameled dials, to ceramic cases. While they were a surprisingly playful and whimsical way to follow up an elegant, functionalist watch like the Amalfi, these limited editions all became bonafide hits–to the point ...

Introducing: The Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" Collaboration Is Here, And It's Not A Wristwatch Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Royal Pop Collaboration May 12, 2026

Introducing: The Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" Collaboration Is Here, And It's Not A Wristwatch

What We Know The cat is out of the bag on what is likely to be the biggest watch news of the year. The Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" just launched, ahead of its official availability on May 16, 2026, at selected Swatch stores. There are no wristwatches here, just eight unique pocket watches in two different styles, cased in brightly colored Royal Oak-shaped bioceramic cases, powered by manually wound mechanical SISTEM51 movements. Eight watches, for each side of the iconic Royal-Oak bezel. All the watches are instantly recognizable as Royal Oak-inspired. They have a "Petite Tapisserie" dial and a Royal Oak octagonal bezel with eight hexagonal screws. Every watch comes with a 40mm case (without the clip) and measures 44.2mm by 53.2mm when mounted in the clip. The thickness is 8.4mm. The hands and indices on all watches feature Grade-A Super-LumiNova.  The watches can be dropped in your pocket, worn in the pocket, or popped into a holder attached to a calfskin lanyard (in three lengths), attached to a bag, or placed in a removable stand that lets the watch function as a desk clock. Swatch and AP say this will change the way we wear watches, breaking free from the wrist (suggesting the expected wristwatch collaboration is unlikely at the moment). The new Swatch x Audemars Piguet "Royal Pop" comes in two main variants. There's the "Lépine" style, where the crown is at 12 o'clock on the pocket watch, which come in six varieties: Otto Rosso (pink case and dial with red ...

First Look – The New ZRC Grands Fonds MN64 Titanium Editions, in Full Titanium and Titanium Rubber Monochrome
May 12, 2026

First Look – The New ZRC Grands Fonds MN64 Titanium Editions, in Full Titanium and Titanium Rubber

Founded in 1904 in Geneva, ZRC first specialised in bracelets and waterproof cases before entering the world of professional dive watches in the late 1950s. The big change came when ZRC was contracted by the French Navy and created the Grands Fonds line, robust, highly engineered instruments designed for underwater use. Defined by their unconventional […]

eBay Finds: A Very Cool Wittnauer, a Classic Diver from Seiko, and Funky Longines Comet Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko 4522-8000  Next up May 8, 2026

eBay Finds: A Very Cool Wittnauer, a Classic Diver from Seiko, and Funky Longines Comet

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Favre Leuba Chronograph  Got a nice one to start off this week, this vintage Favre Leuba chronograph. The chunky 35mm cushion case is gold plated, and is in excellent condition. Nice edges and original brushed finish with stainless steel back. The back has the cool Favre Leuba hourglass logo engraved. It has a really nice chocolate brown dial with gold hands and applied gold hour markers. The subdials are also the same color brown, with red accents on the 3 o’clock dial. The large winding crown is also signed with the hourglass logo as it should. The gold and brown combo gives it a rich look. The watch is powered by the venerable Valjoux 23 manual wind chronograph movement. I have a chronograph with the same movement, and I can tell you that it is as buttery smooth as they come. The movement is clean and the watch runs well per the seller.  View auction here Grand Seiko 4522-8000  Next up is a fantastic vintage Grand Seiko 4522-8000 hi-beat dress watch. The 36mm steel case is the epitome of Seiko’s “Grammar of Design” aesthetic, with broad flat planes, razor sharp edges, and a mix of brushed and polished finishes. Often these have been polished, and even the slightest...

Introducing: The Armoury And Naoya Hida & Co. Type 4A-2 "Floating Feathers" Hodinkee
Naoya Hida May 7, 2026

Introducing: The Armoury And Naoya Hida & Co. Type 4A-2 "Floating Feathers"

What We Know Usually, we only get one round of Naoya Hida & Co. releases each year, as the company manufactures so few watches per year (though that number is increasing) that one round of releases of 10+ models with around 10 watches per model per year is about the maximum. So imagine my surprise when we got a press release about a new collaboration between Hida-san and his retailer, The Armoury, to be released after the initial wave of releases. They've collaborated before (their "Lettercutter" is one of Hida's most beloved watches). This new release, the Type 4A-2 "Floating Feathers," is by far the most unusual and imaginative Naoya Hida watch yet. The watch uses a high-polish stainless steel Type 4 case (36mm by 42.9mm lug-to-lug, 11mm thick) with a central seconds hand, keeping the dial free for artistic expression. Mark Cho, co-founder of The Armoury, and designer Elliot Hammer say that they were inspired by decorative ornithological dials, botanical motifs, and nature scenes.  As ornithology is the study of birds, my thought immediately went to "singing bird boxes," but hey, I didn't make the watch, so no one asked me. Hammer, who travels to Japan often, said he was taken by their attention to space and timelessness, and in the press release says, "if there are feathers, there must have also once been a bird." Rationale for the design aside, Naoya Hida & Co. has the benefit of a talented in-house engraver, Keisuke Kano, and used the bead-blasted Argentium silver di...

The Business of Watches Podcast: Oris Chief Executive Officer Rolf Studer Hodinkee
Oris Chief Executive Officer Rolf May 6, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Oris Chief Executive Officer Rolf Studer

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in Hölstein, Switzerland, near Basel, at the peach-rose colored headquarters of Oris to talk to Rolf Studer, the brand's Chief Executive Officer. One of the 50 largest Swiss brands by sales, Oris is a true independent, making mechanical watches at fair prices, conveying the brand's unique spirit.  Its history dates back to 1904, with boom times in the 1960s that were kick-started by the tireless legal and lobbying work of Dr. Rolf Portmann, an Oris executive (and honorary chairman today), whose efforts led to overturning the Swiss Watch Statute in 1966 that had prevented Oris and many other brands from using Swiss lever escapements in their watch movements. Oris CEO Rolf Studer. Photo courtesy Oris.  Some 60 years later, Oris is marking that milestone with its Star Edition, an updated version of the Star, the first Oris watch to use a Swiss lever escapement after the law was changed. Portmann and Ulrich Herzog (now the Chairman) went on to lead a management buyout of Oris in 1982, which solidified the company's position as an independent brand. Studer, who has been co-CEO since 2016 and was appointed CEO last month, discusses Oris' positioning and strategy in the current market, where the strong Swiss franc is challenging it and fellow watchmakers. Oris has responded with models that not only offer value to customers but also draw on its storied history and the unique community culture it has fostered. Studer makes the case f...

Hands-On With The Watch That Shouts My Name And The Other 100th-Anniversary Rolex Oyster Perpetual Fratello
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Once I May 6, 2026

Hands-On With The Watch That Shouts My Name And The Other 100th-Anniversary Rolex Oyster Perpetual

Once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it. The special Jubilee dial of one of two anniversary Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches displayed the brand name repeatedly, but I just saw my name written over and over. This watch that literally had my name on it in a most obvious way. So, is the OP with […] Visit Hands-On With The Watch That Shouts My Name And The Other 100th-Anniversary Rolex Oyster Perpetual to read the full article.

A Majestic Journey Through Clocks & Watches Made for Royalty: Horological Renaissance In The Age Of Cosimo I de’ Medici Worn & Wound
Tudor England May 5, 2026

A Majestic Journey Through Clocks & Watches Made for Royalty: Horological Renaissance In The Age Of Cosimo I de’ Medici

From the imposing astronomical clocks of Tudor England to the exquisite pendant watches of Victorian Britain, timekeeping has long been a symbol of power, prestige, and technological marvel within Europe’s royal courts. This new series explores the fascinating evolution of clocks and watches crafted specifically for royalty, tracing how these intricate masterpieces reflected the tastes, ambitions, and innovations of monarchs. Through the lens of craftsmanship, artistry, and historical significance, we reveal how these royal timepieces marked the passage of dynasties and empires. Cosimo I de’ Medici (1519–1574), the first Grand Duke of Tuscany, is remembered as a masterful statesman who unified Florence’s power. Yet behind his political authority lay a profound curiosity for the sciences, especially the study of the heavens and the measurement of time. The Medici family rose to power in Florence primarily through their wealth and strategic use of the Medici Bank, which became the largest and most powerful bank in Europe during the 15th century. They leveraged this financial power to influence Florentine politics, eventually establishing themselves as the de facto rulers of the city, although they maintained the appearance of a republic.  They used their wealth and influence to transform Florence into a leading capital of trading and a place for the greatest creators to work and develop incredible scientific instruments, such as the clock in the Cathedral of Santa...