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Introducing: The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - A 28-Piece Limited-Edition Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar Fratello
Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - Nov 12, 2025

Introducing: The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - A 28-Piece Limited-Edition Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar

It certainly seems like 2025 is the year of anniversaries. Big names are celebrating many centuries of watchmaking, and many brands, young and old, are releasing exceptional commemorative creations. Some are intricate masterpieces that express their maker’s savoir-faire, while others represent an evolution of a historical benchmark creation. The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide is […] Visit Introducing: The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - A 28-Piece Limited-Edition Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar to read the full article.

Les Must de Cartier: The Misunderstood Entry-Level Cartier Teddy Baldassarre
Cartier Nov 10, 2025

Les Must de Cartier: The Misunderstood Entry-Level Cartier

The Cartier of today is undeniably a symbol of luxury and has strategically manufactured that imagery. From its quintessential deep red boxes with gold filigree border to its looping cursive script, even before you get to the object itself, whether it be jewelry or a watch, the brand has carefully crafted the entire experience of its product to position it as such. But today, we’re taking a look at an anomaly in the maison’s past, for which Cartier descended from its luxurious heights to extend its hand to the mass market. Les Must de Cartier is representative of a pivotal time in the history of watchmaking, and its contrasting accessibility played a crucial role in the maison’s longevity and its ability to weather shifting market trends. Down below, I’ll be walking you through how Must de Cartier came to be, some significant design codes, how the line has reemerged after its discontinuation, and share some musings and philosophical ponderings about this strange chapter in Cartier’s history.    Les Must de Cartier Context From its relatively humble beginnings as a local, artisanal jewelry workshop in 1847, by the turn of the 20th century, Cartier had already established itself as a global luxury powerhouse, operating in London, New York, and Paris by 1909. Each independent branch of Cartier at this time was operated by a trio of Louis-François Cartier’s grandsons, and while they often collaborated, each location developed its own unique flair and catered to ...

Hands-On: The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date Fratello
Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date Nov 10, 2025

Hands-On: The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date

The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date is easily one of the most distinctive chronographs on the market. While it’s not a new watch, having debuted in 2014, it still manages to separate itself from a sea of lookalike luxury competitors. With its bold retro lines, the watch is a cool choice. For our hands-on […] Visit Hands-On: The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date to read the full article.

eBay Finds: Solid Gold! Vintage Watches from Omega, Movado, Seiko, and More, Including Some Affordable Precious Metal Pieces Worn & Wound
Omega Movado Seiko Nov 7, 2025

eBay Finds: Solid Gold! Vintage Watches from Omega, Movado, Seiko, and More, Including Some Affordable Precious Metal Pieces

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 Omega Seamaster  While the 1950’s “fat lug” Seamasters may be the more well known of the non-diver Seamasters, Omega made plenty of other really nice variations, this one included. The 34mm steel case looks like it has been polished at some point in its life, but not polished to death. This one has a thinner bezel and slim lugs, but these complement the slim applied steel markers and unusual sword hands. The silver/white dial looks original and clean as well. The Omega caliber 591 automatic movement looks good and runs well per the seller. The crown is not original, which is a bummer but not always a deal breaker. The watch does come on an Omega beads of rice bracelet, which may not be original but is definitely period correct. View auction here Vintage Benrus  Here’s a sweet looking vintage Benrus daily watch. Classic 34mm round steel case with simple lugs looks unpolished with sharp edges and original brushed finish on the sides. The silver crosshair dial is absolutely mint, with long, slim hour markers and lume filled dauphine hands. No date window to ruin the beautiful symmetry. The crown is original and signed with the Benrus three-star logo. The watch comes on a ...

Rolex Hulk Review: The All-Green Submariner Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex Nov 6, 2025

Rolex Hulk Review: The All-Green Submariner

The Rolex “Hulk” Submariner is today one of the most collectible luxury sport watches on the secondary market, despite the fact that its green-on-green colorway was quite polarizing when it first hit retailers' shelves in 2010. The watch’s rise to legendary status, interestingly enough, followed a similar path to that of the Marvel character from which it derives its nickname. Here we explore the story of the Rolex “Hulk” and why it occupies a special chapter in the lore of iconic Rolex watches. Rolex Submariner Origins The Rolex Submariner famously arrived on the scene in 1953 but its roots reach much farther - to the historical, waterproof Oyster case that Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf introduced way back in 1926. Named for its pioneering structure -  which combined two threaded, hermetically sealed “shells” that clamped tight to keep water from penetrating, along with a crown that screwed securely into the side of the case - the case achieved a water resistance never before achieved in watches. The Rolex Oyster case made its debut on a watch of the same name (below), and its waterproof design was improved over subsequent decades. Rolex supplied a version of its Oyster case to the Florence-based firm Panerai in the 1930s and ‘40s for use on the Radiomir, one of the very first wristwatches purpose-built for underwater use, worn by Italian military divers.  Fast forward to the early 1950s, and the growing popularity of scuba diving as a recreational p...

Introducing – A Smooth Bezel on a Hanhart…? Meet the New 417 ES Mocha Flyback Date Monochrome
Nov 6, 2025

Introducing – A Smooth Bezel on a Hanhart…? Meet the New 417 ES Mocha Flyback Date

Hanhart’s roots run deep in the history of mechanical chronographs. Founded in 1882 in Germany’s Black Forest, Hanhart became a mid-20th-century reference for timing instruments. Its stopwatches and pilot chronographs set benchmarks for robustness, legibility, and ergonomics, a legacy carried forward by today’s collections, most notably, the 417 ES. First developed for the German armed […]

Windup Watch Fair NYC 2025 Recap: Ten Years In and Still Breaking the Mold Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Oris Nov 5, 2025

Windup Watch Fair NYC 2025 Recap: Ten Years In and Still Breaking the Mold

Ten years in, and the Windup Watch Fair still feels like a completely new way to interact with the watch industry. For three days in midtown Manhattan, Center415 transformed from a sleek Fifth Avenue venue into the living, breathing heart of watch enthusiast culture. No velvet ropes, no VIP lists-just open doors, multiple halls full of watches, and a community that’s grown from a scrappy gathering of enthusiasts into one of the most important fixtures on the watch industry’s calendar, with over 11,000 attendees. This year marked the fair’s tenth anniversary, and we didn’t celebrate quietly. We expanded the layout to four full halls, bringing together more than 140 brands from 17 countries. We’d like to sincerely thank our Lead Sponsors: Bremont, Bulova, Christopher Ward, Oris, and Shinola. Without these strong anchors this experience wouldn’t be free and open to everyone. We’d also like to express our gratitude to each and every brand who participated, bringing some of the most interesting watches and products to the event and continuing to nudge the industry forward! When guests arrived, they entered through the EDC Expo, presented by Topo Designs-an energetic reception area filled with the gear, tools, and accessories that round out modern enthusiast life: knives, pens, packs, and all the small essentials that speak the same design language as the watches themselves. Beyond that, three additional halls awaited, each blending independent and enthusiast b...

Tudor North Flag Review: Discontinued But Worth a Comeback? Teddy Baldassarre
Tudor Nov 5, 2025

Tudor North Flag Review: Discontinued But Worth a Comeback?

We recently took a deep dive into the Tudor Ranger, and today, I’m going to go boldly forth and explore what I consider to be the Ranger’s spiritual sibling, albeit a discontinued one: the Tudor North Flag. Both watches have similar roots in 20th-century polar exploration, but while the Ranger looks to the past for its design codes, the North Flag, at its time, had its sights set on the future. While it marked a huge leap forward in Rolex-owned Tudor’s contemporary legacy and ultimately, further set the stage for the brand to finally come out of the looming shadow of the Crown, the North Flag has already become a relic of Tudor’s not-so-distant past. Down below, I’ll be taking you through a brief history lesson on the watch at hand, detailing the key design codes and features, and exploring why some vocal enthusiasts out there are begging for the North Flag to make a comeback.  Tudor North Flag History For most of the 20th century, Tudor leaned on its intrinsic connection to Rolex to boost its credibility, but by the 1990s, the brand’s reputation as Rolex’s “little brother” or “Rolex Lite” fell out of favor with the general watch-wearing public. Affordability as a guiding virtue was not, for lack of a better word, sexy anymore. Tudor had not differentiated itself enough from its more luxurious relative to stand effectively on its own, globally. The brand fled the U.S. market entirely in the late '90s, and it would spend over a decade working behind t...

Hands-on – Deciphering The Oil-Filled Ressence Type 3 BB2 (Incl. Video) Monochrome
Ressence Type 3 BB2 Incl Nov 5, 2025

Hands-on – Deciphering The Oil-Filled Ressence Type 3 BB2 (Incl. Video)

Dressed in all black, the Type 3 BB2 is the perfect representation of what independent watchmaker Ressence is all about. Founded in 2010 by industrial designer Benoit Mintiens, watches by Ressence are pretty much incomparable to anything else on the market thanks to the brand’s out-of-the-box thinking, technical innovation and no hands or crowns. In […]

In-Depth: Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in Stainless Steel SJX Watches
Patek Philippe Ref 1518 Nov 5, 2025

In-Depth: Patek Philippe Ref. 1518 in Stainless Steel

Many superlatives have been ascribed to what might be the most valuable watch this fall auction season – the Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in stainless steel. Headlining Phillips’ upcoming auction in Geneva, the steel ref. 1518 is paradoxically extraordinary and ordinary all at once. As the first serially-produced perpetual calendar-chronograph wristwatch, the ref. 1518 is already a landmark Patek Philippe wristwatch, one that spawned a lineage that includes the refs. 2499, 3970, and 5970. And then there’s the ref. 1518 in steel – only four are known. The steel ref. 1518 has rarity, historical importance, and an eight-figure value; but on the wrist, this “holy grail” is compact, lightweight, and monochromatic, discreetly low-key. At a diminutive 35 mm in diameter, the ref. 1518 is small by today’s standards. The watch doesn’t look like much on the wrist from across a room; in fact, it isn’t immediately obvious to a layperson (or even a casual watch enthusiast) that the watch is worth more than most houses and vintage Ferraris. Yet the ref. 1518 in steel is appealing for many intellectual reasons: extreme rarity, historical lineage of the perpetual calendar chronograph, even sheer value. This is a trophy in many senses. Historically, the ref. 1518 was important even in its time. It was once Patek Philippe’s most complicated regular production wristwatch, and the steel ref. 1518 was likely the most expensive steel Patek Philippe when it was in the catalogue. ...

Introducing: The Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf” - A Souscription Watch With A Grand Feu Enamel Dial Fratello
Nov 5, 2025

Introducing: The Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf” - A Souscription Watch With A Grand Feu Enamel Dial

The Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf” honors the Métiers d’Art of Swiss watchmaking with its Grand Feu enamel dial - and what a dial it is! As 2025 marks the brand’s 90th anniversary, this is undoubtedly a celebratory watch. If you want it, you pay a little up front, the brand starts […] Visit Introducing: The Lebois & Co Heritage Chronograph Atelier “Coquille d’œuf” - A Souscription Watch With A Grand Feu Enamel Dial to read the full article.

Introducing the New Nomos Metro 38 Date Worn & Wound
Nomos Metro 38 Date Nomos Nov 3, 2025

Introducing the New Nomos Metro 38 Date

Nomos has been busy. Along with the recent introduction of a quartet of new Tetras to the lineup which we discussed just last week, the German brand has also introduced a new version of the Metro. The Metro has an interesting place in the Nomos lineup. It’s not one of the original designs from the launch of the brand, but over time it’s come to be fairly emblematic of what the brand stands for from a design perspective. The simple circular case and wire lugs have a modern, minimal vibe to them. When wearing the watch you come away with the feeling that there’s only enough material here to hold everything together and keep it looking like a Nomos, and nothing more. The dial, too, is quite distinctive, with ultra thin and elongated syringe hands and a series of simple dots to mark minutes and hours. This new reference is a subtly updated take on a classic version of the Metro, with a new movement that solves a longstanding issue.  The headline here is that the new Metro 38 Date runs on the still relatively new DUW 4601 caliber. This movement made its debut in the still incredibly weird and polarizing Tangente 2Date, which will be forever remembered for featuring not one but two date indications: one in a window at 6:00, and the other at the perimeter of the dial. This Metro, unlike the Tangente before it, only has a single date indicator at the 6:00 position. There have been many iterations on the Metro over the years, but this is the first time we’ve seen a date ve...

Seiko SPB149 Review: The Blue Dial Prospex Diver Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Nov 3, 2025

Seiko SPB149 Review: The Blue Dial Prospex Diver

An outsized part of Seiko’s history is within its dive watch heritage, going all the way back to 1965 with the company's first dedicated diver, the 150-meter 62MAS, released as the 6217-8000, and later, its larger-crowned sibling, the 6217-8001. It was the beginning of a lineage that went on to include legendary references like the Willard, the Turtle, the Marinemaster, the Tuna, and the SKX, just to name a small assortment of them. Today, Seiko’s broad dive-watch lineup is well-known for its rugged dependability: from the entry-level Prospex models to the elevated Luxe variants like the Seiko SPB149, there’s a Seiko diver for every enthusiast. Seiko has paid tribute to the 62MAS design in the past with limited editions, but in the 2020s, the brand has seen a slew of regular-production, and short-lived models – like the SPB143, 239, and 149, which stand as the most faithful renderings of the 62MAS, characterized by the brand as the Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s Watch. Although this model family came with different dial variants at its 40.5mm case size, today, we’re going to showcase the discontinued SPB149 before looking at the current production SPB143 and other modern day options which continue the 62MAS legacy. We will go through the standard points of its case, wear, dial, and movement, and then share concluding remarks about its overall legacy in 2025.  Seiko SPB149 Context In Spring of 2020, Seiko dropped a quartet of watches - the SPB143, SPB145, SPB1...

Hands-On With The Refined Blancpain Villeret Golden Hour Collection Fratello
Blancpain Villeret Golden Hour Collection Nov 2, 2025

Hands-On With The Refined Blancpain Villeret Golden Hour Collection

When a certain car model has been on the market for a few years, but it’s not yet time for the introduction of a completely new version, it receives a facelift. That seems to be exactly what Blancpain has given its Villeret Golden Hour collection. The watches are still very recognizable, but small tweaks in […] Visit Hands-On With The Refined Blancpain Villeret Golden Hour Collection to read the full article.

Grand Seiko SBGN003 Review: A Discontinued GMT And Its Successor Teddy Baldassarre
Grand Seiko Oct 29, 2025

Grand Seiko SBGN003 Review: A Discontinued GMT And Its Successor

Japan’s Grand Seiko has become, in a relatively short span of time, one of the world’s most prestigious and collectible high-luxury watchmakers, competing for connoisseur attention and dollars with well-established maisons from Switzerland and Germany. And while its success is a 21st century phenomenon, Grand Seiko is not really a “new brand” in the strictest sense. The first Grand Seiko watch (below) debuted all the way back in 1960, part of the much larger product portfolio of Japanese watchmaking giant Seiko, which was founded in 1881 and achieved its worldwide fame by embracing the mass market with timepieces at accessible prices with wide distribution. The Grand Seiko, by contrast, was positioned as the megabrand’s exclusive “King of Watches,” with standards of accuracy, beauty, durability, and legibility that could meet or surpass its Swiss competitors. Today we'll take a look at the Grand Seiko SBGN003, a recently discontinued Quartz GMT that thankfully seems to have a solid heir apparent. Until 2010, it was also Japan’s best-kept horological secret, not exported to markets outside the country. Seven years after its international expansion, having cultivated a loyal and avid audience worldwide, an entirely new and distinct customer base apart from mainline Seiko’s, Grand Seiko firmly established itself as an independent brand - albeit one still intrinsically tied to its parent company through shared history and technology. In fact, just about a d...

The 2026 Winter Olympics are 100 Days Away, and Omega Has a New Speedmaster to Celebrate Worn & Wound
Omega Has Oct 29, 2025

The 2026 Winter Olympics are 100 Days Away, and Omega Has a New Speedmaster to Celebrate

It’s that time again. The air is getting crisper, the days are getting shorter, and, for better or for worse, the realization that winter will soon set in is becoming more and more real. If you’re like me, and dread fighting snowy streets and icey…everything, this is a less than exciting time. But if you’re Omega? Well, that’s a different story. They are in countdown mode to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, and they’ve just released a new Speedmaster to mark 100 days from the start of the games.  The Speedmaster Milano Cortina 2026 is built on the 38mm Speedmaster platform, and comes in a stainless steel case that measures 14.75mm tall. The dial is evocative of the snowy mountains that will be the setting for the games for next year, with a varnished white surface and subtle blue accents that evoke the Milano Cortina 2026 logo. The blue ceramic bezel and blue CVD coated hour markers keep the theme coherent and appropriately wintery. Another nice detail is that the chronograph hand has a gradient finish, going from light blue at its base to dark blue at its tip. Also, when the date window shows the 26th of the month, it does so in the typeface of the Milano Cortina logo.  The Speedmaster Milano Cortina 2026 runs on the Caliber 3330, an automatic movement with over 50 hours of power reserve and COSC certification. This, of course, is not a traditionalist’s Speedy, but more akin to the “Reduced” models of an earlier era. The 38mm size is easy to...

Ahead of Its 50th Anniversary Year, Raymond Weil Introduces the Toccata Heritage Capsule Collection Worn & Wound
Raymond Weil Oct 29, 2025

Ahead of Its 50th Anniversary Year, Raymond Weil Introduces the Toccata Heritage Capsule Collection

Watches & Wonders can be a blur of new releases in and of itself. So, when a brand asks if you want to preview some upcoming introductions for the year ahead, it can start to make your head spin. However, at my Raymond Weil appointment this past spring, I relinquished. The brand had a small display of archival pieces in a vitrine at their booth, and its Chief Marketing Officer Jeremie Bernheim assured me the reveal would be worth viewing alongside the mini museum of vintage designs. What he shared with me was a new capsule within Raymond Weil’s Toccata collection drawing from the retro models and aptly named Toccata Heritage. Today, this collection comes to you in nine styles, each more beautiful than the next, and with the option of either quartz or mechanical, manually wound movements for the first time. If you have followed Raymond Weil through any point of its nearly 50-year history, you know the brand loves to play with shape and case architecture. The existing Toccata collection explores this with a combination of rectangular and round models. For the new Toccata Heritage capsule, the maison has refined this design language even further. Here, you have a shape the brand simply calls oval, but in my humble opinion, this description does not do the case justice. The case design of the new Toccata Heritage models is decidedly not the harsh, egg-shaped oval profile you might associate with other watch brands. Instead, it takes the structure of the current rectangular m...

Introducing – The New Slim d’Hermès Neo Brandebourgs Tourbillon Monochrome
Hermes Oct 29, 2025

Introducing – The New Slim d’Hermès Neo Brandebourgs Tourbillon

Creativity, impeccable artisanship, and a good dose of poetic licence are hallmark traits of Hermès watches. With such a rich repertoire of luxury goods, design features often migrate from one product line to another, as seen in the beautiful, handcrafted dials inspired by the brand’s colourful silk scarves. The latest transversal exchange concerns the decidedly […]

Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Tribute to The Quest of Time SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Tribute Oct 29, 2025

Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Tribute to The Quest of Time

Vacheron Constantin (VC) marks its 270th anniversary this year in grand style with La Quête Du Temps, a monumental, multi-complication clock weighing over 150 kg. A little more wearable is the Métiers d’Art Tribute to The Quest of Time, also a 270th anniversary edition but in wristwatch format. Like many of VC’s high complicated watches, Tribute to the Quest of Time is a double-faced wristwatch. On the front is a double retrograde time display that’s either on demand or en passant, which takes the form of a human figure whose arms tell the time. Also on the front is a spherical moon phase, while the back is home to an astronomical display comprising a sky chart and sidereal day indicator. Initial thoughts Tribute to the Quest of Time is a big complicated watch, and it looks and feels the part. In terms of dimensions and feel, it reminds me a little of the Lange Repeater Perpetual Calendar that was also launched this year. Even though small watches are on trend now, complicated watches like this should be large. This succeeds in that respect, and feels good on the wrist. Despite the mechanical complexity, the time is easy to read, though it takes a moment to get used to the twin scales for the time. The symmetrical dial on the front is straightforward and legible. The dial is tinted sapphire and etched with the constellations in the night sky over Geneva on the day VC was established, September 17, 1755. This is not obvious at a distance but reveals itself up close...

Unimatic and The Armoury Celebrate a Pair of Anniversaries with a New Limited Edition Modello Cinque Worn & Wound
Unimatic Oct 28, 2025

Unimatic and The Armoury Celebrate a Pair of Anniversaries with a New Limited Edition Modello Cinque

It’s well understood that anniversaries in the watch world are fertile ground for new projects. We see it on what amounts to a weekly basis at this point, brands celebrating milestones for collections, movements, and of course the founding of the brand itself. Collaborations are also at the heart of pushing new products to watch enthusiasts, which again needs no further explanation at this point. So in that sense, the new limited edition release from Unimatic in partnership with the Armoury should be the least surprising thing ever. It’s a watch that represents the continuation of a collaborative relationship and a celebration of a pair of anniversaries.  The Armoury, the menswear retailer founded by Mark Cho, turns 15 this year, the same year that Unimatic turns ten. It’s a good opportunity to reflect on the impact both the Armoury and Unimatic have had in the watch space in that time. Unimatic has developed into one of the leading design focused, approachable, independent brands. Like Ming, Fears, and a small handful of other brands that have hit their stride in roughly the same time period, they have an unmistakable aesthetic that is recognizable from across a room, as well as a committed contingent of fans that hang on every new release. And while the Armoury did not begin as an outpost for watches, it’s become an important part of the community thanks to Mark Cho’s genuine dedication to watches. He’s a true collector and admirer of great watches (at all p...

Exaequo Adds New References to their Lineup of Dali Inspired Melting Watches Worn & Wound
Cartier Crash Oct 28, 2025

Exaequo Adds New References to their Lineup of Dali Inspired Melting Watches

It’s hard to overstate the impact that Salvador Dalí-and, by extension, the Surrealist movement-had on popular culture. What might now feel like a strange detour in an art history textbook was, in reality, a radical reimagining of what art could be. Dalí’s obsession with the unconscious, symbolism, and dream logic reframed art as a psychological response to culture, rather than just a mirror of it. In doing so, Surrealism paved the way for the Avant-Garde, Pop Art, and the way we think about art today. It’s no surprise, then, that Dalí’s legacy continues to ripple through design and (not to be dramatic here) time itself. Brands have long used his vision as a jumping-off point for their own explorations of time and perception, most notably, of course, through reinterpretations of some of Dali’s most famous works, like his 1931 The Persistence of Memory. The Cartier Crash, with its iconic “melting clock” case, is probably the most famous representation of this style; but it is not the only one. In fact, Exaequo has been producing its own version of a melting watch since 1990, with its latest references, the Polyhedron series, debuting at Time to Watches in Geneva earlier this year. While there will undoubtedly be comparisons between Cartier’s and  Exaequo’s two versions of a wobbly little timepiece, there is a marked difference between the two brands’ approach to the same reference source (not least of all the price). For the Polyhedron,  Exaequo...

In-Depth: J. Player & Son Supercomplication – All 77 mm of It SJX Watches
Patek Philippe ref 1518 Oct 28, 2025

In-Depth: J. Player & Son Supercomplication – All 77 mm of It

Phillips’s upcoming sale in Geneva has the most attention-grabbing roster of the Geneva auctions, including the return of a record-setting Patek Philippe ref. 1518 in steel. Yet it was the J. Player & Son No. 11’901 that most affected me. Dubbed the “hyper” complication by Phillips, the watch belongs to a rarified group of swan-song supercomplications that memorialise the final days of English fine watchmaking. Despite being over a century old, the watch easily holds its own against the fine watchmaking of today, both in decoration and mechanics. By the turn of the century, the traditional watchmaking centers of England and France were besieged by vertically integrated American super-factories from the West, and cheap but skilful Swiss labour from the East, both of which benefited greatly from mechanisation. During the waning years of English fine watchmaking, the most prestigious firms responded by attempting to move even further upmarket with highly complicated watches, and the firms remained confident in the appeal of their products. “If they are more expensive, as they must necessarily be, they last the purchaser a lifetime,” said a representative of Nicole, Nielsen & Co., the company that built this watch, said of English watches in 1912, “The better classes, indeed, have always bought, and will always buy, English-made watches, and will not buy any others”. Swiss prelude This watch started life in Switzerland as ebauche number 7’321, according to Fr...

The Best Cartier Watches For Ladies Teddy Baldassarre
Cartier Oct 27, 2025

The Best Cartier Watches For Ladies

Cartier is a household name, easily crossing the threshold from watch insider (or luxury-object insider) to fully accepted in the broader cultural zeitgeist as a sort of “things dreams are made of” aspirational fare. If Rolex is the man’s peak piece of horological wanting, then by goodness, Cartier occupies an equal space in the minds of women watch buyers. Here we will go through some of the best Cartier ladies' watches. (Yes, of course there are plenty of women who look to Rolex the same way a man does, and vice versa with men and Cartier. The two brands stand shoulder to shoulder as perhaps the most recognizable names in the game.) To achieve the status of being labeled influential in watchmaking is one thing. Very few reach the rarified air of transcending the category altogether. Considering that watches are one of a very few pieces of physical "jewelry" that a man can wear, it’s remarkable that Cartier has been able to carve out a place of legitimate watch enthusiasm for the woman buyer who has far more choices in the category. Granted, Cartier operates in space beyond just watches, unlike the aforementioned Rolex.  Cartier History Becoming the most recognizable name, along with Rolex, in the watch industry, is a feat that Cartier didn’t accomplish overnight.  The luxury jewelry house was founded back in 1847 in Paris, France, by Louis-François Cartier. However, Cartier's rapid ascension as a watchmaker and jeweler came during the third generation of fam...

Editorial: Reflections on WatchTime New York 2025 SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey Hand Made 2 Initial Oct 27, 2025

Editorial: Reflections on WatchTime New York 2025

Autumn has always been a special time in New York, and that’s especially true now that the city plays host to the nation’s flagship watch fair. Held each October in the heart of Midtown, WatchTime New York has become one of the most high profile public watch fairs in the United States, bringing together independent watchmakers, major brands, and collectors under the imposing dome of Gotham Hall. Now in its tenth year, the 2025 edition was the largest yet, and served as the backdrop for the public unveiling of a few notable watches (and one strap). The Greubel Forsey Hand Made 2. Initial thoughts This was my third year attending WatchTime, and the experience is remarkably consistent from year-to-year. That said, this year’s event was clearly the biggest yet, with 44 brands and more than 2,700 visitors. Despite this turnout, it’s still a fraction the size of an event like Watches & Wonders, which gives it a more intimate feel that reminds me of SalonQP, which was an annual watch fair in London put on by now-defunct QP magazine. In other words, it’s big enough to attract big names and small enough to allow the general public to meet watchmakers that they might not otherwise have access to; Kari Voutilainen, Stepan Sarpaneva, Martin Frei of Urwerk, Albert Edelmann of Zeitwinkel, and Roland Murphy of RGM were present throughout the fair to engage with collectors. A big turnout Not only did WatchTime attendance set a record, the nearby Windup Watch Fair, a free event f...

eBay Finds: Vintage Watches from Seiko, Benrus, Timex, and More! Worn & Wound
Seiko Benrus Timex Oct 24, 2025

eBay Finds: Vintage Watches from Seiko, Benrus, Timex, and More!

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 Timex Diver Here’s a nice little vintage Timex diver to start us off this week. Timex has definitely had a resurgence of late with them re-issuing older models for that retro look. Their original vintage offerings were definitely on the…more affordable side. That said, they are still cool and have some classic cache if you ask me. This 1970’s diver style watch has a chrome plated case that looks to be in good shape, and a plastic bezel that looks great. The dial and hands have a nice design to them and they are in excellent condition as well. The watch is powered by an early Timex non-quartz electric movement that runs fine per the seller. Neat piece that should be affordable and fun to wear. View auction here Vintage Seiko 7009-8109  Next up is a vintage Seiko 7009-8109, complete with original bracelet, box and papers. This is one of those everyday type Seikos, not really a dress watch and not really a sports watch, sort of an in betweener. The 37mm steel cushion case looks to be in nice shape, with some marks from aging but still showing the original brushed finish. The blue dial looks great, with simple stick markers and hands, and the always-present Seiko day/date win...