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Balance Wheel

The oscillating wheel at the heart of every mechanical watch.
ADVENT CALENDAR 2016: December 4 – The Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second Time+Tide
Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second Dec 3, 2016

ADVENT CALENDAR 2016: December 4 – The Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second

Today we peel back the hypothetical door on our digital advent calendar (though we’re giving away some real stuff too FYI) to reveal the deep blue dial of the Montblanc 1858 Small Second. We’re big fans of the 1858 in general, as it hits just the right balance between everyday wearability and heritage style. The smart … ContinuedThe post ADVENT CALENDAR 2016: December 4 – The Montblanc 1858 Manual Small Second appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

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Quick Look: The Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Revolution
Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane Jan 21, 2013

Quick Look: The Zenith Academy Christophe Colomb Hurricane

Though it won’t be officially launched until Basel 2013 we thought this was too interesting to keep to ourselves –it’s the latest take on the Zenith “Christophe Colomb” series of watches (part of the Zenith Academy collection.) The Christophe Colomb watches place the escapement and balance in a gimbaled cage, so that no matter what […]

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Bring a Loupe: A Broken Mulco Chronograph, A Gold Rolex Paul Newman, And A Lot In-Between Hodinkee
Patek Philippe 570 2 days ago

Bring a Loupe: A Broken Mulco Chronograph, A Gold Rolex Paul Newman, And A Lot In-Between

Go Knicks. That is all. Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Grand Seiko sold for $29,700; the Patek Philippe 570 is still available; the Certina CD sold for €120; and the LeCoultre Uniplan sold, but the auction house didn't upload the final price. Strays Photo courtesy Goodwill. Here's a Breguet Classique 5907 on Goodwill. Yes, a Goodwill in Minnesota received, as a donation, a solid-gold Breguet with a four-day power reserve, a manual-wind 510DR movement, a full guilloché dial, Breguet hands, and, as if all that weren't enough, the watch comes with its original box. As Warren G advised, mount up. Beyond that heavy-duty watch in the least likely place, this Dodane Diver is very cool, and this Vincent Calabrese (who also made the Corum Golden Bridge) Wandering Jump Hour on Meticulist is incredibly cool. Apparently, it's my time—or a good time generally—to be excited by rectangular-cased non-Reverso JLC models, and if you've been after a Juvenia Architect, this one seems like it'll be gorgeous once it's cleaned up a bit. I don't know anyone who collects Verity watches, but this diver sure looks great with its classic Monnin case and—there's no other word for it—rad hand set. Finally, here's another IYKYK from Zenith, this time a 40T, which has absolutely nothing going for it other than a beautiful, simple case and a dial marking beneath the handset that has to be one of the coolest movement-related badges on any model I'm aware of. In an effort to balance out last...

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Insight: A Look At The Fusee and Chain SJX Watches
Ming from 5 days ago

Insight: A Look At The Fusee and Chain

The fusee and chain system is one of those terms in high horology parlance that instantly elevates the status of a given watch. And yet few appreciate the elegance and subtle complexities of this horological contraption that surprisingly predates the invention of the hairspring itself. The need for constant torque A high-performance oscillating system requires a somewhat constant power source in order to keep it swinging consistently. This issue relates to isochronism and the insufficiencies of real-world oscillators. For a watch, this means that its precision is, to a degree, dependent on how constant the torque reaching the escapement is. This is not as easy as one might think. The mainspring stores potential energy in its wound coils, which it then slowly feeds into the gear train as the barrel unwinds. Because of how the system is built, and due to physics-related constraints, the power coming from the mainspring barrel is all but constant. Ideally, the torque would be linearly decreasing — meaning that the slope of the barrel torque is directly proportional to the arming angle. Coiled mainspring inside a barrel. When a mainspring barrel is fully wound, the torque it feeds into the going train is maximal, sometimes causing the balance wheel to swing too wide and over-bank. As the mainspring unwinds, the torque stabilises to a steadily declining rate. But as the movement enters its last hours of power reserve, the torque from the barrel decreases considerably and more...

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Max Maertens Dishes on His Creative Process in Designing the New MB&F; HM12 Worn & Wound
Vacheron Constantin Cartier Jun 10, 2026

Max Maertens Dishes on His Creative Process in Designing the New MB&F; HM12

I first met Max Maertens at Dubai Watch Week last year. The young designer already has a storied career under his belt, working on projects with brands like Chopard, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, and MB&F;, where he started out as an intern. Here, something clicked. For several years, Maertens firmly fell in the “F” or “friends” category of the brand, collaborating with MB&F; and L’Epée on the T-Rex clock before being given free rein to create the TriPod and the Orb. But his legacy with MB&F; is only just getting started. Through these projects on several horological objects, the brand’s founder Max Busser saw something special and took him under his wing as his protégé and future successor. Today, we see Maertens’ first take on a more traditional MB&F; wristwatch – well…. sort of. Making its grand entrance is the HM12 Guardian, the next chapter in the brand’s horological machines. It started with a “simple” brief (though we all know, nothing MB&F; does is simple. “I was in Max’s office, and he said to me, ‘wouldn’t it be cool to create a watch that’s also a robot’s head?’ And somehow, immediately in that moment, a vision popped in my mind of how it should look,” recalls Maertens. “In the end, I would say this final concept of the HM12 is about 80% of what I had in my mind from that first idea.” Yes, the concept still originated from the mind of Busser himself, but the design of the new HM12 Guardian – a wristwatch with a “very...

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Does The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down Deserve Its Icon Status? (Review) WatchAdvice
A. Lange & Sohne May 29, 2026

Does The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Up/Down Deserve Its Icon Status? (Review)

A pink gold Datograph Up/Down with serious chronograph engineering, rich contrast, and the kind of finishing only Lange can deliver. What We Love: Beautifully executed 18-carat pink gold case is as elegant as it comes! One of modern watchmaking’s great chronograph movements, showcased through a rich black and pink gold dial execution. Wears far better than the dimensions suggest. What We Don’t: Case thickness may be too large for some by modern standards. Dial layout may feel slightly imbalanced with integration of power-reserve indicator Traditional 2.5Hz beat rate may not appeal to those who prefer higher-frequency chronograph movements. Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9.5/10 There are very few brands in the world of watchmaking that can do what A. Lange & Söhne is capable of. The brand’s chronographs are also some of the most respected timepieces in the industry, carrying heritage, incredible craftsmanship, and painstaking assembly methods that place their movements among the best in the world. Fortunately for me, I had the chance to get up close and go hands-on with one of the brand’s signature chronographs: the Datograph Up/Down. One of the original 1999 A. Lange & Söhne Datograph models (Ref. 403.035) The Datograph was first introduced in 1999, and it quickly became one of the benchmark chronographs of modern watchmaking. Why did it rise to such a status so quickly? It was because of the model’s...

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Introducing: Albishorn Type X-Graph (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Rolex Zerograph inspiration May 28, 2026

Introducing: Albishorn Type X-Graph (Live Pics)

What We Know We've featured a lot of Albishorn on Hodinkee recently, and for good reason. It's a fan-favorite brand, and, as our former head of limited editions said, it's hard to find someone who knows how to handle the technical side of watches, the design side, and pricing, all so well. The new Type X-Graph is no exception. If you want more info on the design inspiration behind the brand, you can read one of my previous stories here. But while other launches trend more vintage, this one feels a bit more modern. The Rolex "Zerograph" inspiration is obvious, with the slightly smaller dial and oversized bezel (that overhangs the case). This time, the dial pushes the look into modernity, with a semi-translucent fumé grey dial that lets you catch small glimpses of the skeletonized ALB04 M movement. But at the same time, Alibshorn was able to maintain the pebbled texture of some of their other dials. It's not a fully smoked sapphire like a Patek 5316 or a Lange Lumen, but at the price, it strikes a balance between creativity and affordability. Add the green-emission Super-LumiNova on the PVD-coated bi-directionally rotating steel bezel, and it's a cool monochrome finish. You'll notice that the watch is a chronograph with a 30-minute counter at the lower left and running seconds at the right, but right above the logo is the chronograph running indicator. It switches from red while running to white when stopped. The design of this is patented as part of the brand's modificatio...

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Highlights: Notable Independents at Phillips Hong Kong SJX Watches
F.P. Journe May 27, 2026

Highlights: Notable Independents at Phillips Hong Kong

Phillips’ spring auction season wraps up with The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XXII on May 30 – 31. As is now the norm, independent watchmakers have carved out a significant section of the catalogue including the usual suspects from F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour, as well as rare showings from under-the-radar makers like Oscillon and Yosuke Sekiguchi. Lot 878 – Oscillon L’instant de Vérité Despite how hot the indie segment has become, Oscillon has largely stayed under the radar, perhaps due to its intensely cerebral nature, or because the brand only produces about five watches per year. The duo behind the brand, Dominique Buser and Cyrano Devanthey, are collectors of pre-computerised watchmaking machines. Their collection is so extensive that they can produce all movement parts – save for the jewels and shock protection – under their own roof using these machines. Even putting this context aside, the watches themselves are still mechanically interesting. The most striking detail is the bowtie-shaped balance, which is harder to poise and less aerodynamic than a conventional annular balance, but looks much cooler. L’instant de Vérité uses an unusual tensator constant-force spring. To explain this, consider a tape measure. The force required to pull more length from a tape measure doesn’t noticeably increase regardless of the length already paid out. Now imagine hooking the end of the tape to a pulley, so that turning the pulley (winding) pulls tape out, and ...

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Hands-on – The Marco Lang Seven Spheres, a 7-Axis Tourbillon Built with Pure Watchmaking Idealism Monochrome
Lang & Heyne has always practised watchmaking May 22, 2026

Hands-on – The Marco Lang Seven Spheres, a 7-Axis Tourbillon Built with Pure Watchmaking Idealism

Marco Lang, known to many as co-founder of Lang & Heyne, has always practised watchmaking with a deeply personal perspective. Since leaving the Dresden-based manufacture and launching his own independent path, his work has become even more intimate and experimental, and the Seven Spheres is the best expression of his creative freedom so far. The […]

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Introducing: The Longines Legend Diver 59 Offers A More Rugged Look In A Larger Size Hodinkee
Longines Legend Diver 59 Offers May 18, 2026

Introducing: The Longines Legend Diver 59 Offers A More Rugged Look In A Larger Size

What We Know For collectors, the Longines Legend Diver seemingly hit a sweet spot in sizing during its 39mm refresh back in 2023. But, as with many things in life, you can't please 'em all with just one version. So today's new Legend Diver 59 offers a much larger interpretation of the brand's tribute to its 1959 design, in a 42mm model that will surely make a lot of larger wrists happy. It's not the brand's only 42mm Legend Diver, technically speaking, since some older models are still listed in the catalog. But it's the first larger size to have come out since that 2023 refresh. The 42mm case has a thickness of 12.85mm and a lug-to-lug measurement of 50.1mm. As customary with the Legend Divers, two crowns sit on the right side of the case, with the one at two o'clock for rotating the internal bezel and the one at four o'clock to wind and set the time. What this new Legend Diver 59 offers as a new design touch comes in the dial. Whereas the current generation Legend Divers sport glossy lacquer dials, this Legend Diver 59 has a matte black grained-texture dial and internal bezel for a more rugged look. Adding to that aesthetic are new sandblasted hands and indices, which are then paired with three-dimensional Super-LumiNova accents in an old radium color. The Legend Diver 59 is COSC-certified, thanks to the ETA-manufactured but exclusive-to-Longines automatic caliber L888.6. It's a distinctly modern caliber, featuring a silicon balance spring and a power reserve of 72 hours...

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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 ...

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Baltic and SpaceOne Collaborate on the All New Seconde Majeure Worn & Wound
Baltic May 8, 2026

Baltic and SpaceOne Collaborate on the All New Seconde Majeure

It’s tough to think of two accessible indie brands that are more diametrically opposed in terms of their general aesthetic than Baltic and SpaceOne. One is focused largely on classic, vintage influenced designs, while the other is firmly contemporary, futuristic, even, and has made a name for itself by innovating new ways to make high end complications accessible. But they have similar sensibilities, I think, when it comes to widening the aperture of watch enthusiasm in general. They make it feel easy to break into a once difficult to access hobby with watches that are genuinely interesting and cool irrespective of price.  And so a collaboration between Baltic and SpaceOne (both French brands) is maybe not as absurd as it would appear at first blush. Their first watch made in partnership, the Seconde Majeure, takes elements of what makes both brands special and smashes them together in a very satisfying way. It’s one of the best watches I’ve had a chance to see so far this year (it was being previewed at Chronopolis in Geneva last month, and at our Windup event in San Francisco just last week).  The Seconde Majeure is designed around a jumping hour module designed by Theo Auffret with three visible components. A large minute disc sits atop a control wheel that makes a full rotation every 60 minutes, and provides a hand-free readout of the minutes from a central location on the dial. As the minute disc completes a rotation, it engages with a star wheel that has 12 t...

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Everything to See and Do at Windup San Francisco: Padel, Panels, Parties, Watches, and More! Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Apr 29, 2026

Everything to See and Do at Windup San Francisco: Padel, Panels, Parties, Watches, and More!

The 2026 Windup Watch Fair San Francisco is just days away, and we’re fairly certain there’s never been a Windup with as much going on as this one. Alongside everything you’d expect—like amazing lead sponsors including Bremont, Brew, Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, and Oris—this fair also features 80+ brands from around the world and a slew of extracurricular activities across all three days. Here’s a quick guide to everything happening in and around the big weekend in The Bay Area, starting with a reminder of the where and when. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture San Francisco, CA Free and open to everyone No registration necessary EDC Expo, Giveaways, and More We’re excited for the return of the EDC Expo, presented by GiantMouse. Longtime supporters of Windup, the team at GiantMouse is elevating the gear and accessories section in a meaningful way with their ACE Riv in titanium, brass, green canvas Micarta, and more. Nearly a dozen everyday carry and accessory brands will greet you at the front of Gateway Pavilion. For the first time, you’ll also find Kindred Motorworks on-site, showcasing their meticulously restored EV Broncos—and yes, you can sign up to test-drive one through some of San Francisco’s most iconic streets. Our friends at Fitwell will be joined by their mustachioed mate Andy from Andy’s Watches on Instagram and TikTok at their EDC Expo b...

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Introducing: Christopher Ward Overhauls The Sealander Line With Design Refinements And Upgrades Hodinkee
Christopher Ward Overhauls Apr 29, 2026

Introducing: Christopher Ward Overhauls The Sealander Line With Design Refinements And Upgrades

What We Know The Sealander sits at the core of Christopher Ward's lineup, serving as its everyday, approachable, price-conscious, do-it-all Swiss-made watch. For those considering a Christopher Ward for the first time and looking for a sport watch with the most bang for the buck, the Sealander GMT or Automatic three-hander has been a logical go-to. It's also been a major seller, with the 39mm white dial GMT often taking the honors as the top-volume model for the U.K.-based company. So when Christopher Ward embarks on a major overhaul and redesign of the Sealander collection, it's a significant moment.  Unveiled today, and on sale beginning tomorrow, the new models bring a slimmer case and upgraded movement for the Automatic, refinements to the case and dial design for both models, a new 42mm size for the GMT, and upgraded, more user-friendly bracelets with tool-free adjustment and link removal. Starting with the Sealander GMT, the brushed case has been redesigned, giving a more refined, thinner profile and sporty finish, and is available in 36mm, 39mm, and, for the first time, 42mm. The new case offers sharper lugs with distinctly faceted, polished edges. The upgraded, refined finishing further emphasizes the crown guards that remain on the GMT case, adding to the overall rugged appearance.  The brushed 24-hour fixed bezel with black lacquer-filled numbers is now less angled with a flatter profile to improve legibility while giving the watch more presence across the thre...

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Revisiting The Raymond Weil Freelancer Complete Calendar Hands-On Review WatchAdvice
Frederique Constant Apr 27, 2026

Revisiting The Raymond Weil Freelancer Complete Calendar Hands-On Review

As Raymond Weil comes out of their shell, so do more incredible timepieces. But have they hit a new peak with the Freelancer Complete Calendar? Let’s find out! What We Love: An elegant and versatile design Quality-of-life upgrades to a classic complication Excellent value proposition with few competitors What We Don’t: Movement finishing somewhat lacklustre The calendar is hard to see from a distance Do we need the lume? Overall Rating: 9/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 9/10 This article was originally published as Is The New Raymond Weil Freelancer Complete Calendar Their Best Yet?  There’s a rapid surge happening in watchmaking right now. No, I’m not talking about the newly imposed 39% U.S. tariffs on Swiss watches (though that’s a story in itself), but rather the quiet re-emergence of the middle market. As household names climb further upmarket, a new wave of brands are pushing harder than ever, flexing their creative and horological muscles to prove what they’re truly capable of. Christopher Ward is one; Frederique Constant and Maurice Lacroix are others. But perhaps the most impressive contender in this power shift is none other than Raymond Weil. Nearly 50 years young, the family-owned independent has been quietly racking up achievements and accolades. Their breakout moment came with the GPHG-winning Millésime collection, followed by ambitious world timers and flyback chronographs — complications that once f...

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Our Favorite Complicated Watches From Watches & Wonders 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Apr 23, 2026

Our Favorite Complicated Watches From Watches & Wonders 2026

Our editors might still be reorienting themselves to their local timezone after being on Geneva time the past week, but the challenges of Watches & Wonders Editors' Picks must continue while the show is fresh in their minds. For this edition, we tasked our editors with selecting the watch complication that has stuck with them most from this year's lineup. From the sophisticated to the decidedly playful, down below, you'll find the watch complications that have risen above the pack, as decided by our editorial team. Explore our full editorial coverage of this year's show here.  D.C. Hannay: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronometre Perpetual Calendar Another luxury watch pick, another slam dunk for Jaeger-LeCoultre. Whichever way the wind is blowing in the Vallée de Joux, it’s been doing wonders for JLC of late, exemplified by the new Master Control Chronometre series. The brand has finally gone and made a modern, real-deal integrated luxury model, and enthusiasts are pricking up their ears. Along with the sleek Chronometre Date and the symmetrically gifted Chronometre Date Power Reserve, they’ve come up with a truly breathtaking riff on one of the most complicated complications, the Chronometre Perpetual Calendar. Absent of the hype surrounding the Royal Oak or the Nautilus, we’re presented with a beautifully balanced dial and cohesive design, packaged in a startlingly svelte 39mm case just 9.2mm thin. Also available in a glowing pink gold with a complementary br...

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