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Monochrome
Founded in New York in 1921 by Romanian-born brothers Benjamin, Oscar, and Ralph Lazrus, Benrus relied on Swiss production, centred in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and during the 1930s and 1940s, it became known for its pilots and military watches. Early models such as the Flyer and Airman were popular among the airline pilots, helping establish the […]
SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet (AP) is a storied name in haute horlogerie, and has long been the public face of the Vallée de Joux, the cradle of high complications in Switzerland. It’s also the only brand in the so-called ‘holy trinity’ to employ a Chief Industrial Officer (CIO). We sat down with Lucas Raggi to understand his role in shaping AP’s industrial strategy. The historical home of Audemars Piguet. Image – Audemars Piguet The context Having closed the chapter on the brand’s first 150 years, AP is flying high. According to Vontobel estimates, the brand generated more than CHF2.4 billion in 2025, making it the third-largest brand by revenue after mass market masters Rolex and Cartier. The brand is estimated to have produced more than 50,000 watches in 2025, up from 30,000 just a few years ago. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the opening of AP’s new Arc Manufacture in Le Brassus. Image – Audemars Piguet The new Arc Manufacture, which just came online, might raise the ceiling further. In a 2022 interview then-chief executive François-Henry Bennahmias suggested AP would be capable of making up to 65,000 watches annually by 2027. These numbers represent extraordinary growth for a century-old family owned brand that makes complicated watches. So how does a brand like AP (nearly) double its output in less than a generation without sacrificing small-scale craftsmanship? In short, thoughtful industrialisation. The recently opened Arc Manufacture in Le Brassus. Image – A...
Monochrome
With the Masterlink Boutique Edition, Gerald Charles aims to reinforce its preference for controlled distribution and direct customer dialogue. Available only through the brand’s boutiques in Geneva and Nagoya, this limited edition follows the earlier Masterlink series. First introduced in 2024, the Masterlink asymmetric case builds on the Maestro design by Gérald Charles Genta, featuring […]
Time+Tide
If MeisterSinger’s usual single-hand watches are about de-emphasising exactitude, the new Panthero does something a little more nuanced.The post MeisterSinger marks 25 years with the Panthero Jumping Hour, expanding beyond their one-handed oeuvre appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
Just a couple of days after the publication of Vontobel’s Luxury Goods report, listing the 10 largest watch brands for 2025, as well as analysing the watch industry’s evolution over the last 12 months, it’s now time for another eagerly awaited report to be published. We’re talking about the in-depth annual analysis produced by Morgan […]
Monochrome
Louis Moinet’s universe is populated with exuberant timepieces that often merge steampunk aesthetics with elaborate mechanical movements and exotic materials. As the brand whose founding father invented one of the very first chronographs in 1815 – the Compteur de Tierces – a fact that the brand discovered in 2013, chronographs have resumed their place in […]
Monochrome
Renowned for its rugged all-terrain watches for outdoor adventures, Alpina goes off-piste with its new Alpiner Manufacture Date watch made in collaboration with Geneva customisation expert, Label Noir. Reflecting Alpina’s close ties to the alpine world, the Alpina x Label Noir features a snow-white dial and an unprecedented (for the brand) hammered case. The 130-piece […]
SJX Watches
Nestled in the Jura Mountains, La Chaux-de-Fonds has been a cradle of Swiss watchmaking ever since its watchmaking school, the Technicum, opened in 1865. For aspiring watchmakers, the climax of their training was traditionally the creation of a montre école – or what’s known as a school watch. This is the story of Hugues Bürki, a Technicum alumnus, who built what would become a record-breaking school watch, and who would later make horological history as a movement engineer. Hugues Bürki. Image – author The Technicum The watchmaking school of La Chaux-de-Fonds was founded in 1865. In its early days, the school occupied rooms inside the modestly named ‘Technicum’, a local vocational-technical school. By 1885, the school’s own building had been inaugurated, yet the name Technicum stuck. In 1933, in the wake of the global economic crisis, the nearby watchmaking schools in La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle were merged to form the Technicum Neuchâtelois. The Technicum in the 1960s. Image – author It demands attention that both divisions of the Technicum Neuchâtelois had a particularly strong focus on high-precision chronometry at the time compared to other watchmaking schools in Switzerland, which specialised in other domains, such as the construction of complications and traditional finishing techniques. In fact, some of the innovations in chronometry we associate with brands like Longines can actually trace their roots to the Technicum Neuchâtelois, including...
Time+Tide
Niton and AP revive historical jumping hour watches, Sarpaneva and Urwerk go intergalactic, and Louis Vuitton teams up with De Bethune.The post New releases from Sarpaneva, Niton, Vacheron Constantin and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Whenever we’re in Geneva, it’s fun to stop by ArtyA. On any given day, the boutique could see a visit from a music star. Or, at one point, a custom motorcycle took center stage. Late last year, though, it was just us from Fratello who took up residence for an hour to see the brand’s […] Visit Hands-On With The ArtyA Luminity Wavy AMR-01 to read the full article.
SJX Watches
The 1908 Itala came alive on the Silverstone grid with a sound like controlled thunder. Cecil Clutton, known to his friends as Sam, settled into the bucket seat, his hands finding their positions on the massive steering wheel. He was 63 years old; the car was a year older. Around them, sleeker machines like the Bugatti Type 35 and ERAs growled in anticipation. The other drivers wore modern racing kits; Clutton wore a tie. He dropped the clutch. The 12-litre engine roared as the rear wheels bit into the tarmac. Through Copse Corner, the car drifted wide, and Clutton held the line by feel; the steering wheel transmitted every message from the road surface through his palms. With Clutton at the wheel, the Itala crossed the line in third place; eminently respectable for a car that predated the First World War by six years. But Clutton was no ordinary racing driver, having been appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for work rendered to the Crown Estate; his family founded the real estate firm Cluttons in the late 18th century. The CBE acknowledged his professional achievements in surveying, but by then his influence extended far beyond property management. He had already served as President of the Vintage Sports-Car Club from 1954 to 1957, published foundational texts on vintage motoring, established himself as a leading voice in the British Organ Reform Movement, and begun building what would become recognised as one of Britain’s finest collections of prec...
Monochrome
Founded in 2021, Bianchet is a young independent brand based in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, specialising in contemporary tonneau-shaped timepieces that merge advanced materials with architectural mechanics. The brand’s designs are rooted in the Golden Ratio (1.618), which influences the proportions of its cases, bridges, and even its rotors. Last year’s model B 1.618 UltraFino Carbon […]
Monochrome
There’s no denying that we’re currently facing a global decline in the luxury goods demand, with sales affected by uncertainties in China, the undeniable effect of US tariffs on exports to the region and several conflicts around the world. Last year, despite this challenging environment, powerhouse LVMH, the world’s largest luxury conglomerate, reported a moderate […]
Monochrome
The Dakar is the true stuff of legends. And it’s not just the historic editions that still leave many of us in awe, the yearly adventure is still the playing field for the creme de la creme in rallying. Each competitor, whether on two wheels or in a car or truck, has to battle the […]
Monochrome
Hublot and British designer Samuel Ross join forces again and present the Big Bang Unico SR_A. Building on Ross’ previous collaborations with the Big Bang Tourbillon, the multi-talented designer, creative director and artist applies his particular design codes to a limited edition of 200 Big Bang Unico pieces. Tamer than the tourbillons, Ross’ vision for […]
SJX Watches
From one-off artistic creations to new escapement technologies, 2025 delivered more than its share of surprises and unexpected developments. Brands with institutional research and development departments led the way with unexpected material breakthroughs, while Geneva’s oldest watchmaker surprised (and delighted) with a clock of astronomical proportions. Rolex Land-Dweller and Dynapulse Escapement - SJX Given its institutional nature, Rolex rarely surprises, but when it does, the brand does so in a big way. The Land-Dweller was unquestionably one of the biggest debuts from Rolex in a long time. The integrated bracelet design is certainly a departure from the prevailing house style, but the Land-Dweller is a landmark mainly for the movement inside, the cal. 7135 that boasts the Dynapulse escapement. While Rolex movements have enjoyed largely incremental improvements for years, the cal. 7135 in the Land-Dweller is a radical break because it’s an all-new movement with an all-new escapement. The Dynapulse escapement is one of the most forward-thinking inventions by Rolex, arguably ever. A double-wheel, detached and indirect-tangential impulse escapement, the Dynapulse is arguably among the most advanced escapements on the market today – and the cal. 7135 is probably the most precise self-winding movement on the market. More crucially, it is being produced at scale. A new escapement is an achievement, but a new escapement manufactured in large numbers is a bona fide fea...
SJX Watches
Konstantin Chaykin’s signature Wristmon has taken an unexpected twist with the Venus. Inspired by The Birth of Venus, Botticelli’s famous Renaissance painting, the wristwatch is modelled on the goddess Venus emerging from the sea, nude with flowing hair. Like the Wristmons, Venus tells the time with rotating discs, except the discs no longer represent the eyes. Appropriately, the Venus prototype will be sold in at auction on December 11, with all proceeds going to LILT Milano Monza Brianza, an Italian charity dedicated to preventing breast cancer. Initial thoughts The Wristmon is now a familiar concept, maybe too familiar. Venus is a clever twist on the idea; it’s essentially identical in terms of function, yet entirely different in look and theme. The Venus is also relatively subtle, despite the highly exposed central theme. At the same time, the Venus fits into a historical category of watches. In some ways it’s a variant of the tradition erotic watch, which existed in pocket watches and also modern wristwatches. The case of the Venus is also a bit more graceful than the average Wristmon. It has flowing lines and more importantly, only one crown, instead of the two for most Wristmon models. In short, I like the Venus. It is a smart new direction for the Russian watchmaker’s signature concept. Goddess on the dial Like the Wristmons, Venus indicates the time regulator-style. Hours and minutes are each indicated on rotating discs, while the “face” forms the ...
SJX Watches
On 27 April 1927 a nurse walked into a room at the Cleveland Clinic carrying a leather case. The patient was sixty-four, a section of skull removed, the ache of radiation still working behind his eyes. On the charts he appeared as James Ward Packard, co-founder of Packard Electric and Packard Motor Car Company. To the nurse he was a difficult case. To Geneva he remained the client for whom Patek Philippe had just completed movement number 198’023, an astronomical watch that had absorbed three years of calculation and bench work. James Ward Packard. Image – Lehigh University Photograph Collection Inside the case lay a carillon minute repeater on three gongs, coupled to a full perpetual calendar with moon phase, equation of time, and sunrise and sunset indications calculated for Warren, Ohio. On the reverse, a deep blue sky disk carried five hundred and twelve gold stars, turning at sidereal speed around a small Polaris. The sky above his birthplace had been compressed into a circle of lapis and gold, moving in his hands as it moved above the town where he had been born, built factories, endowed an engineering laboratory, and which he now understood lay beyond any realistic hope of return. Consolation held little appeal for him. Packard placed his trust in precision, in the ability to describe a situation so exactly that it became bearable. The watch answered a question he had circled since childhood: if the world always exceeds your grasp, can you still know, to the min...
Fratello
It’s October 9th, 2006, and this news flash appears on the Richemont website: “Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group, is pleased to announce that it has acquired Fabrique d’Horlogerie Minerva SA in a private transaction from G. P. P. International SA, Luxembourg. The watch brand Minerva was established by Charles Robert in 1858 and is […] Visit A Deep Dive Into Minerva In The Montblanc Era to read the full article.
Monochrome
Raymond Weil is on a roll. As a brand we rarely covered, third-generation CEO Elie Bernheim is upping the tempo for the family-run Geneva-based brand. What started with the well-designed, retro-inspired MiIllesime of 2024, designed from scratch with contemporary specs, is now a fully fledged and very successful collection. Recently treated to a makeover, the […]
Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre has a reputation for revered watchmaking, all within a single facility in Le Sentier, in the Vallée de Joux. For 2025, La Grande Maison unveils two new Master Ultra Thin timepieces. Both feature a soft, almost terracotta-like shade of copper. The grainy texture also lends the aesthetic a touch of ruggedness. Yet, the playful […] Visit Introducing: Two New Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Watches In Distinctive Copper Hues to read the full article.
![Hands-On With The New Ulysse Nardin × Urwerk Ur-Freak [Live Photos]](https://www.fratellowatches.com/cdn-cgi/image/anim=false/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Urwerk-x-Ulyyse-Nardin-UR-FREAK-69-scaled.jpg)
Fratello
Some watches catch you off guard, and then there are the ones that genuinely stop you in your tracks. The Ulysse Nardin × Urwerk Ur-Freak belongs firmly in the latter camp. I first saw it during Geneva Watch Days a couple of months back, inside Ulysse Nardin’s boutique, when someone slid a non-disclosure agreement across […] Visit Hands-On With The New Ulysse Nardin × Urwerk Ur-Freak [Live Photos] to read the full article.
Monochrome
Schwarz Etienne is one of the rare independent manufactures that does everything under one roof: design, movement development, finishing and assembly in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Since Florian Brossard took the helm in 2024, the brand has sharpened a clear, contemporary identity built on technical depth. That work was visible earlier this year with the launch of […]
Monochrome
As one of the most admired independent watchmakers with a hallmark style defined by elegant understatement, it is hard to believe that Laurent Ferrier’s brand was established just 15 years ago. A third-generation watchmaker and car racing enthusiast, Laurent Ferrier (Geneva, 1946) was about to retire after a 37-year stint at Patek Philippe when his […]
Monochrome
As we (digitally) scour the globe to bring you some of the most special and unique independent watchmaking projects, we don’t always have the chance to see the watches ourselves. One such opportunity to go hands-on with something intriguing, however, presented itself during Geneva Watch Days, where we met with Alex Goetschi. As a self-taught […]
Monochrome
A name with strong historical importance, François Czapek was once the business partner of a certain Antoine Norbert de Patek. However, it’s mostly since the rebirth of the brand in 2015 that the name Czapek became popular among watch enthusiasts. This year, the independent brand is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its revival by unveiling […]
Worn & Wound
We’re heading into a big new release period as much of the watch industry descends on Geneva for the upcoming GPHG awards ceremony, and then heads to Dubai for the Dubai Watch Week festivities. There’s sure to be a ton of news made in the next two weeks as this year’s best watches receive their flowers and we get a first look at many of the new novelties that will close out the year as head into the holiday rush, and tempt us for 2026. Czapek, the Swiss indie best known for their Antarctique line of integrated bracelet sports watches, is first out of the gate among higher end independents with a new novelty just announced today. The Time Jumper is an audacious new piece made to celebrate the brand’s tenth anniversary, reaching back into Czapek’s roots before the current incarnation of the brand was incorporated, and also putting a new spin on a complication that has been all the rage this year. When I first heard that Czapek would be releasing something new and splashy to celebrate their tenth anniversary, my mind immediately began wondering “I wonder what kind of Antarctique they’ve come up with?” I should not have been so cynical, but it’s an unavoidable fact that the brand has really leaned into the popularity of the integrated bracelet sports watch platform since the first of these watches was introduced around five years ago. There have, of course, been many iterations, limited editions, and complications, and it probably would have been easy enoug...
Teddy Baldassarre
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...
SJX Watches
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. ...
SJX Watches
Philips’ upcoming sale in Geneva from November 8-9 includes two timepieces owned by John Pierpont Morgan Jr., widely known as Jack Morgan. Heir to a financial empire, Morgan was the first chairman of what is now JPMorganChase, and more pertinently, inherited the sensibilities of his father, J. Pierpont Morgan Sr., in collecting and gifting. Morgan Sr. was a collector on a grand scale, and across categories. The catalogues of his collections spanned volumes – two books for Chinese porcelain, four for miniatures, and a single volume for his watches and clocks, albeit a 350-page tome that weighed almost 6 kg in its original edition. The penchant for collecting was passed on to Jack Morgan, who evidently had sharp tastes in watches and clocks. The two timepieces going on the block at Phillips illustrate that. One is the first-ever Cartier mystery clock, a Model A sold to Morgan in 1913. And the other is one example of the “Morgan caliper”, a series of minute repeating, split-second chronograph, tourbillon pocket watches made for J.P. Morgan & Co., which were gifted by Morgan Sr. and Jack Morgan to the firm’s partners and important associates. Titans of finance In 1913, Louisiana senator Arsène Pujo formed the Pujo Committee to investigate the growing concentration of financial power in the United States. The committee found that an inner circle of partners at J.P. Morgan & Co. and its two largest proxies held 341 directorship positions across the boards of 34 majo...
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