Hodinkee
Introducing: The Laventure Marine Type 3 Chronometer
A unique COSC-certified tool watch that is 100% Swiss-made.
Results for Swiss Lever Escapement
1,573 articles · 665 videos found · page 26 of 75
Hodinkee
Monochrome
First Look – The New Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Time Eater Tourbillon
The Louis Erard x Konstantin Chaykin Time Eater Tourbillon marks the evolution in the ongoing collaboration between the Swiss indie brand and master watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin. Building on the success of the previous “Time Eater” regulator models, part of Chaykin’s expressive Wristmons universe, the new model introduces a tourbillon with regulator display to the series […]
SJX Watches
The Forgotten Boston Collector Who Rivalled Henry Graves Jr.
Between 1885 and 1920, Elliot Cabot Lee (1854-1920) quietly built one of the world’s largest collections of very complicated watches, but unlike the famous rivals Henry Graves Jr. or James Ward Packard, both of whom favoured Swiss watches (and primarily Patek Philippe), Lee was a devotee of English watchmaking during its heyday. Many remarkable watches that were commissioned by Lee, or passed through his collection, have surfaced over the last few years, such as the J.W. Benson Supercomplication, the Dent Astronomical watch, or even J.P. Morgan’s pocket-planetarium, but with their provenance unknown. Most of Lee’s collection of pocket watches. Image – The National Jeweler 1922 A patrician collector Elliot Cabot Lee was born on April 16th, 1854 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Both of Lee’s parents hailed from Boston Brahmin families and were third cousins. His father, Henry Lee Jr., was a partner at investment bank Lee, Higginson & Company, where Lee also worked, though only briefly. His mother, Elizabeth Perkins Cabot, was the granddaughter of the extremely wealthy Thomas Handasyd Perkins – a slaver turned philanthropist. Lee graduated from Harvard with a law degree and passed the bar, though he seems to have practiced law little if at all. He was well-travelled and well-read, accumulating a notable book collection, according to the Brookline Historical society. Besides his watch collection, Lee also took an interest in the nascent automobile. He built a garage, o...
Fratello
Introducing: The Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Yellow”
Fabian “Spartacus” Cancellara is a Swiss cycling legend who not only won multiple world and Olympic championships but also wore the Tour de France’s yellow leader’s jersey for 29 days and won eight stages. The last time Cancellara raced in France was in 2016, and this year, he returns to the biggest bike race in […] Visit Introducing: The Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono “Yellow” to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introducing – The Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold Cliff Grey Edition
Swiss watchmaker Arnold & Son is named after the 18th-century English watchmaker John Arnold, the ingenious inventor who popularised the expression ‘chronometer’ to describe his precision marine timekeepers. Before the advent of marine chronometers to determine longitude at sea, navigators relied on the position of the Sun, Moon and stars to determine their position. Astronomy, […]
Video
Buying Your First Swiss Watch? - Why Hamilton Is The Best Under $500 + Unboxing The Ultimate Khaki
Monochrome
Introducing – New Colours and a Steel Bracelet for the Longines Conquest Heritage
The Conquest collection holds a rather special place in the history of Longines. It was Longines’ first collection to be trademarked – in 1954 with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. This was a pivotal moment for Longines as organising models by collection increased product identification. Since then, the name has remained and today […]
Worn & Wound
How Ulysse Nardin’s Freak-Mentality Has Taught the Industry to Keep Watchmaking Forward-Thinking and Fun
When Ulysse Nardin unveiled the Freak in 2001, it set off a chain of events that forever changed the course of history for the brand and for the industry at large. The model seamlessly flexed a combination of technical and design achievements. The Freak offered material innovation that was far ahead of its time, introducing the use of silicon in the escapement wheels-a technology that is now used by almost every major watch brand from Rolex to Patek Philippe, Girard-Perregaux, Breitling, and Jaeger-LeCoultre, just to name a few. It also presented an entirely new set of aesthetic codes for watch design with an expression of time that notably lacked a traditional dial, hands, or crown. With the Freak’s overall success, it immediately established the brand as a thought leader, an innovator, and (perhaps most importantly) a rebel in an industry often paralyzed by its reverence and steadfast commitment to tradition. In the nearly 25-years since the first Freak, we have seen Ulysse Nardin infuse this spirit in each subsequent Freak model and its catalog at large-from the Blast collection to its UFO clocks and, most recently, in its record breaking Diver [Air], the world’s lightest mechanical dive watch. The first Freak We all know record setting has become a bit of a thing in watchmaking. Particularly in the past decade or so, we have witnessed brands embark on the race to claim the next world record title. Since 2014, Bulgari has set a whopping ten for the ultra-thi...
Teddy Baldassarre
Vacheron Constantin Overseas: The Essential Guide
The Vacheron Constantin Overseas has been a major pillar of the Swiss maison’s collection since its high-profile revamp in 2016, but its roots stretch back much further, drawing elements of its distinctive design from the mechanical-watch revival of the late 1990s, the embryonic sport-luxury era of the 1970s, and even as far back as 1880, the origin of Vacheron’s Maltese Cross emblem. One of the oldest continuously operating watch manufacturers on the planet, Vacheron Constantin laid its foundation in 1755, more than a decade before the United States, eventually one of its most important markets, was even a country. Established as a watchmaking workshop by 24-year-old watchmaker Jean-Marc Vacheron, the company took on its current name when the founder’s grandson, Jacques-Barthemi Vacheron, partnered with businessman Francois Constantin. Over its first two centuries-plus in existence, Vacheron Constantin gained renown as an innovator of horological complications and a pioneer in design, as well as a watchmaker to royalty, including Egypt’s King Fuad I, who famously commissioned one of the world’s most complicated pocket watches (and also, for a time, the most expensive watch in the world sold at auction). The OG of Overseas: Vacheron Constantin 222 Historiques Revival 222 in gold In 1977, Vacheron Constantin commemorated its 220th anniversary of watchmaking with a boldly different and now highly collectible timepiece that helped lay the foundation for what we ...
Monochrome
First Look – The New Laventure Marine Type 3 is a Proper Tool Watch
Founded in 2017, Laventure is the project of a man named Clément Gaud. Despite achieving a degree of fame over the years, it is still a one-man show. Focused on genuine Swiss-made watches with an undeniable vintage flair and made for adventure (hence the name), Laventure has produced several watches under the Marine and Sous-Marine […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The Beda’a Eclipse II: A Star-Lit Celestial Evolution That’s Happening This Summer
The name might ring a bell, but it’s not what you think. Bedat and Beda’a are not the same. Bedat & Co is a Genevan watch brand “For Women of Character.” Beda’a is a London-based brand with Qatari roots, creating Swiss-made watches. Hader Al Suwaidi started his brand in 2016 to show that the Middle East […] Visit Hands-On With The Beda’a Eclipse II: A Star-Lit Celestial Evolution That’s Happening This Summer to read the full article.
Video
A Great Value Swiss Chronograph With an Amazing Vintage Aesthetic - Tissot Telemeter 1938
Teddy Baldassarre
The Most Expensive Rolex Watches
Admit it, you’re here because you googled “Most Expensive Rolex Watches” in the hopes of gathering up some horological bar trivia, right? No? You say you’re here because you really, truly are interested in buying one of the most expensive watches Rolex currently puts out? Well, good news. We’ve updated this article to incorporate both. Photo: Sotheby's Founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex is today the most globally recognized Swiss luxury watch brand, one of the leading innovators in the watch industry from the 20th Century to today, and the maker of some of the most popular and coveted watch models in the world, from gents’ classics like the Datejust and Day-Date to sport-luxury icons like the Submariner, Daytona, and GMT-Master. As one might expect with such a horological pedigree, Rolex watches have also become some of the most valuable watches on the secondary and auction markets, with the most elite and exclusive pieces selling for $1 million or more. (Disclaimer: obviously, for the most avid and well-connected Rolex customers, it is the legendary “off-catalog” models - like the "Rainbow Daytona" pictured above - that both project the most mythical aura of exclusivity and command the most stratospheric prices. The problem with accurately reporting on which of them is really the “Most Expensive” is built into their rarity: such models change hands without an actual MSRP ever being declared publicly, and whatever that original purchase pric...
Monochrome
First Look – ArtyA’s First Micro-Rotor Calibre and the new Luminity Wavy Collection
ArtyA, the avant-garde, family-run Swiss watchmaker known for its expressive, often unconventional horological creations of its founder Yvan Arpa, introduces the next evolution of its Luminity collection with a significant update: the launch of its first proprietary micro-rotor movement, the calibre AMR-02. Combining a visually open design with chronometric performance, this new collection keeps movement […]
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Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Inside Soprod: Where Mechanical Movements are Made
About two hours away from Geneva, heading north and a touch east, just along the border with France, you’ll find the Jura region of Switzerland. One of the fabled centers of Swiss watch production, the scenery is idyllic, and the towns are old, small, and quiet. Compared to the urban centers of Geneva, Basel, Zurich, and Biel/Bienne, it would be considered rural, even if it is only a short distance away. And yet, this pastoral scene belies what is happening in many of the buildings dotted along the landscape. Inside, raw metals are transformed into incredible mechanisms and luxury goods through processes that are both coarse and delicate. In short, it’s where watches get made. On the tail end of my trip to Watches & Wonders 2025, rather than heading straight home, tired and needing a watch detox, I took a short trip to Jura to visit not a watch company, but a movement manufacturer: Soprod. Founded in 1966, as of 2008, Soprod has been part of the Festina group, and is one of a small handful of third-party, Swiss-made movement suppliers. Although the company undertakes behind-the-scenes development for large luxury brands, including module design, it is known among watch enthusiasts as an alternative to ETA and Sellita, one that is becoming increasingly prevalent among indie brands. The post Inside Soprod: Where Mechanical Movements are Made appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Teddy Baldassarre
Blancpain Fifty Fathoms
[This feature article has been updated to incorporate the newest models – including the new 42mm and 38mm sizes – in the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms collection as of 2025. Prices listed are current as of this article's posting but subject to change.] Founded in 1735 in Villeret, Switzerland, Blancpain is the oldest luxury watchmaker in the world, full stop. The 287-year-old manufacture, now headquartered in Le Brassus in the Swiss Vallée de Joux, has an uninterrupted history of producing horological complications but its most iconic timepiece in this modern era began its life as a tool watch for military divers in the (relatively) recent year of 1953. The Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, however, is not just any tool watch; it’s recognized as one of the foundational examples of the modern dive watch, helping to establish a template that many others would follow. Today, it’s the foundation for a vast and versatile collection within the Blancpain portfolio - despite the fact that the watch almost didn’t make it out of the 1970s. DIVING INTO HISTORY The quest to make a watch water-resistant enough for diving was already well underway when Jean-Jacques Fiechter, then-CEO of Blancpain, began working on the watch that would become the Fifty Fathoms. Rolex had developed the water-resistant Oyster case in 1926, which paved the way for watches such as Panerai’s Radiomir in 1936, which combined a waterproof case with a luminous dial for the underwater missions of the Italian n...
Monochrome
First Look – Celebrating its Tenth Anniversary, the Bovet 19Thirty Receives a Refreshingly Modern Face
Bovet, the historic Swiss brand founded in 1822, was revived by Pascal Raffy in 2001 as a temple of haute horlogerie. Since then, the brand has become synonymous with high-end complications decorated with lavish artistic flourishes. One of the more ‘straightforward’ collections in Bovet’s universe is the 19Thirty, a time-only model with a unique and […]
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Karlskrona Hemlig Limited Edition Benrus Type 1 Homage - Swiss Made Automatic Mil-Spec 300m Diver
Fratello
Hands-On With The New Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition
Admittedly, I didn’t have a retro diver from Girard-Perrergaux on my list of predictions for 2025. Yet, just a month ago, I visited our site, and a bright blue and orange watch was beaming back at me. The Deep Diver Legacy Edition proves that the Swiss brand can still get funky, even if that means […] Visit Hands-On With The New Girard-Perregaux Deep Diver Legacy Edition to read the full article.
Time+Tide
The Rolex Day-Date is still the ultimate watch of ballers and shot-callers
Whether you call it the Day-Date, the President, the Presidential, or even El Presidente, this is likely the watch most non-watch people think of when they think of Rolex. While watch nerds may rattle off esoteric Swiss watchmakers and obscure reference numbers, without a doubt, Rolex is the go-to answer when you ask a normal … ContinuedThe post The Rolex Day-Date is still the ultimate watch of ballers and shot-callers appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Nomos Flies In Three Special-Edition Air France Collaboration Watches For The Aviations Sans Frontières Auction
Proving the world can still be a good place, Nomos Glashütte has decided to contribute three special-edition watches to benefit Swiss-based Aviations Sans Frontières (ASF). On Wednesday, June 18th, 2025, Artcurial will hold a charity auction for ASF near Paris. Three Nomos watches with the case number AF001 will be auctioned to support the association’s […] Visit Nomos Flies In Three Special-Edition Air France Collaboration Watches For The Aviations Sans Frontières Auction to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – The New, Vintage-Inspired Eska Heritage Chronograph
Eska may not be a well-known brand, but this revived Swiss watchmaker is gaining attention among enthusiasts. Initially founded in 1918 by Silvan Kocher (whose initials inspired the brand’s name), Eska built a reputation in the mid-20th century before succumbing to the Quartz Crisis in the 1980s. Reborn under the direction of Christophe Chevreton and […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Two Affordable Rolex Watches We Always Recommend
Here are our two favorite Rolex watches we recommend to anyone looking for the best entry level price into the Iconic Swiss brand.
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GIVEAWAY Wicked Watch Co Pearl Diver Carbon Gold Dust Dial - Swiss Automatic Dive Watch Bronze 200m
Worn & Wound
Rado Introduces Three New Colorful Anatom References
When it comes to watches from big, corporate owned brands, it’s sometimes hard these days to find designs that feel fresh and inventive. This just the way of the watch world. Particularly in an environment where it might be difficult to sell a watch (Swiss exports are down, tariff threats loom, etc) you can forgive the biggest brands for playing it safe, putting products on the market that they know will sell to their core customers. They might not be the most creative watches ever devised, but if they exhibit a “first, do no harm” mentality, that’s probably a win in the eyes of many brands. One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Rado is that it feels like they’ve been given a longer leash, and the opportunity to fully embrace what makes them unique among Swatch Group brands. Rado is, at their core, about materials, and they lead with design. Sure, the Captain Cook is a staple, and there are other watches in the Rado catalog that have a hint of the generic, but when I think about the brand, the watches that come to mind feature colorful ceramic and interesting shapes. The Anatom has been a favorite of mine since Rado reissued it a few years ago. It’s an 80s cult favorite, and the modern reinterpretation holds up remarkably well and offers a unique spin on the integrated bracelet sports watch trend. Rado has just announced a trio of new Anatoms in bright colors that should appeal to enthusiasts who might be after something colorful and a bit whims...
Monochrome
Introducing – The Hautlence Helix; Central Cylindrical Tourbillon and Double Retrograde Display
Born in 2004, Hautlence – whose name is an anagram of the Swiss city of Neuchâtel – has had its ups and downs but somehow remained dear to our hearts here at MONOCHROME. Disruptive, built around unusual time displays, housed in bold TV-shaped cases, the brand embarked on a new chapter in 2022 under the […]
Hodinkee
Review: 'The Making Of A Status Symbol, A Business History of Rolex' Translated To English For The First Time
Pierre-Yves Donzé's business history of Rolex documents how the Swiss brand embraced the idea of individual success while making its watches the ultimate status symbol.
Fratello
I Should Have Bought A Speedmaster As My First Watch
The Omega Speedmaster is a great watch. That’s probably not a controversial statement. But is it a great first Swiss watch for those looking to start their way along the winding path of their horological journey? After some reflection on mine, I’d say it is. Let me explain why. The Omega Speedmaster is an icon. […] Visit I Should Have Bought A Speedmaster As My First Watch to read the full article.
Quill & Pad
New Release: Breguet Tradition Seconde Rétrograde 7035BH/H2/9V6 with Breguet Gold Case and Breguet Blue Enameled Guilloche Dial
Breguet appears to be struggling to live up to its reputation as one of the oldest and most iconic Swiss watch brands, but the brand hit the ball out of the park the Tradition collection. And this Seconde Rétrograde is yet another home run.
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