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Bilingual Swiss city; HQ of Rolex (1919), Omega (1880), Tissot, Movado, Mido, ETA SA, Nivarox-FAR.

Fratello EDC: RJ Shares His Everyday Carry Essentials From Porter-Yoshida, Leica, Dupont, Persol, and More

Fratello EDC: RJ Shares His Everyday Carry Essentials From Porter-Yoshida, Leica, Dupont, Persol, and More

It’s funny how one’s everyday carry (EDC) can change in just a few years. Even though I have been applying the “buy once, cry once” philosophy for many years, it seems I cry more often than I would have thought. Many things from my 2022 EDC article have either been replaced or moved to the […] Visit Fratello EDC: RJ Shares His Everyday Carry Essentials From Porter-Yoshida, Leica, Dupont, Persol, and More to read the full article.

Louis Vuitton Announces Semi-Finalists for 2026 Independent Watchmaking Prize

Louis Vuitton Announces Semi-Finalists Jul 26, 2025

Louis Vuitton Announces Semi-Finalists for 2026 Independent Watchmaking Prize

The second edition of biennial Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives is now well underway, and the 20 semi-finalists have been announced. The candidate pool is exceptionally diverse, with makers hailing from eight different countries and espousing a variety of different product philosophies. The watch prize is the brainchild of Jean Arnault, who leads Louis Vuitton’s watchmaking initiatives. A passionate supporter of independent watchmaking, Mr Arnault created the watch prize in 2023 to recognise talented watchmakers and designers and give one lucky winner a helping hand. Raúl Pagès won the first edition of the watch prize. Image – Louis Vuitton Initial thoughts I try not to put too much stock in the various prizes that are handed out in the watch industry. Many such contests suffer from a lack of participation, a problem that makes it difficult to take the results seriously. That said, it’s worth paying attention to the Louis Vuitton watch prize for a few reasons. First, it’s unusually inclusive, welcoming entrants from all over the world, ranging from journeymen watchmakers like Bernhard Zwinz and David Candaux to emergent Chinese brands like Behrens and Fam Al Hut. Second, the candidate pool is not sub-divided into arbitrary categories, meaning there’s plenty of competition to keep things interesting. Finally, the outcome is meaningful – the winner gets a €150,000 cash prize and a one-year mentorship at La Fabrique du Temps with Michel Nava...

The 77 Best Microbrand Watches In 2026

Teddy Baldassarre

The 77 Best Microbrand Watches In 2026

When it comes to watch consumers' interest, there has over the past several years been a rising level of interest in watch brands that deviate from what might be viable for the mass market luxury watch brands but appeal to a niche but passionate audience. These so-called microbrands have represented one of the fastest-growing segments of the mechanical watch market, in which small shops can produce quality products that compete for connoisseurs' attention with the titans of the business. In the past several years, we've handled hundreds of watches from different microbrands out there; In this blog, we take a closer look at some of the best microbrand watches that the market has to offer in a variety of price ranges. What makes a Microbrand Watch? Now first, it is important to try to best classify what a microbrand is and what it isn’t. To me, a microbrand is a limited-production watch company that typically specializes in a particular style that does not have extensive resources to produce its own in-house calibers or other proprietary parts. This classification can get a little grey in the area of independent watchmakers that typically either have higher levels of watchmaking, like a Habring2, who have a master watchmaker like Richard Habring at the helm, or are a brand like Christopher Ward, who produce a high number of pieces and has in-house production capacities. The Best Microbrand Watches: The Latest Additions Santurce A microbrand with a strong Puerto Rican per...

Hands-On: The Albishorn Type 10 Classic – An Imaginary Vintage Pilot's Watch That Finally Exists

Hands-On: The Albishorn Type 10 Classic – An Imaginary Vintage Pilot's Watch That Finally Exists

What came before the vintage Type XX Pilots' Chronographs? Nothing, really. But if you imagine hard enough, it could have been this.

Fratello Talks: The Role Of Microbrands Today

Fratello Talks: The Role Of Microbrands Today

The concept of a microbrand is not new per se. Small independent watch brands were plentiful in the pre-quartz times. However, the term as we know it today has only been around in the watch world for the last two decades. Contemporary microbrands are a different beast altogether, and though they come in many shapes […] Visit Fratello Talks: The Role Of Microbrands Today to read the full article.

Porsche Design Bares it All With their Latest Limited Edition

Porsche Design Bares it All Jul 23, 2025

Porsche Design Bares it All With their Latest Limited Edition

Back in April, Porsche Design quietly hosted an event that gave the press the opportunity to go hands-on with a selection of current offerings and upcoming launches across its merchandise, sunglasses, luggage, and, of course, watch collections. This was a rare opportunity given that, apart from occasional meetups or the secondary market, there has been no simple way to physically put your hands on a Porsche Design watch. That is until now, as Porsche Design has announced a new retail partnership with Watches of Switzerland, allowing enthusiasts to shop the collection physically. Alongside that announcement, and perhaps more pertinent to our readers, Porsche Design has debuted a new Chronograph 1 1975 Limited Edition model that I spent some hands-on time with at that earlier event. Exactly 50 years ago, Porsche Design released an uncoated version of the original Chronograph, to which this model pays tribute. That model was meant to complement the all-black 1972 Chronograph 1 model, as this new version is intended to complement the modern all-black version that was released in commemoration back in 2022. One key change here, though, is in the chosen material. While the original 1975 uncoated Chronograph 1 was crafted in steel, this new version has been machined from titanium, still uncoated but bead blasted for finish. It will offer slightly warmer hues and a lighter weight-wearing experience than the original, but it will still deliver a similar vibe with a modern twist...

First Look – The Two-Tone Luminescence of the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Diver Aquamar

Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Diver Aquamar Since Jul 23, 2025

First Look – The Two-Tone Luminescence of the Nivada Grenchen Antarctic Diver Aquamar

Since its revival in 2020, Nivada Grenchen has been something of a secret among collectors of vintage dive watches, with reeditions of some of its cult tool watches produced between 1950 and 1970 at accessible prices. Founded in 1926, Nivada Grenchen produced its first automatic and waterproof watch, the Antarctic, in 1950. Put to the […]

Wearing Wealth: The Truth About Gold Watches

Wearing Wealth: The Truth About Gold Watches

According to the World Gold Council, 216,265 tonnes of gold have been mined throughout history. About 66% of that was mined after 1950! The Council also put this gigantic number in perspective by indicating that all the mined gold in the world would fit a cube measuring approximately 22 meters (73 feet) on each side. […] Visit Wearing Wealth: The Truth About Gold Watches to read the full article.

Unimatic Unveils Its New Diving Heritage Collection That Perfectly Captures Vintage Charm

Unimatic Jul 22, 2025

Unimatic Unveils Its New Diving Heritage Collection That Perfectly Captures Vintage Charm

It has been a while since we covered Unimatic, but that doesn’t mean the Milanese brand hasn’t been very active. On the contrary, Unimatic has recently released a few great collaborations. Among them were its first mechanical chronograph, created with Henry Singer, and a stellar blacked-out chronograph made in collaboration with US clothing brand Todd […] Visit Unimatic Unveils Its New Diving Heritage Collection That Perfectly Captures Vintage Charm to read the full article.

G-SHOCK and The Surfrider Foundation Japan Focus on Conservation with the New G5600SFJ-9

Casio Jul 22, 2025

G-SHOCK and The Surfrider Foundation Japan Focus on Conservation with the New G5600SFJ-9

Here in the wild year of 2025, you can buy watches made from all sorts of sci-fi sounding materials: titaniums of all types, fancy plastics, stalwarts like stainless steels, and yes, bio-ceramics. Casio and their iconic built-tough subbrand, G-SHOCK, have never been strangers to experimenting with the affordable end of material innovation, and in a new collaboration with environmental nonprofit The Surfrider Foundation Japan, they’ve taken up bio-based resin and mixed-color molding to create the new G5600SFJ-9. As is the case with all of G-SHOCK’s watches, the G5600SFJ-9 boasts a plethora of durability-first features. The brand’s Tough Solar and Super Illuminator tech power the digital readout, while the case enjoys shock resistance and 200 meters of water resistance. G-SHOCK fans will be pleased to see expected functions like a 48-city world timer, a 1/100-second stopwatch, a countdown timer, daily and hourly alarms and time signals, and both 12 and 24-hour time formatting. While none of this is particularly groundbreaking, it is reassuring to see G-SHOCK’s consistency across their frequent collaborations. Speaking of collaboration, The Surfrider Foundation Japan-a marine-focused nonprofit that celebrates the intersection of conservation and surfer lifestyle-lends its logo and #oceanfriendlylifestyle slogan to the face, caseback, and band loop. For thematic cohesion, the watch’s bright yellow hue is intended to bring to mind a sunrise on the coastline, and...

Introducing – The New Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph 40mm in Ocean Green

Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph 40mm Jul 22, 2025

Introducing – The New Oris Divers Sixty-Five Chronograph 40mm in Ocean Green

Oris’ beloved Divers Sixty-Five series has been charming fans of laid-back, vintage-inspired dive watches for over a decade now. First revived in 2015 to celebrate the Hölstein-based brand’s iconic 1965 dive watch, this collection has since grown into a full family of neo-retro divers and sporty daily wearers, always blending mid-century charm with modern mechanics. […]

From The Archives: How The Omega Speedmaster Became The Moonwatch

Omega Speedmaster Became Jul 21, 2025

From The Archives: How The Omega Speedmaster Became The Moonwatch

On July 21st, 1969, the Apollo 11 crew turned the Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph into the Moonwatch. It may have actually been one of the first nicknames that a wristwatch ever received. As a watch enthusiast, you’ve probably heard the story of the Moonwatch a thousand times already. However, in case you’re new to watches (or […] Visit From The Archives: How The Omega Speedmaster Became The Moonwatch to read the full article.

First Look – The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Miramar In Ceramic & Steel (Incl. Video)

IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 Jul 21, 2025

First Look – The IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41 TOP GUN Miramar In Ceramic & Steel (Incl. Video)

For quite some years now, IWC Schaffhausen has been playing around with colours and ceramics under the name of Colours of TOP GUN. Inspired by various elements of the famous US Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Program, better known as TOP GUN, the sub-collection exclusively uses ceramic for its cases. Until now, that is, as […]

Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Mike’s Favorites From G-Shock, Norqain, And Ming

Norqain Jul 21, 2025

Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Mike’s Favorites From G-Shock, Norqain, And Ming

Even though it’s only July, it feels like it’s been summer for months here in the UK. It’s been hot and dry, two descriptors rarely used here in Blighty. So, I’ve had ample time to practice my summer watch game. So far, I’ve been away from the pool, so the choices may seem strange. I’ll […] Visit Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Mike’s Favorites From G-Shock, Norqain, And Ming to read the full article.

Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Thomas’s Favorites From Doxa, Zenith, And Nomos

Zenith Jul 19, 2025

Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Thomas’s Favorites From Doxa, Zenith, And Nomos

I cannot believe it has already been a full year since I last published my favorite summer watches. Time flies when you’re having fun! While I am often one of the first to submit my list articles, this year, I am one of the last writers to submit my summer watch picks. Why? Well, it’s […] Visit Fratello Summer Watch Picks 2025: Thomas’s Favorites From Doxa, Zenith, And Nomos to read the full article.

The Evergreens – The Complete History of the IWC Big Pilot Collection

IWC Big Pilot Collection We’ve Jul 18, 2025

The Evergreens – The Complete History of the IWC Big Pilot Collection

We’ve recently reviewed the history of what is probably the most emblematic collection from IWC, the Portugieser. A range that has been around since the 1930s, it somehow encapsulates everything IWC is known for: complications, style and precision. But there’s another, more recent collection that’s as important, if not even more impactful, one that traces […]

Fratello’s Top 5 GMT Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 - Featuring Rolex, Nomos, Doxa, And More

Rolex Nomos Doxa Jul 18, 2025

Fratello’s Top 5 GMT Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 - Featuring Rolex, Nomos, Doxa, And More

It’s Friday, so it’s time for another list. Today, we continue our series of articles highlighting the best watches from the first half of 2025. It’s been a busy year so far in the watch world, so every category has an abundance of great options. In today’s article, we put the spotlight on the best […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 GMT Watches Of The First Half Of 2025 - Featuring Rolex, Nomos, Doxa, And More to read the full article.

Insight: Breguet’s New Sympathique Clock and Natural Escapement

Vacheron Constantin marked Jul 18, 2025

Insight: Breguet’s New Sympathique Clock and Natural Escapement

Breguet will very likely close its 250th anniversary this year with a bang: launching a 21st century Sympathique as a tribute to perhaps Abraham-Louis Breguet’s greatest invention, a clock that could autonomously wind, correct, and regulate a removable watch. While the brand has released no details, and there haven’t been any leaks, a series of patents gives us a peek at the new Sympathique. Notably, the patent drawings illustrate two possible companion watches: a 60 m water resistant Marine tourbillon and a Tradition. The latter is more interesting as it uses a novel form of Breguet’s échappement naturel, or natural escapement. We explain both the new Sympathique 2025 and the natural escapement using information gleaned from Breguet’s patents. Breguet Sympathique No. 1 by Francois-Paul Journe Initial Thoughts Three of the most historied names in the watch industry are celebrating anniversaries this year. Vacheron Constantin marked the occasion with Solaria, the most complicated wristwatch to date, while Audemars Piguet introduced an all-new Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (and promises more to come in the fall). In comparison, Breguet has debuted the Classique Souscription and Tourbillon Sidéral so far, both of which are objectively good watches but feel underwhelming in technical terms. A new Sympathique, on the other hand, would be the ideal centrepiece for the brand’s anniversary collection, being visually impressive, an icon of the brand, and entirely unique ...

Watch Scrolling: Great Photography, Hot Takes, and Some Watch Related Art

Citizen Aqualand but as Jul 17, 2025

Watch Scrolling: Great Photography, Hot Takes, and Some Watch Related Art

It’s been a minute, but Watch Scrolling, our occasional series where we highlight watch and gear related Instagram accounts we think are worth visiting, is back. Now more than ever, as the algorithm increasingly wants to show us things we might not actually want to see, it’s important to highlight the collectors, enthusiasts, and creators that are really worth a follow. We’ll try to bring you a ton of variety in Watch Scrolling, both big accounts with lots of followers you might be missing, and newer, smaller accounts that are still pretty niche. We’d love to hear your suggestions for Instagram accounts to feature in this series. Drop them in the comments below, or head over to our Worn & Wound+ Slack channel and join the conversation there. @justin_sowders_art Justin recently made his Worn & Wound podcast debut at the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago. He was there to talk about the Citizen Aqualand, but as an artist he’s inspired by a variety of watches, and his IG is definitely worth a follow if you’re at all interested in seeing where abstract art and watches meet. His oil paintings of watches are incredibly evocative and have a very real sense of physical depth. They’re colorful, complex, and will almost certainly make you think of the visual impact of a watch in a new light. @watchopinions Historically, I’ve been a bit allergic to anonymous bomb throwers on the internet. I love a hot-take and think people should proudly stand behind them! But there...

First Look – The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M No-Date Turns Orange (Incl. Video)

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M No-Date Jul 17, 2025

First Look – The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M No-Date Turns Orange (Incl. Video)

For a rather surprising reason, the colour orange, in addition to being associated with our Dutch fellows, is often used on dive watches (even though it’s one of the first to disappear underwater). Throughout the past 20 years, the colour orange has been widely used by Omega across multiple Seamaster collections, mostly as the signature […]

First Look – The 1970s-Inspired Mido Ocean Star Worldtimer

Mido Jul 17, 2025

First Look – The 1970s-Inspired Mido Ocean Star Worldtimer

The Ocean Star series by Mido has been the brand’s dependable answer to robust water resistance and everyday reliability since 1944, helping solidify Mido’s reputation as a maker of adventure-ready watches designed to withstand the elements. Over the decades, the Ocean Star has become a go-to for those who appreciate classic dive watch style with […]

Valjoux 7750: The Story Of The World's Most Famous Chronograph

Teddy Baldassarre

Valjoux 7750: The Story Of The World's Most Famous Chronograph

The Valjoux 7750 chronograph caliber has been a mainstay of the Swiss watch industry for more than 50 years, finding its way into hundreds of watch models, under many dozens of names, and providing the technical base for numerous high complications over the years. Why is it so ubiquitous and still such an enduring presence in the watch world today? Here is a brief history of the "workhorse" mechanism that became the world's most famous and familiar chronograph movement. Valjoux 7750 Roots: The Vallée de Joux Sunset over the Vallée de Joux In actuality, the origins of the Valjoux 7750 go back much longer than the half-century it has actually been on the market. The company that came to be called “Valjoux” started up at the very beginning of the 20th century, taking its original name, Reymond Frères SA, from its founders, brothers John and Charles Reymond. The company, which specialized in making mechanical chronograph movements for military and sport-oriented timekeepers, changed its name in 1929 to Valjoux - a shortened reference to the scenic Vallée de Joux in Switzerland, where it and many of its client watchmakers were located. The firm’s most successful and historically impactful creations included the manually wound, column-wheel-driven, monopusher Caliber 22, in 1914, and its even more significant successor, the smaller, longer-lived Caliber 23, in 1916. In honor of the founding brothers' surname, Valjoux movements were inscribed with a shield em...

[VIDEO] Introducing the Tusenö Supervintage, an Unexpected Dress Watch from Sweden

Serica echo/neutra Jul 16, 2025

[VIDEO] Introducing the Tusenö Supervintage, an Unexpected Dress Watch from Sweden

At last year’s Windup Watch Fair in New York City, Blake Malin found me on the first day, among throngs of people eagerly crowding around tables looking at countless cool watches, to tell me I had to see the new watch from Tusenö. Tusenö is a Swedish brand that’s been around for about ten years that I mostly associate with pretty good but not overly adventurous sport and tool watches. Some designs lean a bit more elegant, but they are mostly pretty sporty in their personality. They always have very nice details and are executed to a high standard, but they’ve often felt just a bit outside my wheelhouse for one reason or another. So when Blake told me I had to see their new release, which wasn’t yet released but just previewed at the show, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and thought maybe he had confused me with Devin. That, of course, was not the case, and it became immediately clear once I saw the Supervintage in person. This dress watch is a genuinely strange left turn for Tusenö, and if there’s one thing I’m a huge fan of, it’s when a brand challenges themselves, and does something unexpected. I like a big swing, and that’s what the Supervintage feels like. In the same way that Serica, echo/neutra, and other brands have made an impression recently with oddball dress watches, Tusenö is using this genre of watch design as a sandbox for experimentation. This is one of my favorite developments (or “trends,” if you must) in the watch industry ...

Introducing: The Doxa SUB 750T Clive Cussler

Doxa Jul 15, 2025

Introducing: The Doxa SUB 750T Clive Cussler

A limited edition for what would have been the author's 94th birthday. Who could argue with a thinner Doxa?

Seiko Still Makes a Cartier Tank Lookalike, and they Just Introduced Three New References

Cartier Tank Lookalike Jul 15, 2025

Seiko Still Makes a Cartier Tank Lookalike, and they Just Introduced Three New References

Back in May, I wrote about a Seiko release that got me thinking about the brand’s current perception among watch enthusiasts. Those Seiko 5 sports watches were a clear throwback, I think, to a time period when Seiko was the brand of distinction and choice for fans of affordable watches. Those days are gone. We still love Seiko, of course, but there’s just a lot more competition, and everyone’s game has been stepped up a bit. It’s worth remembering, too, that the Seiko of a decade ago wasn’t just the enthusiast’s choice for divers. Seiko has always made a huge variety of watches in all different styles, and another recent release from the brand is a good reminder of that, and a throwback release in its own way. Back in the day, being involved in watch forums meant that you’d see endless questions about what watches to buy as an alternative to any number of rare, expensive, or otherwise unattainable luxury watches. That way of thinking about watch collecting has really shifted in recent years with the growth of the microbrand scene and the wide acceptance of new, original designs. But a nicely made “dupe” still has a place, and Seiko is about as good as anyone at delivering. The new SWR103, SWR104, and SWR106 are simple rectangular dress watches running on a quartz movement that retail for a little over $300. They also look a whole lot like the Cartier Tank, down to some very specific details. Seiko has made a Tank dupe for as long as I’ve been intere...

July 2025 Marks The 50th Anniversary Of The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission

July 2025 Marks The 50th Anniversary Of The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission

It has been exactly 50 years since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission occurred. The goal was to see whether the Apollo and Soyuz systems could connect (dock) in space and to investigate whether rescue operations could be performed together. The launch occurred on July 15th, 1975, and the docking happened on July 17th. ASTP Mission […] Visit July 2025 Marks The 50th Anniversary Of The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project Mission to read the full article.

Introducing – Game Changer…? Casio Launches its First Mechanical Watch, the Edifice EFK-100 Automatic

Hamilton Jul 15, 2025

Introducing – Game Changer…? Casio Launches its First Mechanical Watch, the Edifice EFK-100 Automatic

It’s been several years since the Swiss abandoned the truly affordable, sub-400-euro mechanical watch category. Once a gateway to Swiss mechanical watchmaking at reasonable prices, lower-end Swatch Group brands (Tissot and Hamilton) are now priced above that range. This situation, however, has been extremely beneficial to two Japanese giants, a sort of duopoly composed of […]

First Look – The New Doxa SUB 750T Clive Cussler Edition

Doxa SUB 750T Clive Cussler Jul 15, 2025

First Look – The New Doxa SUB 750T Clive Cussler Edition

Since 1889, Doxa has been synonymous with adventure beneath the waves. Born in Le Locle, Doxa revolutionised the dive watch world in the mid-1960s with the original SUB, a dive watch with a unidirectional bezel for tracking no-decompression dive times, paired with its now-iconic bright orange dial for unmatched underwater legibility. Since then, Doxa timepieces […]

The Best Watches of 2025 (So Far)

Grand Seiko Jul 14, 2025

The Best Watches of 2025 (So Far)

It’s July, the halfway point of 2025, so we thought now would be a good time to take stock of some of our favorite new releases of the year. It’s been a busy new release from large and small brands alike, with a mix of ambitious new projects and iterative releases that take some of our favorite collections to new places. Our contributors, as always, found a lot to like this year at a variety of price points and in a large array of styles. What are some of your favorite new watch releases of 2025? Let us know in the comments what we missed, and what you’re looking forward to or hoping for in the months ahead. Zach Weiss – Fears Arnos It didn’t take long to pick my favorite watch of 2025 so far, even with some stiff competition from Nomos and Grand Seiko. That watch is the Fears Arnos in Pewter Blue, a watch I’ve had the luck of encountering a couple of times in person. Fears is one of, if not the only, contemporary micro-indie working on the more formal side of watch design, something that isn’t surprising to anyone who has met the invariably well-dressed proprietor of the brand, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill. But what makes their approach so intriguing is that they aren’t just making vaguely Patek-esque designs with Fears on the dial and calling it a day; they are coming up with innovative and even odd designs that one would still call dressy. That said, the Arnos takes their approach to a new level. A thin, rectangular watch measuring 33.5mm x 40mm x 8.4m...

Remembering a Significant A. Lange & Söhne Tourbillon Pour le Mérite

Patek Philippe ref 2499 Jul 14, 2025

Remembering a Significant A. Lange & Söhne Tourbillon Pour le Mérite

I don’t often read spiels from watch sellers, though there are exceptions like Langepedia, a specialist in the German brand that I have long been a fan of. Alp Sever, the gentleman behind Langepedia, recently published a story that caught my eye. It was an ode to a watch already sold, but an important one worth commemorating, the Tourbillon Pour le Mérite ref. 701.008, a unique piece in white gold with silver sub-dials. Mr Sever’s story got my attention because I remember the watch. It first emerged publicly just over a decade ago at Christie’s, where it had been consigned by presumably the original owner (who was presumably someone connected with the brand’s corporate parent in the 1990s). I admired the watch in person during a preview exhibition, but back then it was as far out of my budget as the Lange 31’s mainspring is long. The unique dial has a concise, crisp aesthetic that is almost monochromatic and accentuated by the lozenge-shaped markers also found on the pink gold variant. Intriguing, another unique Pour le Mérite exists with a similar all-black dial, but with a smaller, 36 mm case. This “panda” iteration is more appealing, however, as is its conventional, 38.5 mm case. The unique Tourbillon Pour le Mérite sold for CHF437,000 at Christie’s Geneva in May 2014 – extraordinary at the time. In the same auction, a third-series Patek Philippe ref. 2499 in yellow gold sold for less. The Tourbillon Pour le Mérite was enjoying a little bit of a bo...