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Concepto Marks 20 Years of Movement Making SJX Watches
Jacob & Co. tapped Concepto Jul 10, 2026

Concepto Marks 20 Years of Movement Making

One of the leading names in movement development, Concepto marks its 20th year in 2026. Concepto’s founder, Valérien Jaquet, has led the company since its founding in 2006, advised by his father, Jean-Pierre Jaquet, a fabled watch entrepreneur with a controversial history. Now a vertically integrated manufacture capable of creating and producing almost every part of a watch, Concepto is one of the rare handful of movement suppliers that have survived and prospered over the economic cycles of the watch industry. Some of its peers have gone bust, like Christophe Claret, while others, like La Fabrique du Temps, have been acquired by the industry’s giants. From left: Valérien Jaquet, Jean-Pierre Jaquet, and Jacob Arabo. Image – Concepto The company released a statement for its 20th anniversary that reveals some interesting facts about a little-known but crucial aspect of the industry — the specialist suppliers that feed watch brands with movements. Concepto remains a family business boasting some impressive numbers: according to the company, last year’s sales exceeded CHF60 million while output was some 30,000 movements, including about 1,100 tourbillon calibres. According to Concepto, its client list exceeds 100 brands. The list includes names large and small — the firm helped Bulgari set the record for the world’s thinnest tourbillon, while Jacob & Co. tapped Concepto for the V-16 engine automaton in the Bugatti Tourbillon wristwatch. Even Bugatti itself turn...

Zenith Adds Two Colorful New Options to the Defy Extreme Collection Worn & Wound
Zenith Adds Two Colorful New Jul 9, 2026

Zenith Adds Two Colorful New Options to the Defy Extreme Collection

It’s a complaint heard often among the aesthetically-inclined: modern design just isn’t colorful enough. Cars come in white, black, or silver, houses are painted white with black sills, and our phones are just sleek black rectangles. But that tendency towards “millenial gray” (sorry millennials, it’s not really your fault) hasn’t dug its claws into horology yet. In fact, it seems to be quite the opposite, with bold new colorways and designs capturing headlines post-press events. Zenith isn’t new to the bright and vibrant trend in watches, but their latest DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet and Lapis Lazuli II certainly bring the hueful hammer home. At their core, the two new DEFY pieces are sisters, so to speak: both are housed in an angular 45mm case in microblasted titanium, and a carbon and titanium combination respectively. The aggressive design of said case sets the stage for Zenith’s “more is more” mentality with the DEFY models, which come in at a chunky (but lightweight) 15.4mm in thickness and 51mm lug-to-lug. These are not wallflower watches, and every point of the design proves that.  The Extreme Ultraviolet does a lot of work with its name, which is a more than adequate descriptor for the watch itself. The dial is a visual cornucopia, with a violet-tinted sapphire crystal that showcases the matching violet subdials and layered geometric construction. The Zenith name and star logo at 12 o’clock is the only visual breather on the dial, with the movem...

Interview: PS Horology’s Peter Speake is Still a Romantic About Watchmaking Worn & Wound
Breguet tourbillions Though he dabbled Jul 9, 2026

Interview: PS Horology’s Peter Speake is Still a Romantic About Watchmaking

Independent watchmaking is in a vastly different place than it was when legendary English watchmaker Peter Speake founded the Speake-Marin brand in 2002. While it might be a stretch to say indie watchmaking has gone fully mainstream, it’s certainly on its way–and Speake has seen that evolution from the ground floor.  The work Speake did with the Speake-Marin brand was undeniably influential. While Speake-Marin’s offerings were innovative, often highly technical, and decidedly modern in aesthetics, they embodied the kind of old world craftsmanship that this sector of watchmaking obsesses over. Perhaps more importantly, many of the pieces Speake-Marin crafted with Speake at the helm were some of the first to really push the concept of watches with a narrative. They played in the space between function and art with their designs, and did so boldly. That period of his career turned Speake into something of a hero of independent watchmaking.  Speake departed the Speake-Marin brand in 2017, at which point he founded an education platform called the Naked Watchmaker. With the Naked Watchmaker, Speake–whose early watchmaking background was in restoration and historical preservation–spent several years immersed in the inner workings of everything from the great mainstream brands to original Breguet tourbillions. Though he dabbled in consultancy throughout it all, it was unclear if  he would return full-time to the creative and retail side of watchmaking. With his new b...

Assembled By Me: Inside Studio Underd0g's Watch Assembly Experience Hodinkee
Ming Townhouse From Jul 9, 2026

Assembled By Me: Inside Studio Underd0g's Watch Assembly Experience

In 2020, watches became a real escape for a lot of us. Instagram, Facebook groups, even Clubhouse (who remembers that?) were thriving, and for me, watches had become more than a 9-5 as I fell deeper into those communities. It's where I first came across a guy on Facebook talking about a watch he'd designed that was 'inspired by a watermelon'. Every time it appeared, the comments filled with feedback as he gauged whether people were actually interested. They were. And now, six years later, that man, Richard Benc of Studio Underd0g, has just opened the doors to his very own watch assembly workshop here in the UK called 'The D0ghouse'. Roughly 45 minutes by train from Central London, the building in Maidenhead is a fusion of creative interior design and legitimate horological assembly, and anyone can experience the process first-hand. For £700, Studio Underd0g will sit you at a watchmaker's bench and guide you through the assembly of your own watch. What they're offering isn't a tour or just a showroom (they have that on-site, too), but a set of tweezers, a loupe, and an opportunity to experience the Underd0g, hands-on. That alone makes The D0ghouse worth the journey, but having just completed the experience myself, what I didn't expect was how much it would adjust my understanding of what this six-year-old brand has actually become. The Unassuming Townhouse From the outside, The D0ghouse is simply a Victorian townhouse on Park Street, the same address that Benc's friends an...

Christopher Ward Collaborates With The Dial Artist To Create The Twelve Xander Fratello
Christopher Ward Collaborates Jul 9, 2026

Christopher Ward Collaborates With The Dial Artist To Create The Twelve Xander

We know Christopher Ward as a brand that always keeps new releases coming. With most of them, CW raises the bar of affordable timepieces time and again. But it’s not always about pushing the boundaries of technical development and production quality. If there is one thing that the brand understands well, it’s that it should […] Visit Christopher Ward Collaborates With The Dial Artist To Create The Twelve Xander to read the full article.

Christopher Ward Introduces The Twelve Xander, a New Collaboration with The Dial Artist Worn & Wound
Christopher Ward Introduces Jul 9, 2026

Christopher Ward Introduces The Twelve Xander, a New Collaboration with The Dial Artist

As Christopher Ward has grown in stature in recent years, it’s their most ambitious watches that have resonated the most with me, personally. Nothing against the Sealanders, Tridents, and the like, but the brand has really become interesting to me with watches like the Bel Canto and the Loco, and even the more artistic, design forward stuff like the C1 Moonphase. The Twelve collection falls into a middle ground, of sorts. The Loco, their most avant-garde watch, is built on the Twelve platform, but at its core it’s a fairly straightforward (though incredibly well made) integrated bracelet sports watch, something the hobby is not exactly in short supply of these days. But they occasionally stretch the bounds of the Twelve, exploring a variety of materials, ultra-thin case designs, and even finishing techniques.  And that brings us to the latest release from the UK based brand, the all new The Twelve Xander, a 150 piece limited edition made in collaboration with The Dial Artist, otherwise known as Chris Alexander. Chris has been expanding his portfolio as of late, after getting his start in the watch world adding custom, graffiti inspired art to off-the-shelf watches. He’s now an in-demand collaborator, having worked with brands like Holthinrichs on completely original dial designs and executions.  What makes this new project somewhat different is that there’s no actual “dial” for The Dial Artist to paint. The Twelve X is fully skeletonized, so Chris has added h...

Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Adds Two New 34.5mm Overseas Models To The Catalog Hodinkee
Vacheron Constantin Adds Two New 34.5mm Jul 9, 2026

Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Adds Two New 34.5mm Overseas Models To The Catalog

What We Know This week, Vacheron Constantin added two new 34.5mm Overseas models to the collection. There's a new version in steel with a red dial and a tone-on-tone version in 18k pink gold with a matching gold-toned dial. No, these new additions aren't the most groundbreaking introductions from Vacheron in recent times, but they are quite attractive and do well to flesh out the brand's small collection of mechanical mid-sized Overseas models. The distinct visual cues of the Overseas are all present on these models, with Vacheron's Maltese cross motif prominently shown on the bezel, crown, bracelet, and buckle. Proportions of certain elements like the bezel on this smaller Overseas feel quite thick, thanks to its relative sizing compared to the very compact overall dimensions of the watch, with a diameter of 34.5mm and a thickness of 9.33mm. Water resistance is rated to 150 meters, and there is a screw-down crown. Continuing the appeal of customization across the line, both versions come with three interchangeable straps: a full metal bracelet (with toolless micro-adjust), a rubber strap, and an alligator leather strap. The interchangeable strap options for the red dial Overseas. Though Vacheron is branding this as "a feminine take on sport-chic," the two executions released this week certainly can work on a wide array of wrists, thanks to eye-catching but versatile lacquered and sunray-brushed dials. The red dial of ref. 4600V/200A-H127 stands out, not just in hue, but a...

First Look - The Norqain Freedom GMT Enjoy Life “Holiday” also Comes with a Golden Ticket to an Island Paradise Monochrome
Norqain Freedom GMT Enjoy Life Jul 9, 2026

First Look - The Norqain Freedom GMT Enjoy Life “Holiday” also Comes with a Golden Ticket to an Island Paradise

Norqain has never been afraid to inject colour and fun into its robust sports watches. The new Freedom GMT Enjoy Life “Holiday” is one of the brand’s most playful creations. Based on the Freedom GMT and its true GMT movement made by Kenissi, this new 500-piece edition is a colourful celebration of holidays, adventures, and […]

First Look - The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Elbrouz Limited Edition 829 Monochrome
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Jul 9, 2026

First Look - The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Mount Elbrouz Limited Edition 829

Many of the overtly vintage design cues of Montblanc’s 1858 collection are inspired by Minerva’s military watches from the 1930s, renowned for their precision and legibility in extreme conditions. Promoted as rugged, reliable companions for mountaineering and outdoor adventures, the 1858 Geosphere combines its retro looks with a worldtimer featuring two rotating globes depicting the […]

Indies Only! Dreaming Up My Ideal Microbrand-Only Watch Collection Fratello
Ming Up My Ideal Microbrand-Only Jul 9, 2026

Indies Only! Dreaming Up My Ideal Microbrand-Only Watch Collection

I have a massive soft spot for small, independent brands. That doesn’t just apply to watches. I love it when people dare to stick their necks out and chase (probably naive) dreams in real life outside of the realm of big luxury groups. The results also tend to speak to me. These brands typically follow […] Visit Indies Only! Dreaming Up My Ideal Microbrand-Only Watch Collection to read the full article.

Campanola Debuts Starlight-Inspired Kōjō SJX Watches
Citizen s quirky star-struck brand Jul 9, 2026

Campanola Debuts Starlight-Inspired Kōjō

Citizen’s, quirky, star-struck brand is back with a pair of limited edition Eco-Drive complications — the Campanola Kōjō ref. BU0020-71N in stainless steel with blue dial, and the blacked-out ref. BU0024-02N, inspired by shooting stars. Campanola’s sculptural approach to dials is alive and well, proving Citizen’s ongoing technical leadership in the field of solar-powered watches. Initial thoughts Launched in the year 2000, Campanola is an astronomically inclined sub-brand of Citizen Watch Co., contending with Seiko’s Astron and Casio’s Oceanus collection in the premium multi-function solar quartz segment, but with a more refined aesthetic. In the last decade, the brand has branched out into mechanical watches which maintained the Campanola design language and external quality — the Kasanekyo 20th Anniversary limited edition features one of my favourite raden dials. However, some of the brand’s mechanical watches were arguably diminished by the use of generic Swiss automatic movements like the Sellita SW300-1, which was paired with a Jaquet big-date module in the aforementioned Kasanekyo 20th Anniversary limited edition. This limited edition duo is a return to form for the brand, with complicated Eco-Drive calibres that offer the full Campanola experience, as well as better value. Of course, that comes with the usual tradeoffs, namely a 14.8 mm case height. That is mitigated by the rather wide 43.5 mm case diameter, which makes the height proportionally r...

Northern Exposure: Louis Vuitton’s Escale en Alaska SJX Watches
Louis Vuitton s Escale en Alaska Jul 9, 2026

Northern Exposure: Louis Vuitton’s Escale en Alaska

Louis Vuitton (LV) has taken the covers off its latest unique Escale Autour du Monde pocket watch — the Escale en Alaska is the most complicated Escale pocket watch yet, including both a minute repeater and a tourbillon along with nine dial-side animations. Initial thoughts Possibly more than any other so-called ‘fashion brand’, LV excels in creativity and world-building, which has only become more stylish, whimsical and nuanced. The Escale en Alaska exemplifies this development, and demonstrates the breadth of artistic crafts practised by La Fabrique du Temps (LFT). Translating as ‘Stopovers Around the World’, the Escale Autour du Monde collection embodies the expressive flair of a leading fashion house — something many traditional watch brands simply can’t match. Following LV’s previous Escale pocket watches celebrating the beauty of Mount Fuji and the Pont-Neuf in Paris, the brand’s latest creation has looked north for inspiration, this time celebrating the desolate beauty of Alaskan glaciers and their exotic inhabitants. Arctic artistry The term ‘fashion watch’ is often used pejoratively to describe a watch with no real watchmaking value that trades solely off the fashion name, but watches like Escale en Alaska transcend this categorisation. The Escale Autour du Monde is a double-sided pocket watch with animated jacquemarts on one side and an exposed movement with an inverted hand stack on the other. The latter is unchanged from that of previous e...

Happenings: The Horological Society Of New York Is Bringing Its Traveling Education Classes Down Under Hodinkee
Jul 8, 2026

Happenings: The Horological Society Of New York Is Bringing Its Traveling Education Classes Down Under

Founded in 1866, the Horological Society of New York (HSNY) is one of the oldest continuously operating horological associations in the world. Originally founded as a guild for working watchmakers, these days, it's a not-for-profit organization "dedicated to advancing the art and science of horology through education", and is highly respected by both watch hobbyists and the broader industry for its efforts in this regard. In 2016, HSNY launched its Traveling Education program, which has become one of its best-known offerings both in the United States and beyond. These weekend half-day classes, taught by HSNY's staff of professional watchmakers, cover everything that the Society's typical individual NYC evening classes cover. In these classes, students will work on a complete mechanical watch movement, studying the gear train, winding and setting mechanisms, and escapement. HODINKEE is a long-time supporter of the HSNY, which is why HODINKEE Australia & New Zealand is very proud to announce that these award-winning classes are on the road again — and this time, they're heading to Australia, and we're hosting them. HSNY is visiting Melbourne from October 30 to November 1, hosted by our friends at Time+Tide, and Sydney from November 21 to 22, 2026, hosted by yours truly. This is only the second time HSNY has brought its classes Down Under (the last time being in 2020), so this is a rare and highly anticipated opportunity. While I'm sure some Aussie watch collectors have had...

Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired by Classic Teak Boats Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired Jul 8, 2026

Frederique Constant Introduces New GMTs Inspired by Classic Teak Boats

Good things are worth the wait, according to Frederique Constant. Every two years, the Geneva-based watchmaker releases a new collector’s piece in their sought-after Classics Runabout collection, which represents, according to the brand, the combination of Genevan craftsmanship and Italian nautical influence. The 2026 model has been, of course, highly-anticipated; the Classics Runabout Automatic GMT represents a new chapter in Frederique Constant’s celebrated line.  The new GMT model, presented in collaboration with the Riva Historical Society, brings a 42mm footprint and two colorways: deep blue and teak-brown. Both models and their aesthetics are inspired by boats restored by the Riva Historical Society, and come with a miniature replica of said boat. The polished stainless steel case features three-part construction, and a midrange thickness of 12.85mm, giving it a decently chunky presence on the wrist. Still, the larger size is deceptive, given the bezel-less design; the GMT instead features an outer 60-second track, and a center 24-hour disk, giving it a filled-out look that slims the watch down visually. Arabic numerals appear at 12, 3, and 9 o’clock, and hand-applied indexes fill in the remainder of the hour markers, with a date window nestled at 6 o’clock. What results is a balanced dial that feels both busy and calm, given the limited color pallet, with blue and brown dial options both rounded out by beige-gold numerals and text details. All hands and ind...

The Business of Watches Podcast: Henrik Ekdahl (Managing Director, Leica Watches & Accessories) Hodinkee
IWC Jul 8, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: Henrik Ekdahl (Managing Director, Leica Watches & Accessories)

This week on The Business of Watches, we're in Wetzlar, Germany, home of the legendary camera and lens maker, Leica. Of course, Leica isn't just an optics company. Since 2015, it's been on a new mission to create watches as well, a project initiated by Leica's controlling shareholder, Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, who is not only passionate about cameras and photography, but also timepieces.  Henrik Ekdahl wearing a Leica watch and using a Leica camera in 1996 (left) during his first stint with the brand, and in 2024 (right) wearing a newer model Leica watch, after rejoining the company as head of watches and accessories. (Photo courtesy Leica) The person in charge of Leica's nascent watch ambitions is Henrik Ekdahl, a convivial Swede who has returned to Leica after more than two decades away, spent in the executive ranks of automakers, and, most recently, watchmakers such as IWC. Leica's connection to watchmaking is not unwarranted. Ernst Leitz, the company's founder, studied watchmaking in Neuchâtel in the 1860s. It was partly this mechanical know-how that allowed him to begin producing optical instruments, including microscopes and cameras, in Germany and to create the foundation for the company that would become Leica. The latest iteration of Leica watches, launched in 2022, is currently distributed only at Leica stores and online. Less than 5,000 watches are currently being produced each year by the brand, but Ekdahl says the watch division has ambitions to grow and make fu...

Hands-On: The Temporal Works Series A 'Rambler' Hodinkee
Patek Philippe 565 Jul 8, 2026

Hands-On: The Temporal Works Series A 'Rambler'

Any good tailor has a house style, or a few of them. You generally don't want a tailor who says they can do everything—Neapolitan, English, sack suit—as they rarely do it all that well. Variations on a theme are key to a tailor who knows how to cover the right amount of ground and deliver a good result. The house style, as it were, for The Armoury's recently launched house brand, Temporal Works, is a Patek Philippe 565 for the modern era. And if the 565 and a Hamilton Khaki field watch had a baby, it would look something like this: Temporal Works' new Series A "Rambler." The brand, along with its inaugural model, launched last November with the Series A 'Sector' in black or blue, or the Series A "Fortune Red" in stainless steel cases with Zaratsu-polished surfaces. When I hung out with Cho last fall, a while before the launch, he pulled a watch out of his pocket and showed it to me. "Oh! A 565," I remember saying. For whatever reason, in my busy schedule, it fell through the cracks for coverage. To be honest, they didn't hit me the same way as the new "Rambler" with its stainless-steel bead-blasted monoblock case. Temporal Works Series A 'Sector' Maybe there's just something more novel about a 565 that doesn't look that much like any 565 before it. With the sector dials (less so the red one), you can imagine a world in which Patek might have done something like this, even though they never experimented with color beyond black or a sector dial quite like this. The built...

Handmade Imperfections Turn The Anoma A1 Prehistoric Into A Beautiful, Wearable Timekeeping Sculpture Fratello
Anoma Jul 8, 2026

Handmade Imperfections Turn The Anoma A1 Prehistoric Into A Beautiful, Wearable Timekeeping Sculpture

Usually, watches are all about perfect symmetry and flawless finishing. The case is often round with even lugs, and carefully applied mirror polishing and brushing are combined to create contrast and accentuate the watch’s shape. Things are a little different with the new Anoma A1 Prehistoric, though. Of course, it already starts with its signature […] Visit Handmade Imperfections Turn The Anoma A1 Prehistoric Into A Beautiful, Wearable Timekeeping Sculpture to read the full article.

Is S Your Size? In That Case, The 34.5mm Vacheron Constantin Overseas Might Be The Watch For You Fratello
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Might Be Jul 8, 2026

Is S Your Size? In That Case, The 34.5mm Vacheron Constantin Overseas Might Be The Watch For You

You want it to be small, sleek, stylish, and sporty. And when you have the choice, you prefer a smaller overall size to an ultra-slim case. It’s all about the right proportions, and these are, as we know, very personal. Here’s the watch for you — the 34.5mm Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding. It is not […] Visit Is S Your Size? In That Case, The 34.5mm Vacheron Constantin Overseas Might Be The Watch For You to read the full article.