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In-Depth – The New Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 126680 & 126688 – the Regatta Instrument Reimagined Monochrome
Rolex Yacht-Master II ref 126680 6 days ago

In-Depth – The New Rolex Yacht-Master II ref. 126680 & 126688 – the Regatta Instrument Reimagined

There’s always been something slightly paradoxical, if not vague, about the Rolex Yacht-Master II. In the brand‘s catalogue, year after year defined by a slow-paced evolution (quite unpredictable recently, though, as we have learned from experience) and exceptional commercial clarity, this watch has consistently stood apart. A large, complex and highly specific model, it is […]

Hands-On: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Tourbillon Lumen Hodinkee
A. Lange & Sohne 6 days ago

Hands-On: The A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Perpetual Tourbillon Lumen

The watches of A. Lange & Söhne very rarely gets a chance to step out of the stoically traditional design language the brand has established since its relaunch in 1994, but one collection from the brand offers a unique respite from it all. Lange's Lumen series is now in its 16th year since the introduction of the Zeitwerk "Luminous" back in 2010, with its inaugural display of smoked sapphire, blacked-out details, and, of course, luminous numerals for the hour and minute discs. But while that model was the first to be executed, the following Grand Lange 1 Lumen in 2012 was the first model officially given the name "Lumen." Last month, at Watches and Wonders, Lange introduced the seventh Lumen in the lineup, with the new Lange 1 Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar Lumen. Following the absolutely bonkers Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon in Honeygold released in 2025 for the Datograph's twenty-fifth anniversary, this new glow-in-the-dark take on the very complicated Lange 1 model marks a pattern of increasing complication (and resulting price points) for the Lumen series. A closer look reveals that there's a lot going on, and for nerds, it's certainly a feast for the eyes. In person, the cold, austere look of the chunky, 41.9mm case in platinum immediately struck me, as it was a welcome return to the combination of a smoky, black look with white metal from the past two Lumen iterations in Honeygold (that Datograph Perpetual Tourbillon and its predecessor, the Zeitwerk). For a design ...

Introducing: The Baltic x SpaceOne 'Seconde Majeure' – A Jump Hour à Paris (Live Pics) Hodinkee
F.P. Journe yes he's based 6 days ago

Introducing: The Baltic x SpaceOne 'Seconde Majeure' – A Jump Hour à Paris (Live Pics)

What We Know French watchmaking is on an absolute tear lately. Even setting aside F.P. Journe (yes, he's based in Switzerland, but he is French), there's a growing list of brands pushing things forward in interesting ways. Two of the more relevant names in this case are Baltic and SpaceOne, the latter a collaboration between Théo Auffret of Auffret Paris and Guillaume Laidet, who has played a major role in reviving some major brands. Both have become important players in the more affordable end of independent watchmaking, but from very different angles. SpaceOne leans heavily futuristic, while Baltic—and Auffret more broadly—tend to stay rooted in classic design. That's what makes the new Seconde Majure from Baltic x SpaceOne so interesting. It feels like the watch someone with more traditional tastes, like me, has been waiting for. The Seconde Majeure might not come as a surprise to everyone. Baltic and SpaceOne were showing the watch around during Time to Watches in Geneva a few weeks ago, and they also sent over a prototype for me to preview ahead of launch. One quick note there: all of the photos I took were with the crown pulled out, so keep that in mind as you scroll through. For everyone else, you might need to catch up pretty quickly, especially since the watch is only available for a very limited time. But what you'll quickly see is that the watch is attractive for something affordable. And remarkably compact. Measuring 38.5mm by 12.5mm with a 47.5mm lug-to-l...

Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Fratello
Cartier Tank Louis Cartier Another May 8, 2026

Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier

Another Friday, another list. This week, we search for the best alternatives to the classic Cartier Tank Louis Cartier. This industry icon dates back to 1922 and has become one of the most imitated watches in the world. That’s more than enough reason to look at a list of five alternatives that didn’t just copy […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Cartier Tank Louis Cartier to read the full article.

Hands-On With The New Quartz Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno” Fratello
Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno” May 8, 2026

Hands-On With The New Quartz Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno”

The Citizen “bullhead” chronograph returns in the form of the Challenge Timer, a design that dates back to the 1970s. Citizen now reintroduces this formerly Japan-only model to the European market with the eponymous layout, with the pushers and crown at the top of the case. This reissue matters for a simple reason. Demand for […] Visit Hands-On With The New Quartz Citizen Challenge Timer “Tsuno” to read the full article.

Hands On: Niton Prima SJX Watches
May 8, 2026

Hands On: Niton Prima

Recently revived Genevan haute horlogerie brand Niton jumps into the jumping hours market with the Prima — one of the more refined high-end examples of the industry’s latest favourite complication. It features a bespoke, shaped calibre that proudly carries the Poinçon de Genève — true to its inspiration — and is packed with creative choices and features. Initial thoughts Not long ago it seemed like 2025 would go down as the year of the jump hour, but the trend was evidently just getting started. The Niton Prima exemplifies this ongoing trend with surprising elegance and historical fidelity. As a rule of thumb, I view revival brands with a degree of scepticism; I would prefer people make a name for themselves rather than buying one. However, the Niton Prima shows a clear understanding of — and passion for — the source material, so I am satisfied this is not a mere cash-grab. It doesn’t hurt that the watch is excellent inside and out, and while expensive in absolute terms, it is fairly priced for what you get. The movement deserves special mention as the source of much of the appeal, being a true shaped movement — a very handsome one at that — and a competent timekeeper. It is finely finished with a plethora of interesting and clever features, including hidden screws for joining the bridges and mainplate, a small seconds hand that stops itself at 60 after the crown is pulled, and a sonnerie au passage to enhance the sound of the jump hour. Another point i...

First Look: Seiko 5 Sports Field Series SJX Watches
Seiko 5 Sports Field Series May 8, 2026

First Look: Seiko 5 Sports Field Series

Seiko is reinforcing its entry level collection with the 5 Sports Field Series, a range of new models with compass bezels available in a range of dial colours from instrument-like white to brown, which seems to be a popular colour at the moment. While substantively similar to existing Seiko 5 Sports models and equally well priced, the Field Series watches feature serrated compass bezels with a glittering hobnail motif that is both functional — for enhanced grip — and attractive. Left to right: HDB009, HDB008, HDB006, and HDB007. Image – Seiko Initial thoughts The Seiko 5 Sports collection is perhaps the ultimate gateway to watch collecting. It’s the rare entry level watch that could be someone’s last watch as easily as their first. Not everyone is a collector, and some people just want a watch that does what is asked without asking for much in return. The Seiko 5 Sports fits the bill, while opening the door to the larger world of mechanical watches. The Seiko 5 is tangibly appealing in several respects, being one of the most affordable mechanical watches from a fully integrated manufacture. With Seiko, there’s no wondering who made what — the brand even formulates its own luminous compound for the hands, hour markers, and bezel pip instead of relying on the same suppliers as everyone else. Seiko also understands the aesthetic history of the wristwatch because the brand helped write it. This explains some of the subtle details like the tiny serifs on the hour ...

Introducing – The Daniel Roth Extra-Plat, now in Platinum Monochrome
Louis Vuitton alongside Gerald Genta Daniel May 7, 2026

Introducing – The Daniel Roth Extra-Plat, now in Platinum

Ever since the return of the brand under the umbrella of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (alongside Gerald Genta), Daniel Roth has focused on bringing back the emblematic ellipsocurvex design of Monsieur Roth, as well as the refined execution of earlier creations. Following the debut of the Tourbillon model, available in yellow and rose […]

Introducing: The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Returns in Platinum (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Daniel Roth Extra Plat Returns May 7, 2026

Introducing: The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Returns in Platinum (Live Pics)

What We Know There's just something about the Daniel Roth case that makes for an excellent watch. On the wrist, the ellipsocurvex shape sits comfortably between a round dress watch and a tank, and with the Extra-Plat case (extra-flat, in English) and slightly dropped lugs, it has incredible appeal once you put it on. Which makes it especially hard to convey that in text, but I'll try my best with the newest version that launched today, the Extra Plat Platinum model. I saw the watch a few months ago when the brand also announced the Extra Plat Skeleton, which was impressive in its own way. But I'd been waiting for a white metal Extra Plat since the brand relaunched (even though the price tag was bound to be outside my range).  The Extra Plat Souscription was announced only a little over a year ago, and the new platinum version is already the fourth variant in the lineup (yellow gold for the souscription, rose for the next, the rose gold skeleton, and now this). There are only so many ways you can play with the concept, but the details matter even more because of it. The Souscription, pictured below, had a tonal dial and case with blue printing and hands, a treatment I liked a lot. I actually asked whether the brand planned to take the same approach with the following releases, and the answer, at the time, was no. I think the result is, frankly, a bit more legible. For comparison, I'm showing them all below, and you get a taste of what the front and back look like at the sa...

Video: The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II — A Double-Melody Musical Timepiece Fratello
Jacob & Co. May 7, 2026

Video: The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II — A Double-Melody Musical Timepiece

The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II is not the first Godfather-themed watch. It is, however, the first that plays two tunes — “The Godfather Waltz” and “The Godfather Love Theme.” Jacob & Co. built a timepiece with a single music box barrel playing two songs, and Benjamin Arabov tells us how the watch with […] Visit Video: The Jacob & Co. The Godfather II — A Double-Melody Musical Timepiece to read the full article.

First Look – The Two-Tone & Chocolate Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph 42mm Monochrome
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph 42mm May 7, 2026

First Look – The Two-Tone & Chocolate Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph 42mm

The Laureato is Girard-Perregaux’s answer to the integrated luxury sports watch. Born in 1975 as a chronometer-certified quartz sports watch, Girard-Perregaux revived the Laureato in 2016 as a limited edition to celebrate the brand’s 225th anniversary, and later as a collection in 2017. Produced three years after Gérald Genta’s landmark Royal Oak but a year […]

Mixed Materials: Girard-Perregaux’s Two-Tone Laureato Chronograph SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux s Two-Tone Laureato Chronograph May 7, 2026

Mixed Materials: Girard-Perregaux’s Two-Tone Laureato Chronograph

Girard-Perregaux (GP) has expanded the Laureato Chronograph collection with an on-trend two-tone model with a brown dial. For fans of the Laureato — or 1970s-inspired sports watches in general — the new steel-and-rose gold reference strikes a balance between casual and luxurious. While not a limited edition, GP intends to start production with a small run of just 50 pieces. Initial thoughts Earth-tone dials seem to be having a moment. As more watch brands continue to explore brown dials and earth tones, GP has jumped in with its own interpretation. Brown can be a difficult colour to pull off, but the glittering hobnail texture of the Laureato’s dial lends this casual colour a degree of luxury and keeps it from looking dull. The new two-tone variant features the same dimensions as its stablemates, with a diameter of 42 mm and a thickness of 12.16 mm. But at a time when watches seem to be getting smaller, the 42 mm size feels larger than ever. Of course, size has its perks — the large dial opening reveals a richly detailed dial, and the 18k rose gold bezel has plenty of personality at this scale. For those who find the size intimidating on paper, the integrated rubber strap should remove much of the perceived bulk on the wrist. Rubber hasn’t always been considered a luxury material, but today it’s an industry staple, and an appealing alternative to the weight of steel or precious metal. The everyday luxury chronograph The Laureato Chronograph is fundamentally a ...