Hodinkee
Surprise Embargos, All-Nighters, And So Many New Watches: Jumping Into The Deep End At My First Watches And Wonders
Reflections on my first time at the marquee event on the watch calendar.
1,553 articles · 4 videos found · page 39 of 52
Hodinkee
Reflections on my first time at the marquee event on the watch calendar.
Monochrome
It is widely known that IWC has experience with ceramic watches since it was the first brand to release a timepiece made of zirconium oxide (the real name for ceramic) in 1985 with the Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar. In recent years, the Schaffhausen-based brand has been playing a lot with colours, releasing Top Gun models […]
Fratello
The Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P was a surprise at Watches and Wonders 2025. It’s been a long time since the brand introduced a clean, simple watch at a big annual show like this, and it was welcome. Today, we’ll take a closer look at this gem. For Patek Philippe, 2024 was the year of double […] Visit Hands-On With The Patek Philippe Calatrava 6196P to read the full article.
Monochrome
Founded in 2009 by three friends united by their passion for surfing and retro 1970s design, MARCH LA.B’s watches might have square profiles, but are as hip as they come. The French brand’s shaped watches offer a range of functions from dressy Mansart three-hand automatics to day-date and date references, calendar models and GMTs. Earlier […]
Monochrome
Panerai is the official timekeeper of the Salone del Mobile, the largest and most prestigious annual international design fair held in Milan since 1961. Panerai’s involvement with Milan Design Week is celebrated with the release of the new Lumimor GMT Power Reserve Ceramica PAM01574. As a product launched in 1949 that retains many original design […]
SJX Watches
Just as Watches & Wonders 2025 comes to a close, Patek Philippe is opening the doors of its annual showcase of Rare Handcrafts at its historical home base along the Geneva waterfront. Now open for a period of three weeks rather than two as was the case for the 2024 exhibition, the exhibition features dozens of Dome Clocks, wristwatches, and pocket watches embellished with miniature enamel painting, cloisonné, marquetry, hand engraving, and other artistic forms of decoration. The view from the salon with the historic Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues on the left hidden by trees In addition to the usual nature-inspired themes, this year’s collection plays to nostalgia, including both rose-coloured memories of the past and antiquarian visions of the future. Visiting the Rare Handcrafts exhibit is enjoyable because intellectually it’s a level playing field; it’s mostly the same clocks and watches with the same specs and movements dressed up in different ways. This fact makes it easier to pay attention to one’s own heart, and to get drawn into the creations on an emotional level. Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50R-020 “Regent Street” Clocks While the selection of clocks is naturally centered around the brand’s iconic Dome Clocks, Patek is also bringing back desk clocks with a new version of the ref. 27001M which sold for more than US$10 million at Only Watch in 2021. For the corporate titan who has everything, the million-franc desk clock ref. 27000M is embellished with e...
Deployant
This year, Lange released 4 new references. We will focus on two of the highlights - the Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar and the Odysseus in honey gold.
Deployant
New from Roger Dubuis, a Grande Complication arrives to the Excalibur with a perpetual calendar with bi-retrograde display, minute repeater and tourbillon.
Fratello
Audemars Piguet is famous for using ceramics in its Royal Oak line. Some of the many highlights include the ceramic Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar and Double Balance Wheel Openworked models. When it comes to specific colors, the first two that come to mind are the black and electric-blue shades that most of you will know. […] Visit Audemars Piguet Introduces Three Royal Oak “Bleu Nuit, Nuage 50” Models to read the full article.
Monochrome
The Streamliner collection was introduced by H. Moser & Cie in 2020 and was an overnight success. Its groovy integrated cushion design was fresh, original and brilliantly executed. Since its inception, we’ve seen a wide range of time-only, perpetual calendar, tourbillon and chronograph models, and even several fascinating skeletonised iterations. Moser also loves to play […]
Monochrome
Deploying its full arsenal for Watches and Wonders 2025, the Saxon powerhouse A. Lange & Söhne unveils the Minute Repeater Perpetual, a potent horological cocktail combining a minute repeater with a perpetual calendar. A rare and ambitious mix, the imposing platinum Minute Repeater Perpetual with a black enamel dial is powered by a newly developed […]
Fratello
Wristwatches are so 2024. In 2025, Patek Philippe says desk clocks are a big deal again. Proof is the ref. 27000M-001, a table clock inspired by models created in the 1920s and 1930s. The new creation features both a perpetual and weekly calendar and is powered by new manually wound high-performance caliber with a 31-day […] Visit Patek Philippe Says Desk Clocks Are A Big Deal Again: Introducing The Ref. 27000M-001 Housing A New Movement With Nine Patents to read the full article.
Monochrome
Introduced last year, the Bovet Récital 28 Prowess 1 tackled one of the biggest challenges of traditional world timers – Daylight Saving Time (DST) – while incorporating a perpetual calendar with roller-based indications and a flying tourbillon. Powered by a movement delivering an impressive 10-day power reserve, it was housed in a 46.3mm Dimier Writing […]
Fratello
Early in March, I attended the second British Watchmakers’ Day at Lindley Hall (Royal Horticultural Halls) in Westminster. The sophomore effort had another fantastic turnout and cemented the show as a bona fide addition to the watch-event calendar. With 45 British-based watch brands presenting, there was plenty for everyone to enjoy. All brands have a […] Visit The Best Watches I Saw At The British Watchmakers’ Day to read the full article.
Fratello
Not even a month ago, I wrote an article about the new Speedmaster MoonSwatch 1965. That was the 30th iteration of this collaboration between Swatch and Omega. Now we’ve got the next one, number 31, the Mission To The Pink Moonphase. Those who followed the press conference on Swatch Group’s annual results could have seen […] Visit Meet MoonSwatch #31 - The Mission To The Pink Moonphase to read the full article.
Monochrome
Here it is… the most exciting time of the year for watch enthusiasts, retailers, and journalists is upon us once again. The most significant event of the watch industry calendar, Watches and Wonders – and the Geneva Watch Week – is set to begin on April 1st, 2025 at 8:30 AM. The event continues to […]
Fratello
In 2018, Krayon, the brand founded by independent watchmaker Rémi Maillat, won the Innovation Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) with its Everywhere watch. Four years later, Krayon bagged another GPHG award. That time, the complicated Anywhere won first prize in the Calendar and Astronomy category. With the new Krayon Anyday, a […] Visit Introducing A New Way Of Looking At The Date: The Krayon Anyday Is The World’s First Mechanical Agenda Watch to read the full article.
SJX Watches
One of the flagship high-tech analogue watches in Seiko’s catalogue, the Astron GPS Solar Dual-Time Chronograph has been reworked to give it visual elements more typically associated with Seiko’s higher-end mechanical watches. Amongst other things, the new Astron GPS chronograph features a sapphire-covered bezel, diamond-milled chapter rings, and facetted case details. It still retains the multi-function 5X83 movement that features GPS time- and time zone setting, perpetual calendar, and a six month power reserve on a full charge. Initial thoughts Someone recently asked me to recommend a useful watch for a person who has no interest in mechanical timepieces, with the condition that the watch has to be analogue and not look like a gadget. The Astron GPS chronograph fits the bill. The model’s newest iterations, four in all, have the styling details of a mechanical watch while having a multitude of high-tech features. One of its most useful features is the GPS time setting, which means the watch syncs with a GPS satellite and then displays the local time zone when travelling. The black and blue dial versions are especially restrained and well suited as a low-key everyday watch, though still a little large at over 44 mm in diameter. Useful watchmaking When sunlight is detected, the Astron GPS chronograph syncs with a GPS satellite automatically up to twice a day, while manual syncing can be done via a pusher in the case. Sunlight also powers the watch – under the dial ...
Worn & Wound
Over the weekend, Worn & Wound’s Zach Kazan and Devin Pennypacker attended the second annual British Watchmakers’ Day event at Lindley Hall in London, England. British Watchmakers’ Day is the main public facing event for the British Watch and Clock Makers Alliance, formed in 2020 to encourage and guide a new generation of British watchmakers. Over 40 brands exhibited at the single day event, which was packed with watch lovers from all over the world. One of the unique things about British Watchmakers’ Day is that brands are truly incentivized to launch limited editions available on the day of the show. It generates interest in the ticketed event, giving watch lovers a specific reason to show up early to Lindley Hall, and proceeds from both watch sales and tickets benefit the Alliance. To that end, one of the most fun aspects of the show is going from brand to brand to see what kind of limited edition release they came up with for the big day (we’ve already told you about a few). Here, as a recap to the show, Zach and Devin pick three of their favorite British Watchmakers’ Day limited editions that they saw at the show. It was tough to limit these choices to just three. If you attended the show, be sure to drop your favorites in the comments below. Zach Kazan Isotope Mercury BWD Micro Marquetry Visiting with José Miranda at the Isotope display was a highlight of the show for me. Not only did he have an excellent BWD limited edition on display (and another...
Monochrome
As you probably know by now, Audemars Piguet is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Last week, the Le Brassus-based brand released an array of new watches, predominantly focused on a new, clever and technically advanced perpetual calendar movement getting rid of recessed correctors (it is far more complex than you might imagine…) But that […]
SJX Watches
The centrepiece of Audemars Piguet’s 150th anniversary is the ingenious perpetual calendar cal. 7138 (at least for now), but the most complicated of the commemorative editions is the Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Grande Sonnerie Carillon Supersonnerie. The anniversary line-up of striking watches is comprised of five unique grande sonnerie wristwatches: three have sapphire dials that reveal the intricate strikework, while the remaining pair are fitted with iridescent opal dials. The harlequin opal dial Initial thoughts Though criticised at launch, the Code 11.59 has evolved into a varied range of watches, some of which are notably appealing (some are still pretty boring unfortunately). The grande sonnerie falls into the appealing category. The mechanics of the grande sonnerie are exceptionally complicated, and because it is a Supersonnerie equipped with AP’s patented amplification construction, the grande sonnerie is incredibly loud. The volume of the chimes are loud, but not so much that they are harsh. In short, the acoustics are impressive. The sapphire dial in sand gold case The anniversary edition grande sonnerie are individually appealing, though the opal dials are more interesting due to the novelty of the material. That said, the grande sonnerie can be customised, so a buyer is not necessarily limited to the options available for the anniversary. If I wanted to spend this much on a grande sonnerie, I’d work on my own. The pinnacle of striking watches AP is one...
Monochrome
Like every year and for now eight consecutive times, Swiss watch industry consultancy firm LuxeConsult and financial institution Morgan Stanley have worked together to bring their annual report of the Swiss watch industry, and the estimated revenues of the top 50 brands. While the 2023 report showed records for the market, it also indicated the […]
Monochrome
Less than two months… This is the time left before the main watch fair of the year, also known as Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 – starting April 1st, 2025. Something that has become more than a tradition but a highly anticipated event in our yearly publication calendar, the MONOCHROME team has gotten creative to […]
Monochrome
Grand Seiko anticipates the cherry blossom season in Japan – Sakura-Kakushi – with three models from its Heritage collection inspired by the annual blooming. Flaunting textured dials, one of Grand Seiko’s fortes, the new references respond to the current demand for more compact case sizes. Inspired by the design language laid down by Seiko’s first […]
Monochrome
Brellum is a recent comer to the watch scene, founded by watchmaker Sébastien Muller in 2016. With a limited annual production of around 300 watches and an emphasis on chronographs with chronometer-certified movements, the brand’s direct sales policy (no intermediaries) means that Brellum can keep its prices in check. One of the first models we […]
Fratello
Here’s one from out of the blue! With all our expectations for 2025, we did not foresee a Baltic Hermétique motocross edition, but here we are. More specifically, the Baltic Hermétique Dual Time Enduropale Edition celebrates a new collaboration between the young Parisian brand and a legendary annual enduro event. If you move quickly, you […] Visit Introducing: Baltic Hermétique Dual Time Enduropale Edition to read the full article.
Monochrome
Frederique Constant has gone a long way in proving that its “accessible luxury” slogan is not an empty catchphrase. Offering high-end complications in its Manufacture collection, Frederique Constant shook up the market with the release of a perpetual calendar for under EUR 8,000 and a tourbillon and perpetual calendar combo in steel for under EUR […]
Fratello
Rugby fans worldwide are looking forward to the annual Six Nations Championship that kicks off on January 31st in Paris, France. This year’s tournament will end with a trio of matches on March 15th. It will be interesting to see whether Ireland can defend its title or if we will witness the crowning of a […] Visit Breitling Introduces New Six Nations Chronomat Limited Editions For Men And Women to read the full article.
Monochrome
While primarily known for its minimalistic watch displaying the time thanks to a single hand (which is used to display the hours mainly, and a deliberately vague indication of the minutes), MeisterSinger is no stranger to additional complications, in particular astronomical and calendar features – admitidely, a great match with slightly old-school and poetical single-hand […]
Fratello
When you sit down and think about it, the beginning of the year is an arbitrary time to think about goals. Sure, the calendar changes, but plans can be made anytime. For a collector like me, though, the beginning of the year is as good of a time as any to set resolutions. It forces […] Visit Mike’s Watch Resolutions For 2025 - Finally Selling Some Watches to read the full article.
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