PopularRolex Omega Patek Philippe Audemars Piguet Tudor Grand Seiko Cartier Seiko IWC TAG Heuer Breitling Jaeger-LeCoultre A. Lange & Sohne Zenith

Results for Watch Dial Text Conventions

24,797 articles · 223 videos found · page 409 of 834

Tried And Tested: The CIGA Design Hunter Titanium Skeleton Automatic

Tried And Tested: The CIGA Design Hunter Titanium Skeleton Automatic

My first encounter with CIGA Design was with its Blue Planet model. In 2021, it won the Challenge Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), which obviously gave it some proper traction. Although CIGA Design has been producing watches since 2016, I’d say 2021 was really a turning point for the Shenzhen-based […] Visit Tried And Tested: The CIGA Design Hunter Titanium Skeleton Automatic to read the full article.

Piaget Polo Signature Date Exactly Aug 14, 2026

Is The Piaget Polo Signature Date Exactly What The Brand Needed? (Hands-On)

Piaget’s released a new iteration of their Polo Signature Date, but does it truly embody the brand’s modern creative vision? Let’s find out! What We Love: Shapely, wearable case More distinct dial & identity The rubber strap – still comfortable! What We Don’t: Crown feels slightly small Dead zone when changing times Is it finally recognisable? Overall Rating: 9.25/10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9.5/10 Design: 10/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 For as much as I love watches for their design, technology, or daring in either field, recognition must be recognised as one of the most important elements of a watch brand’s arsenal. When a watch brand goes ‘mainstream’ within the enthusiast community, it brings with it a significant amount of power within the watch world. But it’s usually easier said than done; scant few brands have managed to capture the attention of both hardcore enthusiasts and luxury lovers at the same time. Piaget is a brand that has perennially clung to the fringes of that audience. In the past, they hadn’t been able to tap into the enthusiast crowd with the same level of magnitude as some of their peers in Richemont. While one can easily point the finger towards characteristics like ultra-luxury and exclusivity, it hasn’t stopped other brands of a similar calibre from breaking through. So if not that, then what? Perhaps it’s due to a lack of distinctive visual identity, which in recent years has begun to change. While fans of the ...

Alpinist to Astron: Seiko Celebrates 145 Years

Seiko Celebrates 145 Years Kintaro Aug 14, 2026

Alpinist to Astron: Seiko Celebrates 145 Years

Kintaro Hattori is considered the father of the Japanese watch and clock industry, having opened K. Hattori & Co. in Tokyo 145 years ago. Hattori’s humble store eventually evolved into an empire that made Seiko the largest watch manufacturer in the world during the 1980s. To mark the anniversary, Seiko has dressed six of its greatest hits in regal “Edo purple” livery. The standouts include the compass-bezel Alpinist ref. HBC006 built the take on the Japanese Alps, the luxe titanium-and-ceramic Astron Dual-Time Chronograph ref. HAB011, and the spacefaring Rotocall ref. HFL001. Seiko Prospex Alpinist HBC006 Last year, Seiko’s iconic green-and-gilt Alpinist turned 30; this year it turns purple. The Alpinist line dates back to 1959 but this case style launched in 1995, designed by Shigeo Sakai — the same designer responsible for the amusing inflatable Seiko Airpro. The green-and-gilt colourway inspired by Mr Sakai’s Mini Cooper became a sales success, defying conventional wisdom that green watches are niche products. I can’t predict if that will hold true for purple, but with 7,000 units Seiko seems to think it will. The colour is certainly eye-catching, which will help it stand out on social media and boost collectibility. The US$$900 price tag helps too, making it a good value considering its solid specifications. Upmarket details include a Diashield-protected stainless steel case, a sapphire crystal with sapphire date magnifier, an unexpected 200 m test depth,...

Fossil Spider-Man vs. Hulk Limited-Edition Automatic Watches: Great Packaging, But Is It a Hit?

Ming Aug 14, 2026

Fossil Spider-Man vs. Hulk Limited-Edition Automatic Watches: Great Packaging, But Is It a Hit?

If your inner 90s kid has a soft spot for comic books and mechanical watches, Fossil’s latest release might catch your eye. The brand has launched a new Marvel collection featuring two of the most recognizable heroes on the roster: Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk. The Incredible Hulk Edition: Loud and Green The Hulk watch makes a big entrance. Coming in at a chunky 45mm, it features a stainless steel case with the green giant literally bursting through the open-worked dial. Fossil leaned heavily into the classic green and purple color palette, carrying those shades through to the silicone and nylon strap. It’s bold, it’s loud, and it honestly looks like something Bruce Banner would accidentally break during a temper tantrum. The Spider-Man Edition: Caught in a Web? On the other side of the ring, we have the Spider-Man edition. This one takes inspiration from the darker 1990s comic-book era, featuring a 42mm black stainless steel case. It has a gradient dial with dimensional webbing stretching across the crystal and down onto the leather strap. However, I have a bone to pick with this one. While I appreciate the stealthy, moody vibe, I think the Spider-Man model is missing a bezel with interesting details. Looking at the smooth black case, I just feel like something is missing in terms of overall design. A textured bezel or some web-engraved details around the edge would have really tied the whole look together. Right now, it feels just a little too quiet...

Seiko Introduces the HCC009, a New Presage Limited Edition Inspired by Bonsai

Grand Seiko s work pretty consistently. Aug 14, 2026

Seiko Introduces the HCC009, a New Presage Limited Edition Inspired by Bonsai

When this one came across my inbox earlier this week, it honestly took me by surprise. How is it, I thought to myself, that Seiko hadn’t already made a bonsai themed watch at one point or another? Look, there are certainly dozens, if not hundreds, of Seiko releases over the years that are simply a blind spot for me, so it’s completely possible that they’ve done a bonsai watch in the past and I simply wasn’t aware of it. But doesn’t it seem like the most natural thing ever? Seiko, through their Presage collection, has long explored traditional Japanese craft techniques, and bonsai has to be among the most internationally recognizable and quintessentially Japanese of crafts. Bonsai is also connected to nature, another theme that runs through Seiko and Grand Seiko’s work pretty consistently. The new HCC009 is a new limited edition in the Presage family made in partnership with Tradman’s Bonsai. Tradman’s Bonsai was founded in 2015, and has a “ a mission to share the traditional Japanese art of bonsai with the world.” Since their inception, they’ve worked with collaborators in the fashion and art world in an effort to both preserve what’s important about traditional bonsai while simultaneously “redefining the concept of Japanese cool,” according to a press release. The watch itself has a 38mm gold tone case and matching gold tone bracelet. The dial is inspired by Japanese black pine bonsai when illuminated by the moon, and is rendered in mat...

Twelve on Time - Christiaan van der Klaauw’s Pim Koeslag and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Christiaan van der Klaauw s Pim Koeslag Aug 14, 2026

Twelve on Time - Christiaan van der Klaauw’s Pim Koeslag and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Twelve on Time is a conversation series that invites leading personalities from the watch industry to step beyond their work and speak more personally about their relationship with time, creativity, and craft. Through a set of twelve questions, the column aims to lift the veil on both the individual and their perspective on watchmaking – […]

Twelve on Time - A. Lange & Söhne’s Wilhelm Schmidt and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

A. Lange & Sohne Aug 14, 2026

Twelve on Time - A. Lange & Söhne’s Wilhelm Schmidt and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Twelve on Time is a conversation series that invites leading personalities from the watch industry to step beyond their work and speak more personally about their relationship with time, creativity, and craft. Through a set of twelve questions, the column aims to lift the veil on both the individual and their perspective on watchmaking—revealing not […]

From FounderFest to Full Throttle with Tissot at Silverstone

Tissot Aug 14, 2026

From FounderFest to Full Throttle with Tissot at Silverstone

FounderFest launches, Time+Tide heads behind the scenes at MotoGP, and Tom reflects on why not every watch needs to be an everyday watch.

Introducing - The MeisterSinger Edition Unitas 1Z Blue

Meistersinger Edition Unitas 1Z Blue Aug 14, 2026

Introducing - The MeisterSinger Edition Unitas 1Z Blue

For 25 years, MeisterSinger’s signature single-hand watches encouraged a more relaxed perception of time, focusing on the broader flow of the day rather than its smallest divisions. Earlier this year, the German brand presented the Edition Unitas 1Z, a limited anniversary model that revived the original 2004 Edition 1Z, its first watch to feature a […]

This Bezel Does It All: Introducing The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless

Minerva Aug 14, 2026

This Bezel Does It All: Introducing The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless

What’s the best watch-related invention ever? I realize it’s not an easy question to answer, but please, give it a go. I asked myself the exact same thing, and I concluded that it has to be the crown. We have Jean-Adrien Philippe to thank for that. Now we have the Minerva, The Unveiled Crownless, the […] Visit This Bezel Does It All: Introducing The Minerva The Unveiled Crownless to read the full article.

Hands On: Ferdinand Berthoud Chronometre FB 2TV

Voutilainen demonstrate demand Aug 14, 2026

Hands On: Ferdinand Berthoud Chronometre FB 2TV

Now beginning its second decade under the leadership of Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Ferdinand Berthoud (FB) has introduced the Chronomètre FB 2TV.1, the first model in the new Mesure du Temps 1787 collection. The FB 2TV represents an evolution of the brand’s long-running chain-and-fusee architecture, adding zero-reset seconds and a flying tourbillon, and inverting the calibre to exhibit its key functional elements on the dial side. Initial thoughts It’s hard to believe that it has been ten years since the debut of Ferdinand Berthoud as a contemporary brand. It was clear from the outset that FB had big ambitions, launching its first model with a chain and fusee mechanism. Since then, FB has maintained admirably high standards for itself, and while not all of the designs appeal to me, the obvious effort that goes into every watch — each FB 2TV receives more than 300 hours of decoration — has won the brand a durable position near the top of the industry. Now beginning its second decade, FB has released the first watch in a new collection that portends a more mechanically expressive style, with features like the chain and fusee inverted to the dial side. This approach isn’t original, but the success of other ‘inverted’ movements from independents like Kari Voutilainen demonstrate demand for the format. Quirky designs Ferdinand Berthoud, an 18th-century pioneer of the spring detent escapement among other breakthroughs, approached watchmaking fr...

Teddy Baldassarre

Studio Underd0g Brand Review Fun Design Aug 13, 2026

Studio Underd0g Brand Review: Fun Design And Serious Watchmaking Under $2,000

A close look at Studio Underd0g, the fun and colorful watch brand that has made a splash with its design language and fair pricing.

Baltic Heures du Monde “Horizon Aug 13, 2026

FounderFest: The Baltic Heures du Monde “Horizon Line” is a worldtimer that takes the French brand into entirely new territory

Baltic’s Heures du Monde “Horizon Line” Time+Tide Studio Edition pairs a forged carbon dial with a worldtimer complication.

Introducing - FounderFest, Time+Tide’s Music-Inspired Collection of Seven Collaborative Watches

Introducing - FounderFest, Time+Tide’s Music-Inspired Collection of Seven Collaborative Watches

Over the past decade, Time+Tide has evolved from an Australian online watch publication into one of the influential platforms dedicated to watchmaking, and independent watchmaking in particular. Alongside its editorial content, the company has expanded into retail with its Watch Discovery Studios in Melbourne, London and New York. This year, the company is launching FounderFest, […]

Meet the seven watches launching FounderFest: Everything you need to know

Meet the seven watches launching FounderFest: Everything you need to know

This September the Time+Tide Studios in London, Melbourne, and New York will host a watch fair reimagined like you've never seen before.

Seiko Revisits the 1913 Laurel With New Enamel and Urushi Presage Models HCC005 and HCC006

Seiko Revisits Aug 13, 2026

Seiko Revisits the 1913 Laurel With New Enamel and Urushi Presage Models HCC005 and HCC006

Seiko has introduced two new Presage Classic Series Craftsmanship watches that return to one of the most important designs in its history. The HCC005J1 uses a handmade white enamel dial while the HCC006J1 takes a darker route with black Urushi lacquer and a yellow-gold-coloured case. Both were announced on 13 August 2026 and are scheduled to reach Seiko boutiques and selected retailers in September 2026. These are not simple colour changes. Each model uses a traditional Japanese dial technique and each has its own character. The white version is the clearer tribute to Seiko’s original Laurel wristwatch from 1913. The black model keeps the same basic layout but changes the mood completely through lacquer, gold details and a warm case finish. A Return to the 1913 Laurel The Laurel is important because it was Japan’s first wristwatch. Its white enamel dial, expressive Arabic numerals and red 12 became a clear visual signature. Seiko has used those details before, but the HCC005J1 brings them together in a convincing modern package. The red numeral at 12 immediately catches the eye while the curved black numerals and blue hands keep the design easy to recognise. The new watches also add a 24-hour display at six o’clock. It gives the dial a little more depth without disturbing the balance of the numerals. This is not an independently adjustable second-time-zone function. It follows the main time and shows whether the watch is indicating the first or second half of the day...

Albishorn Just Expanded its Marinagraph Collection With Two Ultra-Classic Colorways

Albishorn Just Expanded Aug 13, 2026

Albishorn Just Expanded its Marinagraph Collection With Two Ultra-Classic Colorways

It wouldn’t be summer without a proper skin diver or regatta timer, or how about both? Roughly one year ago, we got the latest reimagining from Albishorn, giving us a mash up of two seafaring classics with the brand’s signature vintage-inspired spin. The result was the Marinagraph, originally offered in two colors, one with a sunburst black dial with lume-filled applied silver indices called the “Classic Racing” and one with a bolder sunburst Paraíba tourmaline green dial with lume-filled black indices called the “Paraíba Racing.” The Classic Racing variant got its own pops of color with green accents on the bezel along with a red strap highlighting the red accents seen across both versions in the chronograph hand, tide indicator, regatta timer, and model name printed beneath the brand name in retro script. Needless to say, the debut duo of Marinagraph Classics offered an audacious combination of styling and functionality. This summer, Albishorn presents another pair of colors to join the collection, this time with a slightly more classic and sober design, aptly named the Classic Fume and simply the Classic. As a refresher, the foundation of the Marinagraph design draws inspiration from the America’s Cup crews, in particular those in the race’s renaissance. The 1958 edition marked the race’s return after a long hiatus post-war, and one of the standout vessels was Columbia, the American yacht representing the New York Yacht Club. This vessel notably feat...

IWC celebrates 140 years of Innovation with Mercedes-Benz

IWC celebrates 140 years Aug 13, 2026

IWC celebrates 140 years of Innovation with Mercedes-Benz

IWC releases a new Big Pilot's Watch to celebrate Mercedes-Benz's 140 years of innovation. This novelty features a Perpetual calendar with Proset.

Introducing - IWC Celebrates 140 Years of Mercedes-Benz With A Special Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Proset

Ming together Aug 13, 2026

Introducing - IWC Celebrates 140 Years of Mercedes-Benz With A Special Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar Proset

Two companies, at the forefront of mechanical innovation, coming together to mark 140 years of history – that’s what IWC’s latest watch is all about. The brand has a long-standing partnership with Mercedes-Benz, exemplified through not only the Mercedes-Benz AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team special editions, but also through the various road-car-themed watches. The new […]

Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches

Seiko Doesn’t Rest Aug 13, 2026

Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches

Seiko’s and Japan’s very first wristwatch, the 1913 Laurel, is one of the prettiest watches I have ever seen. More than a century after its conception, it still looks fresh. It’s also, as you can imagine, a rather important watch. To underline that and make it possible to wear a watch that honors the beginning […] Visit Seiko Doesn’t Rest On Its Laurels: Introducing Two Seiko Presage Classic Series “Craftsmanship” Watches to read the full article.

Hands-On: the Bernhardt Captain

Hands-On: the Bernhardt Captain

Bernhardt’s Captain collection is a new range of dress watches that I think loosely falls in the Calatrave-esque trend that has been emerging, most notably through a variety of Japanese indies and micros, over the last few years. As interest in chunky divers and sports watches appears to wane a bit, enthusiasts are (finally) willing to look at watches in other genres, and brands are delivering with a variety of takes on the dress watch format. This is a fundamentally good thing for the community, but it’s not easy to make a dress watch. It is, conversely, very easy to attempt to make a dress watch and actually make a regular old daily driver, the type of watch that most people who had any desire to wear any watch at all would have owned in the middle part of the 20th century. $749 Hands-On: the Bernhardt Captain Case Stainless steel Movement Miyota 9039 Dial Silver Lume None Lens Sapphire Strap leather Water Resistance 50 Dimensions 38 x 45mm Thickness 9.55mm Lug Width 20mm Crown Push/pull Warranty yes Price $749 A dress watch, to me, is a very specific thing. If it’s mechanical, it’s manually wound. It’s more likely to not have a seconds hand, and indices and other markings should be minimal. It obviously should be quite thin and relatively small in size, and if I were really being a snob about it, I’d insist it should be in a precious metal, but I’m not a snob and that’s ridiculous. It does speak, though, to the idea that when you use the word “d...

Introducing: Panerai’s Luminor Marina PAM01707 Is All Classic Everything, Except For The High-Tech Composite Case

Panerai s Luminor Marina PAM01707 Aug 12, 2026

Introducing: Panerai’s Luminor Marina PAM01707 Is All Classic Everything, Except For The High-Tech Composite Case

What We Know As one of the more recognisable watch designs, period, the current Panerai Luminor shape has been rendered in many different materials since the 1955 introduction of the crown protection device. This latest take, the Luminor Marina PAM01707, is cased in Carbotech, a composite material combining carbon fibre sheets and polyether ether ketone, resulting in excellent anti-corrosion properties and lightness. Though Panerai’s products now comfortably sit in the luxury watchmaking category, it hasn't stopped them from using avant-garde materials suited to the original intent of their designs. Measuring 44mm across and 14.5mm thick, the PAM01707 has all the hallmarks of a classic Panerai, with its cushion-shaped mid-case sandwiched by a round, striated Carbotech bezel and a DLC-treated titanium caseback. The signature bridge, which spans the right-hand side of the case and protects and locks the crown, is also rendered in carbon, matching the uneven, textured finish of the rest of the case. This sanga-based analogy can be expanded on for the dial, another Panerai hallmark. The textured, matte top plate features cut-outs for the stick indices and Arabic numerals at the cardinal points, as well as the small seconds indicator at 9 o’clock, allowing the fauxtinated Super-LumiNova bottom layer to shine through. Here pictured on brown calf leather, Panerai also includes an “Officine Panerai”-branded black rubber strap so you can actually take the watch swimming, th...

Brew Introduces the Limited Edition Retrograph Stone Blend

Brew Introduces Aug 12, 2026

Brew Introduces the Limited Edition Retrograph Stone Blend

Just last week, I wrote about the stone dial trend and how it’s all getting just a little tiresome. And while I certainly stand by my position, we have to acknowledge and accept that there will continue to be stone dial watches announced and released while the trend continues (or peters out) that are interesting and worth covering. Being able to hold two conflicting ideas in your head at the same time is an essential piece of being an adult, after all, and certainly it matters in the watch world as well, and is something we do all the time (we know buying watches is an objectively bad financial decision, we do it anyway, etc.). With that being said, Brew has introduced a new watch with a stone dial that I think is actually very nice and not part of the crop of stone dial watches that we’ve seen as of late that appear to be haphazardly slapped together for the sake of capitalizing on an opportunity. The new Retrograph Stone Blend Automatic is a new limited edition featuring a pietersite stone dial inspired by the signature visual element of coffee culture: the moment when milk is poured into a coffee and begins to swirl and blend together. Specifically, Brew says that the Stone Blend is meant to conjure the patterns created as milk is added to cold brew coffee, which of course is often served in a translucent glass that allows one to see the two liquids come together in a sometimes dramatic way. Who hasn’t been transfixed by this at one point or another? Pietersit...

Twelve on Time - PS Horology’s Peter Speake and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Twelve on Time - PS Horology’s Peter Speake and his Personal Relationship with Time and Watches

Twelve on Time is a conversation series that invites leading personalities from the watch industry to step beyond their work and speak more personally about their relationship with time, creativity, and craft. Through a set of twelve questions, the column aims to lift the veil on both the individual and their perspective on watchmaking, revealing […]

They Grow Up So Fast! Meet The Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200

Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200 Fast-track Aug 12, 2026

They Grow Up So Fast! Meet The Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200

Fast-track evolution. In just one year, Casio launched its first automatic mechanical watch, the Edifice EFK-100, and rapidly improved it. Now, the third generation of the Casio Edifice automatic is here. The EFK-200, a sporty-chic yet affordable watch with an integrated bracelet/strap, comes in five variations and looks to be a very mature watch. There […] Visit They Grow Up So Fast! Meet The Casio Edifice Automatic EFK-200 to read the full article.

Seiko Turns Keisuke Takahashi’s Yellow RX-7 FD3S Into a Limited Initial D Chronograph

Seiko Turns Keisuke Takahashi’s Yellow Aug 11, 2026

Seiko Turns Keisuke Takahashi’s Yellow RX-7 FD3S Into a Limited Initial D Chronograph

Seiko has returned to the world of Initial D with a new chronograph dedicated to Keisuke Takahashi and his yellow Mazda RX-7 FD3S. The model continues the manga’s 30th-anniversary celebrations after the earlier Takumi Fujiwara AE86 watch. Orders opened in Japan in early August 2026, while deliveries are scheduled to begin in late January 2027. Production is limited to 1,995 individually numbered watches, matching the year Initial D began serialization. The connection is immediately clear. This is not a standard Seiko with a small logo added to the dial. The complete colour scheme and several smaller details come from Keisuke’s car, while the official campaign artwork places the watch beside the driver and his RX-7. The Initial D collaboration links the Seiko chronograph directly to Keisuke Takahashi and his yellow RX-7 FD3S. Image: PREMICO. The yellow RX-7 on the wrist The bright yellow dial copies the most recognizable feature of Keisuke’s RX-7. A black tachymeter bezel provides strong contrast and gives the chronograph a clear motorsport look. Three black subdials use red markings inspired by the illuminated instruments inside the car. The RedSuns team name appears at three o’clock beside the Seiko logo, while the Initial D symbol is placed inside the lower subdial. The yellow dial, red instrument-style subdials and RedSuns logo refer to Keisuke’s RX-7. Image: PREMICO. One of the best details sits at 12 o’clock. Instead of a normal hour marker, Seiko uses a t...

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5227G-015 “Rose Gilt”

Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref 5227G-015 “Rose Aug 11, 2026

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5227G-015 “Rose Gilt”

Patek Philippe’s headline launches this year included the surprising Celestial ref. 6105G and Nautilus 50th anniversary editions, but also more classical, yet under-the-radar, watches, like the Calatrava ref. 5227G-015 with a “rose-gilt” dial and hinged case back. Though the Calatrava ref. 5227 with its distinctive “officer’s case” has been in the catalogue for well over a decade, the latest iteration is the best yet. The combination is somewhat formulaic – “salmon” dial and white gold case – but it is good looking and evocative of old-school Patek Philippe dress watches. At the same time, this new variant of the ref. 5227 contains a latest-generation automatic movement. Initial thoughts Ironically two of the standout launches by Patek Philippe during Watches & Wonders were fairly basic, essentially facelifts of references that have been in the catalogue for decades. One was the ref. 5396R-016 Annual Calendar, and the other is this, the Calatrava ref. 5227G-015. Though both are entirely different in function and price, they are similar in style. The designs are both restrained and evocative of vintage Patek Philippe watches; both also have dials in popular shades. “Salmon” is definitely overdone as a dial colour, but it doesn’t stop this Calatrava from being really appealing. The ref. 5227 is typical Patek Philippe in form. Even though it’s at the larger end of the range for Calatrava models, it still feels elegant. The case is thin and sits fla...

Inside The Manufacture: Making A Tudor: A Behind-The-Scenes Look, From Raw Material To Finished Product [Video]

Tudor Aug 10, 2026

Inside The Manufacture: Making A Tudor: A Behind-The-Scenes Look, From Raw Material To Finished Product [Video]

Earlier this year, Tudor invited a small group of watch media into its Swiss manufacturing network to see what "Swiss Made" actually means in practice—not a one-stop visit in a single day, but the full process from start to finish over multiple days. I've been on plenty of manufacturer tours, and I've never had access like this. The result is one video, broken into three parts: cases and bracelets; hand-painted and hand-lumed dials; movements and assembly. Case and Bracelet We start by looking at cases and bracelets. I've had my Tudor Pelagos 39 on my wrist for a couple of years now, and until recently I'd never given much thought to what "Swiss Made" on the dial actually meant, beyond the concept and branding tied to those two words. So, using my own Pelagos as the starting point, this segment traces how a titanium dive watch's case and bracelet are actually made, moving through three Swiss companies closely linked to Tudor: Joseph Baume, Orolux, and Detech. Titanium case blanks are the start of the story. The progressive evolution of Tudor cases at Joseph Baume. Heat treating in a special furnace. The case begins at Joseph Baume, an independent forge where steel components are cold-stamped through up to fifteen strikes, while titanium cases, like that employed by my Pelagos, undergo hot stamping instead, heated to nearly 950 degrees Celsius and pressed into shape by a robotic arm. It's a more physical, almost blacksmith-like process than I ever would have expecte...

Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience

Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne Aug 10, 2026

Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience

The man who brought the Louis Moinet watch brand to life sadly died very recently. Jean-Marie Schaller, the owner and creative force behind Louis Moinet, passed away peacefully on May 16th at the age of 66. The watch industry lost one of its brightest characters, but the brand continues, and it does so in its […] Visit Uncorking the Louis Moinet 1816 Chronograph Champagne: A Hands-On Experience to read the full article.

In Depth: Louis Cottier’s Legacy

In Depth: Louis Cottier’s Legacy

Sometime around 1949, in a workshop above a stationer’s shop in Carouge, Louis Cottier built a worldtime watch out of a piece of cardboard. Movado had asked him to fit their famous Ermeto — a small purse-watch that was wound by opening and closing its case — with a device to read the hour in any country. What Cottier delivered was a piece of card: two columns listing the 12 antipodal city pairs, with a sliding paper scale of hours. Open the case, slide the scale, read New York against Rome. It was ingenious to a fault. Movado’s verdict was blunt, and fair: it ignored the running of the watch entirely and “…could just as well be made on an address-book or a diary,” they wrote on February 4, 1950. The brand concluded that “Nobody would want to carry such a piece.” The 1949 World Time cardboard maquette proposed to Movado. Image – SJX composite/Musée d’art et d’histoire de Genève The cardboard maquette survives, in an archive of some 260 items — letters, patents, notebooks, photographs, a school exercise book, a golf-scoring mechanism — that comprise the most complete record we have of the man the watch world calls the father of the worldtimer. But the story revealed by this evidence is more nuanced than Cottier’s reputation suggests. The legend, briefly The received Louis Cottier is easy to summarise, because everyone summarises him the same way. He was born in Carouge in 1894, and trained in Geneva. After losing his job in the aftermath of th...