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Results for Taste of Time 2026

36,022 articles · 180 videos found · page 425 of 1207

Owner’s Review: the Seiko Orange Monster SRP315 Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe Ellipse as Jul 20, 2026

Owner’s Review: the Seiko Orange Monster SRP315

What is a summer watch?  It’s a question I ask myself every year around this time. It’s partly rhetorical. We all know, somehow, what a summer watch is. It conjures something in the mind’s eye of a watch enthusiast that is colorful and probably on the sporty side. It looks best when sun drenched, on the beach or a patio or a hiking trail. Or maybe even with brightly glowing dial furniture in a dark movie theater on the hottest summer afternoon, when you just need to be in an air conditioned space for a few hours.  But I also wonder, annually, if this is actually a real thing. Any watch, of course, can be worn in the summer. If it’s summer, and you’re wearing a watch, the transitive property (I think that’s the one) proves you are wearing a summer watch. It could just as easily be a Patek Philippe Ellipse as a Tudor Pelagos, even if you’re bound to sweat through the leather on the former, and even if the latter will never see a running faucet to clean a dirty dish, let alone ocean depths.  Eventually, though, I always come back to the Seiko Orange Monster. Specifically, my Orange Monster, an SRP315. As someone who normally is inclined to minimize the impact of seasonality on a watch, and insist that any watch can be worn anytime of year (they don’t actually know what season it is, after all), the Orange Monster is the one exception, the counter example that makes me question my loosely held summer watch takes. Because, frankly, I have no desire to wear th...

The Swatch Mission to the Moon 1969. What Makes the “1969” the Ultimate MoonSwatch? WatchRider
Omega History Unlike previous “Mission Jul 17, 2026

The Swatch Mission to the Moon 1969. What Makes the “1969” the Ultimate MoonSwatch?

Let’s be honest: being a watch enthusiast often involves making some highly questionable life choices in the name of horology. I should know. Back in 2022, I literally boarded a plane and flew to London just to hunt down the Swatch Mission to Uranus. I secured the pale blue prize, and then… I scratched it on the very first day.  But time heals all wounds, and Swatch has just dropped something that is pulling me right back into the gravitational pull of the MoonSwatch madness. Enter the brand-new, ultra-exclusive Mission to the Moon 1969. The “Mission to the Moon 1969” is not just another cosmetic color swap. It is a highly exclusive, 1,969 piece limited-edition release that bridges the gap between affordable hype and true luxury watchmaking. Here are the details that make this particular release a genuine collector’s fever dream: It’s Made of Actual, Re-Smelted Omega History Unlike previous “Mission to Moonshine Gold” editions, which only featured a gold-plated seconds hand, the Mission to the Moon 1969 is absolutely dripping in real gold. The watch features a solid 18-karat Moonshine Gold dial, hands, crown, and chronograph pushers, totalling exactly 11 grams of gold (a clever, playful nod to the Apollo 11 mission number). But the real magic is in the gold’s lineage. Rather than sourcing new gold, Swatch melted down actual vintage Omega spare parts dating back to 1969 using their in-house foundry. When you wear this watch, you are wearing a phy...

Nodus and Raven Collaborate on their Fourth TrailTrekker Worn & Wound
Nodus Jul 16, 2026

Nodus and Raven Collaborate on their Fourth TrailTrekker

Nodus and Raven have collaborated once again for their fourth edition of their popular TrailTrekker watch, a sporty GMT with EDC design codes. This new release is perhaps the most EDC oriented yet, with the prominent use of forged carbon fiber front and center on the dial and bezel, as well as lots of decorative lume. It also represents the first time a TrailTrekker has crossed the thousand dollar mark, but this one feels like it’s a step up in terms of its ambition, and seeing all four on the Nodus website side by side, it’s clear the two brands are building out a product line that can be taken in a number of different directions going forward.  The new TrailTrekker Carbon maintains certain core design elements that Nodus and Raven have always adhered to with these watches. The basic principle is relatively simple: it combines the Nodus Contrail’s sporty case profile with Raven’s dial design (most notably in their Trekker series) that prioritizes legibility and functionality above all else. Each TrailTrekker, including the new Carbon version, also makes use of the Miyota 9075 GMT movement, an easy to operate “true” GMT that is a genuinely great option for travel.  A huge part of the appeal of the original TrailTrekker was its unique bead blasted “Clay” colored case finishing. This new edition appears to have a similar vibe, with a gray DLC treatment over the steel case and bracelet that is just a shade or two lighter than solid black. Nodus and Raven hav...

Introducing: The Swatch Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet launch it makes Jul 16, 2026

Introducing: The Swatch Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch

What We Know It's kind of funny saying this, but it's been a bit of time since we've seen a new Moonswatch. Given the news cycle around this year's Swatch x Audemars Piguet launch, it makes a lot of sense that Swatch has held more Moonswatch releases in its back pocket, ready for when the time is right to get people talking again about its most popular high/low collab. Today's new Mission To The Moon 1969 Moonswatch is the most limited of the Moonswatches, with only 1,969 pieces made in total. It's certainly a special execution, with an homage to Apollo 11's Moon landing in—you guessed it—1969. But unlike an actual Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch, where the story is a huge part of the appeal to the collector, I have a feeling that this Moonswatch's appeal lies in its use of Omega's 18K Moonshine Gold. It's certainly not the first time Swatch has used Omega's gold alloy in Moonswatches, but this one has a lot of that gold. With the dial, hands, pushers, and crown all in Moonshine Gold, there are eleven grams total in each of these watches. Interestingly, Swatch is saying that the gold used for this edition is melted down from spare Omega parts from that era, which then ties the connection with Omega much closer together. This edition pairs a matte black Bioceramic case with all those bits of gold and black accents to complete the look. The Moonshine Gold dial is given a vertically brushed finish. No lume to be found on these hands, as the gold beveled applied indices are fi...

Revealed: Rolex’s Inclined Plane Clock SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin s La Quête Du Jul 16, 2026

Revealed: Rolex’s Inclined Plane Clock

A recent design patent filing gives us a sneak peek at a mechanical clock from the most unexpected source, Rolex. Last year Rolex debuted the Submariner desk clock; the new clock is more ambitious, an inclined plane clock. In other words, a rolling Rolex. Notably, prototypes of this clock have already been produced: two were on show at the Rolex stand during Watches & Wonders 2026. One sat in the lobby on an upper floor, and another was in chief executive Jean-Frederic Dufour’s office. No photos were allowed of either, a rule strictly enforced by eagle-eyed security guards. The inclined plane clock, sometimes also known as a gravity clock, will be Rolex’s first in-house mechanical desk clock that’s commercially available, and its first skeletonised movement, in a minimalist, architectural package. While yet unnamed, Rolex filed a trademark application for “Haplos” within a few weeks of the design patent. Initial thoughts Twenty twenty-five was dominated by clocks, kicking off with a production version of Patek Philippe’s 31-day desk clock, crescendoing with Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête Du Temps. Even Rolex joined in unexpectedly, with a Submariner desk clock. The adorable Submariner-Date-inspired desk clock. Yes, the bezel is ceramic. No, it does not rotate. But Rolex seems to have more ambitious plans for its desk clock project, including a skeletonised inclined plane clock. A recently published Swiss design patent application gives us a clearer look at t...

The Ollech & Wajs Astrochron Vs. The Doxa Sub 200 T.Graph II Fratello
Doxa Sub 200 T.Graph II Jul 16, 2026

The Ollech & Wajs Astrochron Vs. The Doxa Sub 200 T.Graph II

Today, we are looking at two spiritual competitors in the dive-watch-chronograph market — the Doxa Sub 200 T.Graph II and the Ollech & Wajs Astrochron. Both watches are beefy, tough options for those of us after a dive chronograph, but they have different quirks and design personalities. This article came about after spending considerable time […] Visit The Ollech & Wajs Astrochron Vs. The Doxa Sub 200 T.Graph II to read the full article.

Five New(ish) Watches I Liked at the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago Worn & Wound
Vulcain Cricket Titanium  There’s just Jul 15, 2026

Five New(ish) Watches I Liked at the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago

This year’s edition of the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago is in the books. As always, the Chicago show played host to a huge variety of brands that covered every imaginable genre of watch, price points up and down the spectrum, and truly offered something for every taste. And as is the case with every Windup these days, it was an opportunity for many brands to debut brand new watches for an audience hungry for something special. There was no shortage of limited edition releases and entirely new watches timed for unveiling at Windup this year, as well as a bunch that launched recently and were getting their first public look.  This list is by no means exhaustive, but here are five watches I saw at Windup in Chicago over the weekend that are either brand new or almost new that really stood out to me. Let me know in the comments what I may have missed – even with three days to wander around, I’m sure there are watches I simply didn’t get a chance to see.  Vulcain Cricket Titanium  There’s just something so charming about the Vulcain Cricket. Alarm watches are an anachronistic niche within an already anachronistic hobby. Setting a mechanical alarm on your watch when simply saying the words “Siri, set an alarm for…” feels like an act of rebellion in the digital age. I’m not sure how many owners of modern (or vintage) Crickets actually use the alarm function for practical purposes (it’s one of the great parlor tricks at a watch meetup, of course) but knowing...

Hands-On: The Panerai Luminor 8 Giorni 'Brunito Steel' Hodinkee
Panerai Luminor 8 Giorni Brunito Jul 14, 2026

Hands-On: The Panerai Luminor 8 Giorni 'Brunito Steel'

It has been a long time since a Panerai has made it onto the list of my favorite watches from a Watches and Wonders showing, but there's one particular model that many of my other colleagues and I have continued to talk about since we first got a glimpse of it in April. I'm talking about the Luminor 8 Giorni, reference PAM01733, in a uniquely finished steel case that Panerai is calling "Brunito steel." Put crudely, this Brunito steel case feels like the distressed-jeans equivalent of the Luminor collection. The large 44mm steel case gets a layer of black PVD treatment, but the final effect is then accomplished through a brushing process by hand. The tendency of black PVD coatings to eventually wear out is an advantage here, as the different monochromatic hues ranging between the bright silver of the base steel and the dark black PVD coating now give the case a look of distressed metal aged over time. The finishing is throughout the entire case, from the inside of the lugs to the caseback and the distinctive crown guard that has become an iconic design element of the Luminor silhouette. Yes, even the strap buckle achieves the same treatment.  The handwork also means that each watch is unique, with subtle differences in brushing and fading. I've only seen one in person, so I can't tell you just how different one might be from the next. Though the main draw to this model is the aesthetic, this Luminor's dive watch heritage is not just for show, as it maintains a proper 300-m...

What’s The Watch You The Least, And Why Do You Still Have It? Fratello
Jul 11, 2026

What’s The Watch You The Least, And Why Do You Still Have It?

Every collection has one — the watch that sits quietly at the back of the box, rarely seeing wrist time, never quite fitting the rhythm of daily life. Mine is a Universal Genève Ferrovie dello Stato Mark II, and I would not part with it for the world. Go ahead and open your watch box […] Visit What’s The Watch You The Least, And Why Do You Still Have It? to read the full article.

In-Depth - The Urban Jürgensen UJ-1 Tourbillon, a Pocket Watch Masterpiece Reborn for the Wrist Monochrome
Voutilainen Jul 10, 2026

In-Depth - The Urban Jürgensen UJ-1 Tourbillon, a Pocket Watch Masterpiece Reborn for the Wrist

When Urban Jürgensen returned in 2025 under the co-direction of Kari Voutilainen and Alex Rosenfield, three watches formed the inaugural collection. The UJ-2 introduced a time-only calibre with a double-wheel natural escapement; the UJ-3, an integrated perpetual calendar; while the UJ-1 Tourbillon 250th Anniversary Watch was meant to be the technical masterpiece for the return […]

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.

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...

Introducing: The Studio Underd0g 02Series Gen 2 Hodinkee
Studio Underd0g 02Series Gen 2 What Jul 6, 2026

Introducing: The Studio Underd0g 02Series Gen 2

What We Know Today, British microbrand Studio Underd0g, known for its uniquely conceived and constructed dials, introduces the second-generation update to its 02Series time-only field watch-ish design. Though new dial colors kind of feel like the brand's major schtick, there are a few surprising changes this time around. First, and a change that's sure to appeal to everyone, is a slight reduction in the case height of the 02Series. It's not the craziest of reductions, going from 12mm to 11.5mm, but shaving off this much is still a welcome improvement, especially considering the case itself is 9.4mm without the pronounced crystal. The new case measures 37.5mm in diameter, with the new 11.5mm thickness and a 46mm lug-to-lug. Yes, the diameter has also increased by half a millimeter, but the revamped proportions should work well across a large variety of wrists. The tighter tolerances also mean that the dial is now closer to the crystal, and this was accomplished thanks to the brand's acquisition of assembly workshop Horologium, now transformed into Studio Underd0g's own in-house workshop, aptly titled The D0ghouse. The caliber inside has also received a subtle update—the Sellita SW210 has been replaced by the SW200-2 M Power+. It's a mouthful, but what that means is an extended power reserve, increased from 42 hours to 63 hours. But in keeping with the execution of the previous generation, the rotor is removed to keep this second-generation manually wound. Across the four ...

Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yellow Rolesor Vs. Oyster Perpetual “Jubilee” Fratello
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yellow Rolesor Jul 5, 2026

Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yellow Rolesor Vs. Oyster Perpetual “Jubilee”

It’s Sunday morning, so it’s time for a fresh cup of coffee to accompany a good ol’ watch brawl. This week, we picked two Rolex Oyster Perpetual models to go up against each other. Both were introduced during Watches and Wonders in April and were The Crown’s main releases for this year. The two new […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Yellow Rolesor Vs. Oyster Perpetual “Jubilee” to read the full article.

Commemorate a Personal Milestone with Apiar’s Next Highly Limited Edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian Worn & Wound
Jul 3, 2026

Commemorate a Personal Milestone with Apiar’s Next Highly Limited Edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian

I’m not going to say I’m biased toward celestial watches to a fault, but as the resident astrology girl, I’m most certainly a little biased anytime a watch incorporates the stars, moon, or planets. Whether you check your horoscope or not, there’s something undeniably alluring about the constellations and the shapes they take – one that connects us to the vastness of time and space, to a very ancient human desire to make sense of the universe, or, in the case of Apiar’s latest limited edition Gen 1.1 White Meridian, one that connects you to a very specific place and time.  It’s no coincidence that horology and astrology have long gone hand in hand and that the imagery of celestial bodies have long appeared in watchmaking (more on that in a future story I’ve been spinning up for some time now). I digress, today, Apiar adds another timepiece to this longstanding horological lineage with its next special edition version of the Gen 1.1.As a refresher, the Gen 1.1 is quite new to the brand’s catalog, marking an evolution from the brand’s core Gen 1.0 line. Apiar first debuted the Gen 1.1 earlier this year at the British Watchmaker’s Day festivities. The collection kicked off with a highly limited edition of just three pieces called the Underground, aptly named for its hand-enameled dial inspired by Dr. Maxwell Roberts’ circular redesign of the London Underground map. The model was such a success it was later followed by the Night Tube edition, which you ...

Patek Philippe’s Milan Grand Exhibition Rare Handcrafts are La Dolce Vita SJX Watches
Patek Philippe s Milan Grand Exhibition Jul 3, 2026

Patek Philippe’s Milan Grand Exhibition Rare Handcrafts are La Dolce Vita

Patek Philippe has just offered a peek at the Rare Handcrafts collection conceived for the upcoming Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan 2026 that begins in October at the CityOval exhibition hall in Milan. As is traditional for the exhibition collection, the watches are centred on themes local to the host country or region. Italy, unsurprisingly, offers abundant inspiration and the pair of watches revealed so far certainly evoke la dolce vita. The first is the pocket watch ref. 992/193J-001 “Burano” that features an enamel decoration modelled on the streets of the Venetian island known for its compact houses painted in bright colours. A variety of enamelling techniques were employed for this motif, including cloisonné for the buildings and figures and paillonné for the waterway. The second timepiece is the Dome Clock ref. 20179M-001 “Sicilian Oranges”. This depicts Palermo seen from a distance, with an orange grove in the foreground. As is traditional for Dome Clocks, majority of the decoration is in cloisonné enamel. Because of the size of the clock, some 15 m of gold wire was required to complete the motif. The Grand Exhibition takes places October 2-18, 2026, at CityOval in Milan. Entry is free but complimentary tickets are required and available via online registration at Watchart2026.patek.com.  

Four Brands Redefining American Watchmaking Worn & Wound
Jul 2, 2026

Four Brands Redefining American Watchmaking

This weekend is the 4th of July. And it’s not just any run of the mill 4th of July, it just happens to be the 250th anniversary of American independence. America’s semiquincentennial (honestly, I’ll be glad when I no longer have to use, read, or think about that particular word) is certainly a time for celebration, just like any other Independence Day. But this one does feel somewhat momentous. I mean, it comes with its own logo, after all. It also comes with many commercial opportunities, as does every anniversary, something long known and understood in the watch community. So it’s no surprise that we’ve seen an inordinate (some would say tiring) amount of watches brandishing that “250” logo or “1776” or the colors of our flag, often from brands that aren’t even American!  Look, we love it that Swiss, British, German, and Japanese brands want to help celebrate this special birthday, but if I’m being honest, I find most of these watches in red, white, and blue with that omnipresent logo on the dial a little, I don’t know, not great? An “America 250” novelty item should be something bought at a gas station on the way to a fireworks celebration (maybe as you fill your truck with $6/gallon diesel) that can be easily discarded at the end of the night. Or maybe it should be a commemorative coin bought on the Home Shopping Network at 2:00 AM at a price you can’t resist. Should it really be a watch? I feel like it shouldn’t, but that’s just me....

Hands-on - Revisiting Maen’s Coolest Integrated Sports Watch, the Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin with Blue Tuscan Dial Monochrome
Maen s Coolest Integrated Sports Jul 2, 2026

Hands-on - Revisiting Maen’s Coolest Integrated Sports Watch, the Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin with Blue Tuscan Dial

The Maen Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin is one of the brand‘s signature series. The recent boutique-exclusive Blue Fumé edition sold out almost immediately, while the textured blue model proved equally popular, disappearing from the catalogue for a time. Responding to demand, Maen has now brought it back into production, giving fans another chance to experience what […]

Fratello Talks: Texture, Color, Stone - Let’s Talk Dials Fratello
Jul 2, 2026

Fratello Talks: Texture, Color, Stone - Let’s Talk Dials

In all four seasons of the Fratello Talks podcast, we’ve never dedicated an episode to watch dials. We thought it was about time to change that. The dial is one of the most important parts of a watch, as it’s the “face” that gets the most attention when checking the time. It often draws the […] Visit Fratello Talks: Texture, Color, Stone — Let’s Talk Dials to read the full article.

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Cait Bazemore Worn & Wound
Jul 1, 2026

The Three Watch Collection for $5,000: Cait Bazemore

Editor’s Note: A break this week from reader submissions of our ongoing 3 for 5k column to make room for an entry from Worn & Wound contributor Cait Bazemore.  Cait is a watch industry veteran and her choices reflect her experience in the space in an interesting way. Specifically, they are all tied to her connections with the people behind the brands. This is a phenomenon most of us who work in watches for any length of time eventually come to understand. It just feels good to support the people we connect with (even when it’s hypothetical support for a Worn & Wound column). And honestly, this isn’t exclusive to watch industry professionals. Anyone who has attended a Windup event or any other watch fair and taken a minute to speak with a brand owner can probably relate.  Today, I notch another rite of passage as a contributor at Worn & Wound: my three-watch collection for under $5,000. The mission is clear, but I have to be honest, it was much more challenging than I expected. This exercise taught me a lot about myself, what I value, and how that actually translates to a dollar figure. I’ll confess, I realized a majority of my most desired watches sit around the $2,700 to $3,300 range – multiply that times three, and the total is well over the $5,000 mark. I had to carefully consider three timepieces that fell roughly around $1,500 each and that would make a well-rounded three-watch collection: a dress watch, a sport watch, and a wild card seemed like obvious ...

Introducing - The Zenith Chronomaster Original Paris Edition with Verdigris Dial Monochrome
Zenith Chronomaster Original Paris Edition Jun 30, 2026

Introducing - The Zenith Chronomaster Original Paris Edition with Verdigris Dial

Paris is the inspiration behind this latest special edition again, but Zenith has done it differently this time. In 2024, the brand took cues from the city’s modern architecture and combined it with the sharp lines of the Defy Skyline Paris Edition. This time, however, Zenith has chosen its vintage-inspired El Primero watch, resulting in […]

Hands On: Greubel Forsey Balancier QM SJX Watches
Greubel Forsey Balancier QM Partly Jun 29, 2026

Hands On: Greubel Forsey Balancier QM

Partly a new watch, partly a manifesto, the Greubel Forsey (GF) Balancier QM inaugurates the brand’s Qualité Musée (QM) designation, which codifies its approach to world-class construction and finishing. Building on the Balancier Contemporain platform, GF has succeeded in refining its ‘entry level’ time-only watch, which comes in a 39.6 mm white gold case and is limited to 33 pieces. Initial thoughts The Balancier QM feels immediately familiair. It should, since it borrows much of its architecture from the recently-discontinued Balancier Contemporain. But what it lacks in novelty, it makes up in execution. In fact, the brand could hardly have picked a better way to inaugurate its official quality standard, dubbed Qualité Musée (QM). Without complications or chronometric fanfare, the Balancier QM’s design puts finishing at the forefront. The self-proclaimed ‘museum quality’ standard would sound brash coming from most brands, but it feels reasonable coming from GF. This ambition is evident throughout the Balancier QM. Even if the branding were blinded, the quality of make will be obvious to future generations of restorers, who will be able to tell immediately that the Balancier QM was never a commodity item. Even if they miss the escape wheel, which is polished on both sides, the artfully rounded pallet stones should catch their attention. On a technical level, the Balancier QM is an evolution of the Contemporain and doesn’t break much new ground. It’s st...

The Best Summer Watches: Ben’s Five Picks From Orient Star, Longines, Fears, Hermès, And Richard Mille Fratello
Richard Mille Well Jun 29, 2026

The Best Summer Watches: Ben’s Five Picks From Orient Star, Longines, Fears, Hermès, And Richard Mille

Well, this week in the UK, and much of central Europe, sits firmly in the grip of an intense heatwave. Honestly, I’ll take a cold, wet day over this any time. Still, summer is here, and the vibes are unavoidable. So, let’s look at some watches that can handle the heat across different price points. […] Visit The Best Summer Watches: Ben’s Five Picks From Orient Star, Longines, Fears, Hermès, And Richard Mille to read the full article.

The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar Returns With A 70-Day Power Reserve Fratello
Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Jun 27, 2026

The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar Returns With A 70-Day Power Reserve

Vacheron Constantin continues its quest to revolutionize the perpetual calendar complication with the 2026-upgraded Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar. The revolutionary aspect here lies in its power reserve, which can last up to 70 days. This is not a novelty but a continuation of the efforts made for the 2019 GPHG Innovation Prize winner, which […] Visit The Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Twin Beat Perpetual Calendar Returns With A 70-Day Power Reserve to read the full article.

Breguet Quartet for Tourbillon 225th Anniversary SJX Watches
Breguet Quartet Jun 26, 2026

Breguet Quartet for Tourbillon 225th Anniversary

Enjoying a new lease of life under chief executive Gregory Kissling, Breguet is continuing with the revamp and revival of its product range, this time marking the 225th anniversary of Abraham-Louis Breguet invention of the tourbillon. Breguet is rolling out a quartet of models for the occasion, starting with the compact and enthusiast-oriented Classique Tourbillon ref. 7357 that’s an old school 35 mm in diameter. That’s followed by variants of existing models. The Classique Tourbillon Sidéral ref. 7255PT takes things up a notch with a “mysterious” flying tourbillon and aventurine enamel dial, while the Tradition Tourbillon ref. 7047PT is a new look for the long-tenured model featuring a chain-and-fusee transmission. Lastly the Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante ref. 5887PT gains a translucent, luminous grand feu enamel dial. The enamel dial of the Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante ref. 5887PT features a Super-Luminova star chart Initial thoughts Breguet has steadily refreshed its current line up since Mr Kissling took over, while releasing a handful of all new models, like the innovative Experimentale 1. The new tourbillons mostly fall into the former category; all are based on existing models to varying degrees. Ironically, of the four new models, it’s the entry-level piece that’s arguably the most novel. The Classique Tourbillon 7357 is clearly based on the ref. 3350 of 1989, but it has a new case and dial (but retaining the small case size). The mov...