Hodinkee
Introducing: The Final Baltic MR, With Two Different Black Dials And Gem-Set Moissanite Bezel
Baltic says goodbye to a great model with a glossy black dial and a splash of bling.
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Hodinkee
Monochrome
Introducing - The Baltic MR Moissanite Final Edition
Baltic was founded in Paris by Étienne Malec and launched via Kickstarter in 2017 with a captivating duo of 1940s-inspired models. Onwards and upwards, the brand now has over ten collections under its belt, many with an emphasis on mid-20th-century aesthetics, and keeps prices in check by outsourcing movements and assembling them in Besançon, France. […]
Worn & Wound
Baltic Closes Out the MR Collection with a Moissanite Bezel Limited Edition
I have a very clear memory of the time period around the launch of the Baltic MR01 collection, the first in their ongoing series of micro-rotor powered dress watches. It felt like a turning point for the brand, who up until then was really known as a heritage inspired sports watch microbrand. The MR series was a real left turn, and there was excitement around it across the watch community. The use of a micro-rotor powered automatic movement in a watch well under $1,000 was completely novel, and it signaled that Baltic had ambitions well beyond iterating on classic sports watch DNA. The intervening years have proven that out, as the brand no longer occupies such a narrow niche. If you had told me in 2021 that only a few years later my favorite Baltic would be their take on a cocktail watch, complete with stone dials, I never would have believed you. The new MR Moissanite closes a chapter for Baltic. We’re told this is the final MR to be released in the current format, and that a refresh is coming. If that’s the case, Baltic has chosen to close out this incarnation of the MR with its most ostentatious execution to this point. The two dial variants seen here each feature bezels set with baguette cut moissanite gem stones, linking these watches in style and philosophy to the 1970s inspired Prismics linked above. Moissanite, for the uninitiated, is a lab grown diamond alternative first introduced in the late 1990s. It has many physical qualities that are very similar to...
Teddy Baldassarre
The 18 Best Japanese Watch Brands For 2026
Before we get into the best Japanese watch brands for 2026, let's discuss Japan's role in watchmaking. Outside of Switzerland, Japan is probably the best-known watchmaking country, producing some of the world’s best watches in every category and at nearly every price point. When most people think about Japanese watches, their thoughts still likely envision mostly inexpensive and mostly quartz-powered watches from well-known, mass-market brands like Casio, Seiko, and Citizen. and to be sure, Japan is rightly regarded as a value leader in the global watch market, led by inexpensive but wildly popular and collectible watches like Casio's G-Shocks and Seiko's classically styled, automatic diver’s watches like the SKX series. However, Japan is also an excellent source for watches in the mid-level, luxury, and high-watchmaking categories, from both the country's handful of major players as well as from exciting, younger independent brands. [toc-section heading="Seiko"] At this point, Seiko is synonymous with Japanese watchmaking. The company was founded in 1881 by Kintaro Hattori and got its start by selling and repairing watches and clocks. Just 11 years later, Hattori started producing clocks and then pocket watches, followed closely by the company’s, and Japan’s, first wristwatch in 1913. The 1960s was a period of rapid growth for the company. Not only did Seiko introduce the first Grand Seiko watch and also Japan’s first dive watch, but the firm also gained interna...
Fratello
Inclusive Exclusive Watchmaking - What’s It All About?
You can be a fan of Van Gogh while knowing you will never, ever have one of his works hanging on your wall. Can you be a fan of watches while being aware that you can’t afford the objects of your desire? Yes, you can, but only if you can let go of the concept […] Visit Inclusive Exclusive Watchmaking - What’s It All About? to read the full article.
Fratello
Fratello Talks: Different Approaches To Buying Your First “Serious” Watch
For many of us, there’s a clear line between the watches we liked and the first one we considered “serious.” Maybe it was the first mechanical piece we bought with our hard-earned money. Maybe it was the first watch that required actual research, comparison, and a deep breath before hitting “confirm order.” In today’s episode […] Visit Fratello Talks: Different Approaches To Buying Your First “Serious” Watch to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Grand Seiko’s Smallest High-End Quartz Models Yet
Grand Seiko has installed its high-end quartz calibre 9F in a 33 mm stainless steel case with fan-favourite textured dials, making one of the most advanced analogue quartz movements available in the smallest and slimmest format to date. The compact proportions of the Grand Seiko Heritage Collection Quartz 33mm “Snowflake” SBGX359 and “Skyflake” SBGX361 are possible thanks to a new member of the 9F family: the cal. 9F51. Though smaller, the new calibre retains all the technical bells and whistles of this class-leading quartz platform. Ref. SBGX359 (Snowflake). Initial thoughts While Grand Seiko’s quartz models are generally known as good value propositions, with the cal. 9F in particular representing a lot of movement for the money, that has generally been less true of the brand’s smaller models. These maintain the brand’s standout case and dial work but with relatively pedestrian cal. 4J movements. Though above average in terms of quality and technology, the cal. 4J lacks the torque necessary to accommodate the exceptionally large and refined hands found on most Grand Seikos. Ref. SBGX361 (Skyflake). Given the brand’s recent emphasis on Spring Drive technology, seemingly at the expense of battery-powered quartz movements, that seemed unlikely to change. In this context, this duo is a pleasant surprise, with more likely to follow, and offers a no-compromise Grand Seiko experience in a smaller size without the high price tags of the ladies automatic line. A ...
WatchAdvice
Review: The New Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Oceania Limited Edition
To celebrate the partnership with the World Surf League, Breitling has released a new SuperOcean Heritage Oceania limited edition in 42mm and 36mm, the perfect summer watch pair! What We Love The white dial is great for summer Blued hands and indices are a really nice touch The new Milanese bracelet is super comfortable on the wrist What We Don’t The domed crystal is still an issue, but less so with the white dial No comfort adjust on the bracelet for the warmer days A rubber strap option could have been a good inclusion as well Overall Rating: 8.75 / 10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Design: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 9/10 According to the latest data, around 85% of Australians live no further than 50km from the coast. And the majority of those are based on the East Coast. We are an island nation after all, with most of the interior of the country uninhabited. So, for those reading this who live in Australia, the ocean isn’t a backdrop; it’s a way of life for many. From the long, rolling breaks of the Gold Coast to the raw, reef-lined coastlines of North Queensland, to the rugged beaches down south. We, along with our New Zealand cousins, love the sand and surf. So it is no surprise that the Breitling SuperOcean is a great-selling watch in this part of the world. Originally conceived in the 1950s as a professional dive watch with a distinctly elegant edge, the SuperOcean Heritage has since evolved into something broader: a watch that speaks to ocean cultur...
Worn & Wound
Citizen Introduces the Promaster Land GMT
So vast and varied is the Citizen lineup, that it’s easy to miss new releases, even when they definitely shouldn’t be missed. It’s that breadth and diversity of models that make Citizen such a storied brand, and two new Promaster models are fresh on the scene to add even more flavor. The Promaster Land GMT touts travel-ready capabilities of the Promaster Air GMT, but focuses it on grounded robustness instead of pilot task-managing. All of that sounds complicated, but really boils down to aesthetics, materials, and sizing. With two dial color options, the Promaster Land is burly and simple, but bold enough to catch some attention on the wrist. Both models feature a 39.5mm stainless steel case with a fixed 24-hour GMT bezel, giving the watch a muscular, no-nonsense silhouette, whether on the provided bracelet or strap. Even numbers receive the numeral treatment on the bezel, with indices marking the odds. The crown sits at 6 o’clock, matching the date window, and providing a standard, balanced profile that appears almost soft, given the dimensions of the case, and the typeface used. The two dial colors reflect the practicality-first design ethos of the Promaster Land: red and blue, or reference BJ7150-50W and BJ7150-09L respectively. Both feature the same detail accoutrements, with large, effortlessly visible white numerals and hour, minute, and second hands, and a yellow, arrow-tipped GMT hand. A relatively subtle minute track circles the dial, but doesn’t dra...
Teddy Baldassarre
Seiko Launches Three Speedtimers With New Dial Colors
I still vividly remember the first time I saw the Seiko Speedtimer SSC813. It felt like one of the most deliberate and thoughtful nods to the brand’s 1960s and 1970s sports timekeeping heritage. Nicknamed the “Seitona” (no prizes for guessing why), it wore its classic panda dial with absolute confidence, easily earning itself a spot among some of Seiko’s most attractive sports watches ever made. Even better, it delivered those heritage-inspired racing aesthetics without the premium price tag associated with a Daytona. Now Seiko introduces a new triumvirate to the Speedtimer lineup: the SSC961, SSC963, and SSC965. This trio of Prospex watches draws from the angular sports cars of the 1980s and 1990s, showcasing distinctive shades of white-silver, sandy salmon, and mint green. But can these experimental colors of the new Seiko Speedtimer "Youngtimers" as they've come to be known capture the same motorsport DNA that made the beloved panda chronograph such a standout? [toc-section heading="Three New Dials"] The dial is unequivocally the soul of the new Seiko Prospex Speedtimer watch. In all three references, it sets the stage for a tri-register layout in the usual 3-6-9 arrangement. Here, the “Youngtimer” models embrace a nuanced and highly experimental palette. Each model features a 24-hour counter at 3 o’clock, balanced by a running seconds sub-dial at 9 o’clock. Nestled between the two is the 60-minute chronograph register at 6 o’clock, combined with a pow...
Worn & Wound
Hands-On: the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier
There are two types of watch reviews I particularly enjoy writing. One is a review for a watch that is truly bonkers. Something either outrageously expensive, avant-garde in its design sensibilities, off the beaten path and kind of rare, or some combination of all of the above. These are the types of watches I personally gravitate towards as a collector (well, not the outrageously expensive part, but the rest of it) and I find that typically I have an awful lot to say about them. It’s fun to write these reviews because it feels like I’m sharing my actual enthusiasm for something in a really pure and direct way. The other type of review I like to write is for watches that are basically on the opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to my taste. It’s a challenge (if not necessarily fun in the same way) to write about a watch that brushes up against my own biases. It’s a useful exercise as a writer to evaluate something that is outside of your wheelhouse and comfort zone. And it certainly makes for better and more interesting copy than writing about a watch that is simply generic, neither a challenge to your taste or something you’d plunk down the credit card for to purchase yourself. The new watch from Jack Mason is, for me, decidedly in that second category, a watch that I can tell from one photo is objectively nice and will have a strong following among enthusiasts, but is just not the type of thing I typically go for. The new Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier i...
Worn & Wound
Opinion: I Stopped Buying Watches - The Grass Isn’t Greener
There is nothing more effective than the swap of a digit on the calendar to send the whole world into self-reflection mode. As we collectively adjust to a six that replaced a five, many of us have the best intention of making changes that stick around long enough to see that six turn into a seven. Personally, I find there is no better exercise to guide new resolutions than to take stock of the old ones. Non-watch related, dry January turned into dry 2025, and I’m down two links (normal people measure progress in pounds, but bracelet size has become my preferred watch nerd metric). I resumed progress on that half-finished MBA that’s been hanging over my head, and I spent more time playing board games with my kids than the year before. Watch-specific, after five years of constant buying and selling, I decided to go an entire year without purchasing any new watches. Even though it was a lofty goal and one that collectors seeking change often fantasize about without following through, I actually managed to spend 2025 without a substantial #NWA (new watch announcement) post on Instagram. In full transparency, I did pick up a couple of cheap vintage quartz pieces. But us watch enthusiasts have clever ways of rationalizing why certain purchases don’t count (I think we can all agree G-SHOCKs fall into this bucket), and I’m pretending like those pickups don’t exist. After all, neither were “new” and one has already found a new home. During this prolonged period of...
Time+Tide
If an original decade Reverso is your grail, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘The Collectibles’ has you covered
Zach interviews Matthieu Sauret, Jaeger-LeCoultre's Head of Product & Heritage, to get more insight into JLC's vintage curation programme.The post If an original decade Reverso is your grail, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘The Collectibles’ has you covered appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Hodinkee
The Oris Yangtze Jiangtun Limited Edition
An interesting porpoise for this new release with a mother-of-pearl dial.
Fratello
Introducing: The Bianchet UltraFino Monaco - More Than Just A New Colorway
The latest addition to Bianchet’s UltraFino lineup is closely tied to the world of electric powerboat racing. In practice, though, the UltraFino Monaco stands comfortably on its own. Even if, like me, you don’t actively follow the E1 Series or Team Monaco’s exploits on the water, there’s plenty here to appreciate about the UltraFino Monaco […] Visit Introducing: The Bianchet UltraFino Monaco - More Than Just A New Colorway to read the full article.
Fratello
Back To Basics: How To Evaluate A Vintage Watch And Avoid Buying A Dud
Welcome back to another installment of Back to Basics, our series aimed at newcomers to the watch hobby. This time, I will share some tips on how to evaluate a vintage watch and avoid buying a dud. This article is aimed particularly at those looking to buy their first vintage watch. As always with Back […] Visit Back To Basics: How To Evaluate A Vintage Watch And Avoid Buying A Dud to read the full article.
Monochrome
Hands-on - The Appealing & Compact Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date 0 Oxygen 38mm
There are many objects that come to mind when you mention the word Montblanc, starting with high-end writing instruments, leather goods, and, since 1997, watches. As a brand that has always been associated with Europe’s highest mountain, thanks to its white star logo representing a bird’s-eye view of the snow-capped peaks of Mont Blanc, Montblanc’s […]
Fratello
Introducing: Eight Curated Reverso Watches From The 1930s
Oldies but goldies. Reverso watches from the 1930s comprise Jaeger-LeCoultre’s fifth capsule collection of The Collectibles. As you can see, this time, the focus is squarely on the brand’s iconic model, the reversible Reverso, originally launched in 1931. All eight watches were fully authenticated and restored in the brand’s restoration workshop in Le Sentier, Switzerland. […] Visit Introducing: Eight Curated Reverso Watches From The 1930s to read the full article.
SJX Watches
An Openworked Wonder by Molnar Fabry
The Classic Tech Art is the latest, bespoke time-only piece from independent watchmaking duo Molnar Fabry, and a fine example of the pair’s modus operandi. Starting off from a Vaucher cal. 5401 ébauche, the watchmakers applied extensive finishing to both seen and unseen surfaces within the movement. While this exact configuration is unique, similar designs can be commissioned from the Slovakia-based creators. Initial thoughts Molnar Fabry’s calling card is open-worked movements and the Class Tech Art doesn’t disappoint in that respect. While the case back side of the movement is richly engraved but structurally unaltered, the tastefully open-worked dial reveals the usually hidden assemblies that make the Vaucher calibre tick. The duo behind Molnar Fabry operates outside the influence of many Swiss watchmaking traditions. As a result, the brand’s house style of finishing is somewhat unorthodox. Mixes of metals are on show, along with a rich blend of textures and shapes. The style might not be to everyone’s tastes, but Molnar Fabry’s work feels refreshingly original in today’s market. The two watchmakers shift the focus from proprietary movements and high-tech specs to true hand finishing. That said, the Classic Tech Art exemplifies a more streamlined vision of the brand’s design language, opting away from the excessively ornate cases the brand has produced in the past. This may point towards them going more mainstream - at least to the extent that a b...
SJX Watches
Hands On: Louis Vuitton Escale Worldtime
One of Louis Vuitton’s most distinctive complications, the Escale Worldtime was recently revised and upgraded, giving it improved legibility and an in-house movement. The nips and tucks have given the watch a sleeker, more refined aesthetic, while making the technicolour dial more readable. It’s still far from a “tool” watch, but the second-generation Escale Worldtime has all of the charm of the original that’s now grounded in solid, credible watchmaking. Initial thoughts I’m biased because I am a fan of the original Worldtime, right from when it was launched in 2014. The original was decidedly impractical, way too expensive, but an imaginatively different take on the classic Louis Cottier world time. The new model has all of the appeal of the original, but with a superior execution in substance and form. The new version has smoothed out all of the rough edges of the original, quite literally in some respects. The case is now finer, with more refined lines and a gently domed crystal, for instance. Functionality has improved substantially with a hand for the minutes and a jumping hours display. And the movement is now a latest-generation calibre, part of a family of industrial-haute horlogerie movements developed by LFT that is an achievement on its own. The LFT VO12.01 movement features a 22k pink gold rotor with a guilloche rim The Escale Worldtime costs over US$90,000, or about 10% more than the Patek Philippe World Time ref. 5330G in white gold. The Escale, ...
Teddy Baldassarre
Universal Genève Polerouter Review: The '50s Icon Returns
The Universal Genève Polerouter is probably the most historically significant watch that enthusiasts of a certain age have never heard of. Okay, maybe that's overstating it, but the watch is certainly less, well, universal in its claim to icon status than several other, more well known models that debuted later. And yet, if it weren't for the Polerouter, which came out in the mid-1950s and which afforded an opportunity for a young, precocious watch designer to make his first mark on the industry, we may never have had the opportunity to experience some of those 1970s models that came later. Intrigued? Read on. [toc-section heading="Universal Genève History (1894 - 1950s)"] Despite the “Genève” that has become attached to the company’s name, the firm originally known as Universal Watch traces its roots to a smaller Swiss city, the village of Le Locle (also home to Ulysse Nardin, Zenith, and Tissot), where it was established in 1894 by watchmakers Numa-Emile Descombes and Ulysse-Georges Perret. Descombes died a few years later, and Louis Berthoud, one of the company’s most talented watchmakers, rose from the ranks to become Perret’s partner in 1897. The pair moved operations to Geneva in 1919, forging the company's modern name and identity. The firm became known for chronographs, and eventually produced both pocket watches and trench watches (pocket watches converted to wristwatches for soldiers in the field) for armies on both sides of the two World Wars. O...
Monochrome
Hands-on - Timex MK1 Automatic, a Faithful and Truly Accessible Take on the Military Watch Genre
Timex has been on a roll in the last few years, returning to mechanical watches after a decades-long hiatus. Quartz watches still dominate the portfolio, of course, ever since the brand first ceased mechanical production in 1982. A renewed focus on mechanical collections at lower and mid-tier levels began in 2017 after the 1960s-era hand-wound […]
Worn & Wound
Five Watches I’m Looking Forward to Seeing at British Watchmakers’ Day 2026
For the third year in a row, the Worn & Wound team will be heading to London in March for British Watchmakers’ Day. This event, in a very short period of time, has become one of the premier events on the watch enthusiast community’s calendar. A total of 48 UK based brands will be exhibiting at this year’s event, and just like last year we expect there will be collector gatherings and meetups both planned and more informal happening throughout the weekend across London. This, of course, is just a thing that happens when watch collectors converge as they will on March 7. As has been the case over the last two years, a big part of the story of British Watchmakers’ Day is likely to be the limited edition releases presented by brands and made available for sale on the day of the event. This year, 26 brands are expected to launch limited editions that you can purchase and take home with you as a memento of the big day. For the first time, the event organizers have stipulated that any limited edition launched on the day of the show be made in an edition of not more than 50, a move to protect the exclusivity of these releases to show attendees and to ensure that all of the LEs collectively amount to something genuinely limited in scope. We will of course have coverage on the ground in London when the show gets underway, including live photos and social media coverage of as many limited editions as we can get on our wrists. But for now, here are five British Watchmakers’ ...
Teddy Baldassarre
The Best Watches For Women All Budgets - Over 35 Watches Mentioned
A lot of women collectors we know have pieces made for men and unisex pieces. we want to look at watches that are labeled more as women’s pieces by the industry, as we talk about those other watches quite regularly, and want to talk about pieces we don’t highlight as frequently. We are watch enthusiasts, so most of th
Teddy Baldassarre
Best Bronze Watches for 2026
If there is one element of watch ownership that speaks to the human psyche more than almost any other, it's the notion that what you wear is unique to you. And it's true, there simply isn't another watch out there with your dings in the case or your aged strap. No material creates such allure through the aging process as bronze. And watch designers have known this for some time. With wear, your bronze watch case will evolve far quicker and more obviously than any steel case (swimming in salt water really speeds things up!). Bronze is a copper alloy generally containing around 12% tin. Its discovery dates back several millennium BC. Before giving way to cheaper iron and stronger steel, the Bronze Age lasted almost three millennia. Bronze possesses a number of advantageous properties. And the versatility of its application has continued its use right up to modern day. One of those properties is its resistance to salt water corrosion. Typically, when exposed, bronze only oxidizes at the surface, forming a protective layer over the underlying metal. In the past, this made bronze the material of choice for boat and ship fittings. (Prior to the wide employment of stainless steel.) It also featured in early diving equipment. More recently, it has spurred a growing trend of tool watches. Not all bronze watches are created equal though. That’s why we’ve put together this hand-picked selection of some of, what we feel are, the best bronze watches for 2026 - enjoy! [toc-section h...
Fratello
Introducing: The Niton Prima - A Historical Watch Brand Returns To The Scene
Not too long ago, we saw almost a flurry of historic watch brands revived. Just when this trend seems to have died down somewhat, here we have Niton. A house originally dating back to 1919 and since lost to history (more on that later) makes a comeback today. This debut results in the aptly named […] Visit Introducing: The Niton Prima - A Historical Watch Brand Returns To The Scene to read the full article.
Deployant
Hands-on Review: the new Louis Vuitton x De Bethune LVDB-03
Louis Vuitton's project with independent watchmakers is now in Chapter 3. Here is our review of the Louis Vuitton x De Bethune LVDB-03 Louis Varius Project.
Fratello
Why My First Speedmaster Had To Be The Calibre 321
Having been a part of the Fratello team for more than five years, I suspect some people might find it mildly shocking that it’s taken me this long to add a Speedmaster to my collection. With Fratello being so closely associated with the mighty Speedy, not owning one almost felt sacrilegious. The truth is simpler. […] Visit Why My First Speedmaster Had To Be The Calibre 321 to read the full article.
Time+Tide
What’s the difference between a “caller” and “traveller” GMT watch, and which is right for you?
We explain the difference between the two main types of GMT watches, as well as the use cases for each.The post What’s the difference between a “caller” and “traveller” GMT watch, and which is right for you? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Fratello
Introducing: The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour “Celestial” Limited Edition
This year marks 180 years since Fears Watch Company Limited’s foundation in 1846 and a respectable 10 years since its reestablishment by Edwin Fear’s great-great-great-grandson, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill. That means there’s a good reason for a celebration, and following the announcement of the Brunswick 40 “1846 Edition” in January, the British brand keeps the ball rolling […] Visit Introducing: The Fears Brunswick 40.5 Jump Hour “Celestial” Limited Edition to read the full article.