Results for La Joux-Perret

W WatchAdvice

WatchAdvice

Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Aug 24, 2026

Revewing The Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Blue Sapphire: A Serious Watch That Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously

The Hublot Big Bang MP-11 forms part of Hublot’s Manufacture Piece collection, and for good reason. Now, it’s time to take it out for a test drive… What We Love The Water Blue colour is sensational in person The movement is Hubot showcasing what it does best The undeniable wrist presence What We Don’t It is a large watch, and not for those with smaller wrists The older-style rubber strap is not easy to get the perfect fit, when compared to the newer style Will be out of the price range for many watch buyers and is a substantial investment Overall Rating: 8.4 / 10 Value For Money: 8/10 Design: 9/10 Wearability: 8/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 There are some watches that look impressive in a press release, but when you finally see them in the metal, they somehow manage to be not as much. Then there are watches like the Hublot Big Bang MP-11 Water Blue Sapphire, where the opposite is true. The photographs give you an idea of what the watch is all about, but they really do not prepare you for what it looks like on the wrist. The MP-11 has always been one of Hublot’s more outrageous creations. First introduced in 2018, it was designed around a movement with seven series-coupled barrels and a 14-day power reserve, all packaged inside a relatively conventional Big Bang-style case. The Water Blue Sapphire version takes that already unconventional construction and places it inside a transparent blue sapphire case that allows almost every part of the movement to remain visi...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Minase Aug 24, 2026

The Evolution Of “Ultimate Simplicity” - Introducing The Minase Mastercraft J3

As time passes, you often accumulate stuff. Visualize what’s in your attic, and you’ll know what I’m talking about. Now, Minase is doing the opposite. The new J3 is a model inspired by the M3, but instead of adding details to that watch, Minase removes what it deems unnecessary. You’re looking at the evolution of […] Visit The Evolution Of “Ultimate Simplicity” — Introducing The Minase Mastercraft J3 to read the full article.

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W WristBuzz

WristBuzz

Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue: The Blue-on-Blue Limited Edition That Actually Works Aug 22, 2026

Czapek Promenade Transparencies Aqua Blue: The Blue-on-Blue Limited Edition That Actually Works

38 pieces, a fumé sapphire dial, and a colour palette that makes the movement part of the story

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T Teddy Baldassarre

Teddy Baldassarre

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Marks Aug 20, 2026

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe Marks 70 Years with 37mm Vintage Re-Edition

Marking the major milestone, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Edition delivers a period-accurate case size with modern specs.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

TAG Heuer Aug 20, 2026

Wei Koh and Guillaume Tetu Launch Legare with the Chapter 1 AGP Inverted

Just ahead of Geneva Watch Days, we see the debut of a new haute horlogerie brand, brought to us in part by Wei Koh, founder of Revolution and the Rake, and a longtime fixture in the watch media landscape. The new brand, Legare, was founded by Koh and Guillaume Tetu, a watch industry veteran who counts Hautlence as well as TAG Heuer and Ralph Lauren on his resume. Koh and Tetu are incredibly well connected professionally, and the first watch out of the gate for Legare reflects that particularly well – this is the product of a lot of collaboration between many partners, and has plenty of pure watch nerd DNA in its inspiration as well.  The brand’s first watch is the Chapter 1 AGP Inverted, and takes inspiration from a rare pocket watch made by Albert-Gustave Piguet, who would ultimately become well known in the watch industry for his work on the Lemania 2310 caliber. But the watch that Legare credits with shaping the Chapter 1 is a pocket watch he created while a student at the Vallee de Joux School of Watchmaking in 1932, when he was just 17 years old. That watch featured two large split bi-metallic balance wheels, whose rates were averaged by a differential. According to Legare, only six total examples of this pocket watch were completed.  Legare’s conceit in making the Chapter 1 is essentially an answer to the hypothetical question of what if Piguet’s idea behind this movement had continued to evolve? This is an entirely original movement architecture (and diff...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Aug 20, 2026

Introducing: Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe 70th Anniversary Limited Edition

What We Know The 1950s were big years for Blancpain—first in 1953 with the introduction of the Fifty Fathoms, then a few short years later in 1956, when the Bathyscaphe arrived as a "civilian counterpart" as diving gained popularity. Revived in 2013, it's remained a core part of the modern Fifty Fathoms lineup ever since. We're not strangers to the Bathyscaphe here at Hodinkee, either—we teamed up with Blancpain on our own limited edition back in 2019. Today, to mark the Bathyscaphe's 70th anniversary, Blancpain is releasing a 300-piece limited edition that takes inspiration from the 1968 reference and updates it in all the right ways. The homage to the '68 piece is evident at a quick glance; the first thing I noticed was the vintage Blancpain logo, which sets the tone for what the brand is trying to do here. The sunburst meteor grey dial is lifted straight from the 1968 piece as well, as are the baton hands and indexes in 18k white gold, both filled with a vintage-colored Super-LumiNova that gives the lume a warmer, aged look straight out of the box. The steel bezel extends into a ring at the base of the box crystal—another detail pulled directly from the '68 watch—and its ceramic insert with lacquered numerals swaps out the original's black hesalite. That same fidelity carries through to the case. At 37.4mm in stainless steel, it's sized to match the 1968 piece on which it draws inspiration, rather than the smaller 35mm case Blancpain used on the original 1956 Ba...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Roger W. Smith Aug 19, 2026

Essays: Georges Daniels At 100 And A Personal Reflection By Roger W. Smith OBE

On the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary horologist and watchmaker Dr. George Daniels CBE, Hodinkee is honored to publish an essay from Daniels protege and friend, Roger W. Smith OBE, who has taken up the mantle of continuing the legacy of Daniels and his method of watchmaking. The bond between the two of them, though decades apart in age, has revitalized the rich legacy of British watchmaking. After the article, we'll share excerpts from an interview with Smith about his relationship with Daniels. — Hodinkee George Daniels at 100, A Personal Reflection by Roger W. Smith OBE On 19 August 2026, Dr. George Daniels CBE would have celebrated his 100th birthday. For most people, a centenary is an opportunity to look back. For those of us fortunate enough to have known him, it is also an opportunity to reflect on ideas that remain remarkably relevant today. The George Daniels Grand Complication from 1987. Throughout his lifetime, George made just twenty-four pocket watches and two wristwatches. I remember chatting with him on the opening night of his 'Retrospective Exhibition' at Sotheby's in 2006. Before the exhibition cases had been filled, he told me he had been sitting beside the assembled collection of his life's work. It fitted into just two A4-sized foam-lined metal trays. Yet those twenty-six watches contained ideas that fundamentally changed modern mechanical timekeeping. Few, if any, watchmakers have produced so little, yet influenced so much. "The Blue...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Seiko x Tradman's Bonsai Presage Aug 18, 2026

Introducing: Seiko x Tradman's Bonsai Presage Classic Series

What We Know It may not always come as a surprise when Seiko releases a new collaboration, at least in the abstract. Still, it is always exciting to see just who Seiko has chosen to partner with, and what that partnership can turn into. This time, Seiko has paired itself with Tradman's Bonsai, a Japanese creative collective whose mission is to celebrate and continue exploring the traditional art of Japanese Bonsai through both the creation of Bonsai spaces and the pursuit of collaborations with brands in the street culture, fashion, and art worlds. The result here is the latest addition to Seiko's Presage line, Seiko's dressier alternative to other, more technical watch families likeProspex. It's also the line Seiko often uses to celebrate heritage Japanese aesthetics and artistry, making it a perfect canvas for Seiko to honor Bonsai, an art form that involves growing, cultivating, and shaping small-scale trees with rigorous dedication and precision. With this watch, Seiko has evoked Bonsai trees in several ways, most clearly with the introduction of a new dial color and texture. Inspired by the bark of aging pine trees, the new pattern gently spirals outward from the center of the dial and is paired with a deep green gradient treatment and a dual-curved sapphire crystal with an AR coating on the inside. A 38mm stainless steel case with a fluted bezel and yellow-gold-tone finish houses the dial and the watch's 6R51 movement, a time-only automatic from Seiko with a 72-hour ...

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Nomos Club Campus Full Rose Aug 17, 2026

Hands-on - The Summer Vibes Of The Nomos Club Campus Full Rose and All Olive

Do you know many brands that embrace colour as confidently as Nomos Glashütte? Watchmakers often introduce brightly coloured dials as limited seasonal releases, yet Nomos has made them part of its identity, particularly within the Club Campus collection. We have seen everything from Future Orange and Absolute Grey to Starlight and Night Sky, Nonstop Red […]

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Grand Seiko Book Aug 17, 2026

Recommended Reading: ERG’s “Grand Seiko” Book Is How Modern Brand Books Should Be Done

Over the past few weeks, I've been taking a slightly overdue look through a backlog of recent acquisitions for my library. As I pointed out recently in a story on Taschen's "Ultimate Collector Watches," buying more books scratches the knowledge-acquisition part of my brain while saving me from writing a check the watch-collector side of my brain can't cash. Yes, I already have a few bins full of books lying around, and piles around the living room. But New York apartment sizes be damned, I'm acquiring more books. I recently had a spinal fusion and, while I'm recovering just fine, I'm still sorting out how to photograph watches without bending or twisting for a few months. All the books in my backlog are under 10 pounds (just barely), so my doctor can't get mad at me for lifting. So I'm going to turn this into a short weekly column to go through some books I have that deserve coverage. And the first one I picked up (both originally a few months back and again, for this column) was the succinctly titled and gorgeously produced "Grand Seiko" by ERG Media published earlier this year. As an official Grand Seiko-approved product, everything carries the brand's (often exacting) seal of approval. But it's also anything but a sanitized and soulless look at a brand's heritage and history. Instead, "Grand Seiko" weaves a beautiful look at watches and watchmaking with Japan's culture and landscape, and Grand Seiko's New York flagship. But first, you've got to appreciate the packaging....

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Ming accident Aug 17, 2026

Sheffield Unveils a Chronograph for a Great Cause

If you’ve attended a recent Windup Watch Fair in Chicago, there’s a very good chance you’ve run into Doug LaViolette. Doug is the founder of the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation, a Wisconsin based watch enthusiast, and honestly one of the nicer people you’ll encounter in this hobby. For years, the scholarship foundation named for his late son has raised money for over 1,200 scholarships for students across the United States and abroad, and now a new watch from Sheffield, a limited edition of just 95 pieces, will help in the cause.  Before we get to the watch, it’s important to have some context and understand the story behind it. Brian LaViolette was given his first watch at the age of four. It was a Green Bay Packers themed watch, and it kicked off a fascination with watches and watch collecting that would last until his life was tragically cut short at the age of 15 in a swimming accident. The LaViolette family founded the scholarship foundation shortly after Brian’s death, and Doug’s own watch enthusiasm continues in earnest to this day.  Sheffield is a natural choice as a collaborator for the LaViolette family. For starters, there’s some geographical proximity. Founder Jay Turkbas grew up in Minneapolis, and that is where his fascination with watches began. There is also some symmetry in the origins of Sheffield as we know it today. The original incarnation of Sheffield, a historically British brand, was the maker of the first watch Turkbas eve...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Citizen Series 8 880 GMT Aug 16, 2026

The Citizen Series 8 880 GMT Turns You Into a Local, Twice Over

Ask me about my current favorite Citizen models, and I’ll quickly point to the brand’s Series 8 watches. It’s Citizens’ collection of modern mechanical watches that falls somewhere between the high-end “The Citizen” line and the brand’s affordable offerings. The Series 8 collection was unveiled in 2021, and two years later, the brand added the […] Visit The Citizen Series 8 880 GMT Turns You Into a Local, Twice Over to read the full article.

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Rolex Gérald Genta Aug 15, 2026

The ABCs of Time - The History of Metal Bracelets for Wristwatches

With few exceptions, metal bracelets are a 20th-century phenomenon, really surfacing in the 1920s as wristwatches became a cultural and fashion phenomenon. Three names are generally recognised as part of the rise of contemporary bracelets – Rolex, Gérald Genta and Gay Frères – although there’s much more to the story, and the latter arguably plays the […]

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Louis Vuitton Go Aug 15, 2026

The Petrolhead Corner - Singer and Louis Vuitton Go To Extremes With Two Bespoke Porsche 911s

Collaborations between watch companies and other industries come in all shapes and sizes, and extend well beyond the usual realms of fashion and art. We’ve seen pretty much anything we’d say, but every now and then, one comes along that surprises us, regardless of how natural the connection might be in hindsight. One such collaboration […]

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Cartier Bebe Guillotine Aug 14, 2026

Bring a Loupe: An Alpina-Gruen Techni-Quadron, A Universal Genève "Eric Clapton," A Cartier "Bebe Guillotine," And More

You're halfway through August, Baller. August. The mind positively reels that yesterday saw the first pre-season NFL games, and soon enough even pope-themed hats and baseball games will be in the rearview, and we'll be pulling coats from closets (for those of us in the northern latitudes, anyway). Scorekeeping from last week—the Zodiac Poor Man's Heuer sells tomorrow, the Seiko 7018 passed, and the JLC Master Calendar Meteorite is still available, as is the Patek 5000R. For those who want to know more about the 5000, I strongly encourage you to read this phenomenal article by Edouard Henn on Collectability about the model, which I would have linked last week had I been bright enough to know it existed. Strays Photo courtesy of Interencheres. This Tissot Antimagnetique is worth a serious look, even though it's missing its second hand. Certainly, we'll all be missing plenty of original parts when we're as old as the watch (also, as cool as the model is, it's not so precious that its value would be dinged too much by sourcing a close-enough replacement). If that Harwood from last week's strays got your attention, here's another lovely one. Cartier Pashas have never quickened my pulse, but man oh man, this one's got its hooks in me. Solid gold Polerouter? Solid gold Polerouter. Speaking of gold, this Gubelin is both a) nothing all that special and b) impossibly beautiful, and if those gold offerings still aren't enough for you, fine, here's a Patek 3800/1 from 1995 that come...

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W WristBuzz

WristBuzz

Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve gets a light blue dial Aug 13, 2026

Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve gets a light blue dial

Longines refreshes one of its most quietly interesting re-editions with a light blue opaline dial. Still 38mm, still the same central power-reserve rotating disc, still the silicon-hairspring L896.5. €3,950 on strap, €4,050 on bracelet.

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Limited Aug 12, 2026

Introducing: The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph Limited Edition Inspired By Zandvoort For The Final Dutch Grand Prix

What We Know This one is orange. That's the news here, really. It's a bit shocking to think that since TAG Heuer's reintroduction of the mighty Formula 1 with an updated Solargraph movement, back in early 2025, in part to mark its return as the official timekeeper of the top-level motor sport race series, they have yet to release a model with an orange color scheme. Well, they have now, and I'm here for it. (And if you haven't read the great Jeff Stein's in-depth story on the surprising origins of the Formula 1, I implore you to stop what you are doing and click here).  It's with relief that we welcome the latest iteration of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph. It comes as a limited edition in two versions: one on a rubber strap, the other on a metal bracelet. The orange, grey, and red colorway is ostensibly a tribute to the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, a seaside track on the Dutch coast near Amsterdam. The race weekend, beginning August 21, will be the last Dutch Grand Prix—at least in its current iteration. Best known internationally via the Dutch national football team's kit, orange is a beloved color in the Netherlands, tied to the Dutch Royal Family and the House of Orange-Nassau. A TAG watch resplendent in orange (or oranje in Dutch) seems a fitting tribute to the final F1 race in the home country of Max Verstappen, the lead driver for Red Bull Racing - also sponsored by TAG Heuer.  The watch features an orange uni-directional timing bezel, orange cha...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

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...

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M Monochrome

Monochrome

Aug 8, 2026

The ABCs of Time - When and Why Did We Start Measuring Seconds?

The seconds hand was a bit late to the party, as original pocket watches only featured an hour hand – movements were so inaccurate early on that even minute hands weren’t considered. Two key inventions changed the game in the mid-17th century, with one genius behind them. In 1656, Dutch scientist and horologist Christiaan Huygens […]

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Tudor Experience Aug 7, 2026

Rally for the Ages: A Tudor Experience in the Cotswolds

Saturday, 11 July, 11:56AM. “30 Seconds” the timekeeper announces above the fluttering idle of the MG’s 4-cylinder dual carbureted motor. It’s not even midday and I am sweating. Part of it is the epic heatwave hitting Britain and the rest of Europe. Part of it is nerves. “15 Seconds” reminds the timekeeper. I’ve long shaken off the drowsiness from a poor night’s sleep. The cheers from Cole and the rest of the crows representing Tudor fade as concentration takes over. I glance back down at the route book in my lap. Test one is a simple task- only a dozen or so cones and a few slaloms to navigate in the span of a single minute. Simple. I am already feeling the pressure. Shortly, it’s going to get a lot more complicated. “10 Seconds”. Jacob, the driver, looks over at me and clutches in and slots the car into first gear. No words are needed in these precious few seconds. We know what we need to do. I’ve already synchronized the Tudor Ranger 39mm on my left wrist to the exact time of day- in case I forget to reset the stopwatch. A highlighter in my left hand, a pen in my right. Left page- my landmarks, intersections, and signposts. Right page-my time and distance benchmarks.  “Five. Four. Three. Two. One. GO!” Jacob gives it gas and clutches out. As the MG leaps forward, my nerves vanish and what little instinct I’ve picked up in the last 15 hours have kicked in. The scream of the MG’s engine tells me it’s about to kiss redline. Jacob executes...

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T Time+Tide

Time+Tide

Aug 7, 2026

Famed artist Alec Monopoly rage baits the watch community with splashes of paint

Listen, I won’t pretend Time+Tide is not in the engagement business. Punchy, punny headlines and tasty watch photography and video drive clicks, likes, and shares, and allow us to keep doing what we are doing. But I am proud to say we have never really engaged in horological rage bait. Speaking just for myself here, … Continued

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W WatchRider

WatchRider

Casio F-91WF Watch Aug 7, 2026

The Lightweight Casio F-91WF Watch on Cloth-Strap

The Casio F-91W does not need a complicated introduction. It is one of the simplest digital watches you can buy and one of the easiest to recognise. The new F-91WF collection keeps that familiar formula but changes the part that has the greatest effect on comfort and character: the strap. Instead of the usual resin band, each watch comes with a lightweight cloth strap made from recycled PET. There are three models in the collection. The F-91WF-1A is black, the F-91WF-2A is navy blue and the F-91WF-3A is olive green. The case colour is matched to the strap on each version, so none of them looks like an ordinary F-91W with a random replacement strap. They feel like a complete collection with three clear personalities. Why the F-91WF is more than a strap change The cloth strap is the main news but it is not only a visual detail. Casio describes it as lightweight, comfortable, resistant to scratches and resistant to stains. It should also feel less rigid than a resin strap, especially during hot weather or when the watch is worn for a full day. Its recycled PET material gives the range a practical environmental benefit without changing the affordable and uncomplicated nature of the F-91W. The strap fits wrists from 145 to 215mm. That broad range matters because the case itself is very compact. It measures 38.2mm from top to bottom, 35.2mm across and only 8.5mm thick. Each version weighs just 21 grams. On the wrist it should almost disappear, which remains one of the strongest ...

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Aug 6, 2026

Hands-On: Laps Leaps into New Territory with the Arche, their First Mechanical Model

What started as a fashion watch brand a decade ago is making a leap into more traditional watchmaking territory. Laps has introduced its first mechanical model, the Arche as part of a new Studio Series. The collection consists of four iterations, two with simple textured dials and two that take on one of classic watchmaking’s key artforms: enamel. The dial is arguably the main focus of nearly all watches. It conveys the most pertinent information and serves as the aesthetic centerpiece. When French designer and art collector Antonin Mercie created Laps in 2016, he took the emphasis on the dial a step further – this would not just be the core focus of the watches but the core focus of the brand. Examples of watches from the Laps “Signature” collection The base of the original Editions models varies slightly but overall carries a vintage aesthetic hailing from the funky eras of 70s and 80s watchmaking. Both the Prima and the Signature cases are rectangular, with the former being slightly smaller and squarer at 28mm by 23mm and the latter slightly larger and more rectangular at 35mm by 26mm. Each is topped off with the option of a leather strap or bracelet whose design is aligned with the retro theme, mimicking a stretch bracelet in texture but presented in a traditional manner with a buckle closure. Powering the models in the Editions series are straightforward, time-only quartz movements. All of this lays the foundation for the star of the show – the dials – whi...

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W WatchRider

WatchRider

Cartier Tank Alternative Timex has Aug 6, 2026

Timex 1976 Lexington Reissue Inspired Is a Sharp $149 Steel Cartier Tank Alternative

Timex has taken the 1976 Lexington Reissue Inspired in the direction I wanted most: away from gold tone and into polished steel. The new TW2Y88200 keeps the compact rectangular shape, vertically brushed silver dial and Roman numerals of the earlier model, then adds metallic blue hands for a little contrast. It is currently listed as a $149 pre-order in the United States, which puts it firmly in the part of the market where a good design matters more than a prestigious logo. A rectangular watch with the right instincts I am a fan of rectangular watches because they make even a simple time-only watch feel considered. A round case can hide lazy proportions. A rectangle cannot. Every line is visible: the width, the length, the dial margins, the shape of the numerals and the relationship between case and strap. That is why the Cartier Tank remains such a powerful reference point, and why an affordable watch needs more than Roman numerals to feel convincing. Timex’s silver dial, blue hands and Roman numerals look clean. This Timex is not trying to be a counterfeit Tank. It earns its place as a nice alternative because it uses the same broad language of a slim rectangular case, an orderly dial and a leather strap, then keeps a personality of its own. If you enjoy this corner of watch design, I have also ranked the Cartier Tank alternatives that have stayed in my collection. The Lexington belongs in that conversation because it offers a clean steel option at a price that makes o...

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H Hodinkee

Hodinkee

Tudor Aug 6, 2026

Hands-On: Two Wild Dials From Ming, With The "Peepshow" and J.N. Shapiro Collaboration "Lightning"

You could easily argue that Ming is a materials and manufacturing incubator masquerading as a watch company. Lume that glows white. The lightest ever mechanical watch. The world's first 3D-printed titanium bracelet-strap hybrid. All of these are associated with pretty incredible products, but, to some extent, I think it's fair to say the watches themselves are vehicles for showcasing cool innovation. That's not to say the watches are anything but great. But on occasion they're solutions looking for a problem. I kind of love the brand for it. That kind of innovation also extends to dial making, where Ming has recently released two really interesting dial-making exercises in their collaboration with J.N. Shapiro for the 37.06 "Lightning" and standalone 29.06 "Peepshow." I recently had the chance to go hands-on with a few novelties from Ming. The brand, of course, had a great coup when the 37.09 "Bluefin" beat Tudor and a few others for the best sports watch at GPHG in 2024. They followed up with the 37.09 Uni, which I would say is their most practical release of late. The 56.00 "Starfield" is pretty wild but not to my taste, so I gravitated toward covering the two more dial-focused releases of this year (and their LW01 lightweight watch, which will get a future story on its own). It seemed fitting to start with the Ming x J.N. Shapiro 37.06 "Lightning," since I was actually photographing Shapiro's most recent release the same day. And boy, is the watch stunning in person. Th...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty Aug 6, 2026

The Perfect Laureato? Hands-On With The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty With A Rose-Gold Dial

Last year, I had the honor of testing the new Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty in bi-color prior to its release. It’s a tricky thing to walk around with a watch that isn’t out yet, but luckily, I live in a small village where the risk of it being spotted is rather low. Back then, I was […] Visit The Perfect Laureato? Hands-On With The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty With A Rose-Gold Dial to read the full article.

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W WatchRider

WatchRider

Fossil Aug 5, 2026

Luxury Look, Accessible Price: Why the Fossil Harwell is the Perfect Ralph Lauren Stirrup Alternative

A few years ago, my friends gifted me the Fossil Harwell ES5267. From the moment I opened the box, I was absolutely captivated. I have always loved the color green, especially when paired with gold, and this watch executes that combination flawlessly. But beyond its stunning colorway, it stands out for another reason: it is arguably the best affordable alternative to the luxurious Ralph Lauren Stirrup Small. If you love the quiet luxury and equestrian heritage of the Ralph Lauren Stirrup but can’t justify the designer price tag, the Fossil Harwell captures the exact vibe.  The Appeal of the Stirrup Shape The stirrup case design immediately draws the eye. Instead of traditional lugs, the strap typically passes through the upper loop of the case, integrating the watch seamlessly onto the wrist. It’s a silhouette that feels both vintage and contemporary, perfect for adding a touch of tailored elegance to any outfit. It is a bold, instantly recognizable case shape that acts as a piece of statement jewelry just as much as a timekeeper.  The Inspiration: Ralph Lauren Stirrup Small To understand the appeal of the Fossil Harwell, we first have to look at the titan that inspired this aesthetic: the Ralph Lauren Stirrup collection. Introduced at SIHH in Geneva in 2009, the Stirrup collection perfectly captures Ralph Lauren’s deep equestrian heritage. The Stirrup Small features an iconic stirrup-shaped silhouette, measuring 27.7 x 29.3 mm, and often houses high-end Swiss mov...

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F Fratello

Fratello

Norqain Freedom GMT Enjoy Life Aug 5, 2026

Introducing: The Norqain Freedom GMT Enjoy Life “Holiday” Limited Edition

Norqain delivers its latest feel-good hit of the summer with the new Freedom GMT Enjoy Life “Holiday” Limited Edition. Part of the brand’s Enjoy Life series, this travel-themed release embraces the relaxed mindset that accompanies the Northern Hemisphere’s warmest months. A colorful world map spans the dial, rendered in the familiar pastel shades seen on […] Visit Introducing: The Norqain Freedom GMT Enjoy Life “Holiday” Limited Edition to read the full article.

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W Worn & Wound

Worn & Wound

Louis Erard Partners Aug 3, 2026

Louis Erard Partners with Brilliant Earth on the Jeweler’s First Watch Collection

Louis Erard has been making collaborative watches for years. In fact, you can pretty easily point to limited edition collaborations as a venture that has sustained the brand over the last several years, and made them newly relevant to a broad spectrum of enthusiasts and collectors. Their collaborations tend to follow a familiar, tried and true format. For the most part, they work with established, often higher end, independent watchmakers, and graft the design signatures of those watchmakers onto various Louis Erard platforms, most often their Regulator. The list of collaborators at this point is extensive, with names like Chaykin, Kudoke, and Vianney Halter contributing to Louis Erard’s ongoing project. Their latest, though, is a little different. The Solstice Collection, a line unveiled last month with Brilliant Earth, represents a new approach, and takes Louis Erard’s name off the dial entirely.  Brilliant Earth is a jewelry brand founded in 2005 that has gained traction for their commitment to transparency in the sourcing of their precious metals and stones. Their public face is one focused on sustainability, and are known to use recycled precious metals as well as lab grown diamonds in their engagement rings and other jewelry. The Solstice Collection represents their first watch line.  The Solstice Collection consists of two watches, Summer and Winter. They are built on Louis Erard’s La Petite Seconde platform, and feature 39mm stainless steel cases and run on...

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S SJX Watches

SJX Watches

Breguet s Pendule à Trois Aug 3, 2026

In Depth: Breguet’s Pendule à Trois Roues

The pendule à trois roues — three-wheel pendulum [clock] — was Abraham-Louis Breguet’s radical answer to a fundamental horological question: how much could a clock be reduced without sacrificing precision? On the February 3, 1788, A-L Breguet walked into the Académie Royale des Sciences on the rue Saint-Jacques and deposited a sealed envelope. A clerk assigned it the number 267. He told no one what was inside. The practice of the pli cacheté was well established in French scientific culture. An inventor who deposited a sealed description with the Académie secured a dated record of priority without surrendering the technical details to competitors. Breguet used it rarely, and this was the only time he used it for a clock. The envelope sat in the Académie’s archives through the Revolution, the Empire, the Restoration, the July Monarchy, and two more republics. It was still there nearly a century later, on December 5, 1881, when Louis Breguet, the founder’s grandson, asked for it to be opened. Inside was a description of a clock movement built around three wheels. By that point, the pendule à trois roues had been made in fewer than a dozen examples over roughly 23 years and had passed largely out of active horological discussion. The unsealing was a formality. The clocks themselves had already made their own argument, revealing another side A-L Breguet’s genius as an inventor. The idea and its ancestry The intellectual territory Breguet was entering in 1787 ...

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