Teddy Baldassarre
Haute Horlogerie Demystified: What It Is And Isn't
We asked a few experts to help us weigh in on one of the most overused terms in watchmaking. More
36,223 articles · 163 videos found · page 600 of 1213
Teddy Baldassarre
We asked a few experts to help us weigh in on one of the most overused terms in watchmaking. More
Monochrome
Tourbillons have long been associated with traditional high watchmaking. Still, in recent years, we have seen quite a few of these appear in the more accessible segment, from Yema, Patria, or Louis Erard. Powered by a movement using the same technical base (developed by Olivier Mory) as the aforementioned models, Titoni now joins the bandwagon […]
SJX Watches
Last year Seiko let fans vote on which of four vibrant dial colours would adorn an upcoming diver, and the people made the right choice, picking this vibrant Daytime Blue for the Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver Fan-Selected HBC011. While a bit late to hit the beach, the latest 62MAS homage maintains all that was already good about Seiko divers, namely looks and tenacity, with key upgrades to the bracelet, for a reasonable price. Initial Thoughts Last year marked 6o years of Seiko diver’s watches, which can be traced back to the original 62MAS (refs. 6217-8000 and -8001) launched in 1965. Seiko let the many fans of its diver’s watches decide how to celebrate, giving collectors a choice of four colourways: Sunrise Orange; Daytime Blue; Late Afternoon Green; and Sunset Red. The online poll was open for the entire month of July, which was long enough for me “to get around to later” but short enough that it had already closed by the time I remembered to vote. Unsurprisingly, the trendiest colour, and the one I would have voted for, Daytime Blue, won. From left to right: Sunrise Orange; Daytime Blue; Late Afternoon Green; and Sunset Red. Seiko has disclosed no plans to bring the other three colourways to market at this time. The vibrant blue and stamped dial make the HBC011 stand out from the pack of 62MAS-inspired models, though it changes the character of the watch so entirely that this bubbly beach watch doesn’t feel like a 62MAS at all. Which is a good thing, as the mo...
WristBuzz
Jumping hours, a scrolling minute disc, and that unmistakable De Bethune savoir-faire - the DB25 Digitale is one of the highlights of Geneva Watch Days.
Monochrome
Christiaan van der Klaauw has been making mechanical astronomical watches since the 1990s, and the Planetarium is the defining complication of the Dutch manufacture. The first Planetarium wristwatch appeared in 1999 and featured what remains the world’s smallest mechanical planetarium. The complication has since been interpreted in numerous ways, most recently including the Grand Planetarium […]
SJX Watches
F.P. Journe and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco have announced the creation of the one-off Chronographe Fondation Prince Albert II De Monaco for the monarch’s upcoming charity auction. The Chronographe Fondation evolves the movement architecture of the Chronographe FB and adds the burgundy-and-bone livery that has become a calling card of the brand’s support for the Monaco-based charity. H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and François-Paul Journe. Image – F.P. Journe Initial thoughts The design is undeniably busy with a mix contrasting colours and fonts. Yet taste is almost beside the point, since rare F.P. Journe watches with striking dials are amongst the hottest watches in the world at the moment. It also arrives amid sustained demand for unique watches created for charity. While unlikely to match the expected result of the Rolex Daytona “Four Seasons” set, it combines several proven ingredients that should supercharge its value. Stylistically, the watch is consistent with F.P. Journe’s three prior creations for the Foundation: the 2018 Chronographe Rattrapante, the Chronomètre Optimum of 2022, and the Chronomètre à Résonance of 2024. The latter hammered for US$2.98 million, setting a lofty precedent. The similar Chronographe FB retailed for CHF90,000 in 2024, but this point of reference is purely academic — uniqueness and charity will determine the result, and the Resonance result suggests both can overwhelm any conventional sense of value. Burgundy...
Hodinkee
Last week, the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) announced the finalists for the 2026 edition of watchmaking's premier awards ceremony, which will be held in Geneva on November 7. Being a finalist has the potential to be a big deal for any participating brand, but it can be a watershed moment for small first-timers (of which there are a couple this year). It's also a list I've been waiting for with some anxiety. The winners of the 2025 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. Photo courtesy GPHG. This year, I'm lucky to be on the jury with 23 other journalists, collectors, and watchmaking industry members, including the jury's first-time president, Wei Koh. Among them are many talented friends and people whom I've gotten to know over my years in the industry, including Michael Tay (Group Managing Director of The Hour Glass in Singapore), Hind Abdul Hamied Seddiqi (CEO of Dubai Watch Week), the talented watchmaker Rémy Cools and incredible automaton maker François Junod, my friend Justin Hast, artist Wes Lang, and a few others. Without going on too long or being too saccharine about the whole thing, it really is quite cool to be on the jury with such smart and talented members. Nothing is without flaws, and like I'll get to in a moment, there are a lot of brands not competing that I would love to see in the mix. But one of the things that I think about a lot (and which goes unmentioned far too often) is the number of people putting their heart, soul, and tremendous a...
Monochrome
Since its founding in 1906 in Hamburg, Montblanc has built its reputation on luxury writing instruments. In 1997, Montblanc expanded its offerings to include watches. Bringing the two seemingly disparate worlds of fountain pens and mechanical watches closer together, Montblanc released the Nicolas Rieussec in 2008, a monopusher chronograph inspired by an 1821 inking chronograph […]
Worn & Wound
Hamilton is among a small cohort of watchmakers with particularly close ties to film. The brand’s watches have been a part of cinematic history from iconic moments in classic movies like James Bond’s Pulsar in Live and Let Die and Elvis Presley’s Ventura in Blue Hawaii to more recent releases like special edition Ventura models in the Dune franchise or a limited edition Khaki Field made for The Odyssey. In Hamilton’s contribution to cinema, its collaborations have been most significant with Christopher Nolan, the filmmaker behind The Odyssey, Oppenheimer, Tenant, and Interstellar. Among these projects, the pair’s work on the 2014 epic sci-fi film Interstellar has been the most enduring. It resulted in a cult edition of Hamilton’s Khaki Field dubbed the Murph after its crucial role in the plot on the wrist of Murphy “Murph” Cooper, the daughter of Matthew McConaughey’s character Joseph Cooper. The model went on to transcend its part in the film and become a permanent fixture in Hamilton’s catalog. The brand continues to build on this legacy with its latest expression of the Murph featuring a fittingly cosmic dial that echoes back to the model’s origins.The newest edition to the Murph family reprises the more accessible 38mm proportions as opposed to the larger, oversized 42mm build that made up the original edition. Like other models we’ve seen throughout the collection, it also offers the option of a stainless steel bracelet for a sportier look or a...
Deployant
With the recently concluded GWD26, we select some of our favourite watches from the event. Robin begins with his top 3 picks.
Monochrome
The Orion is one of Nomos Glashütte’s most formal series, with the restrained proportions and curved case design that have defined the collection since its introduction. The new Orion Gold Neomatik “New Black” pairs an 18k yellow gold case with a deep black dial and fine golden details. The combination relies on the contrast between […]
Monochrome
As Formula 1 arrives in Madrid this coming weekend for the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix, TAG Heuer, Title Partner of the race and Official Timekeeper of Formula 1, is using the occasion to bring its Carrera Chronograph Sport back into focus. The new series is an evolution of the 2020 Carrera Sport Chronograph, a contemporary, […]
Fratello
While the watch world was focusing on the events of Geneva Watch Days 2026, Rolex decided to drop a bit of news on us. The brand officially announced that it is preparing four unique Cosmograph Daytona watches for a charity auction in London on September 28th. Each watch takes inspiration from one of the four […] Visit Rolex Unveils Four Unique Cosmograph Daytona Watches For Charity Auction to read the full article.
Time+Tide
Awake and Time+Tide join forces to create quite possibly the most captivating dial in the FounderFest collection
Fratello
There is a specific feeling that comes from handling a new Tudor, one I have felt often enough now to trust it. It is the sense of a genuinely good design arriving at 90% finished, then stopping just short of the final step that would have made it unambiguously excellent. Of course, that doesn’t make […] Visit Does Tudor Have A “Design Tease” Issue? to read the full article.
Deployant
Roundup of the crazy week at GWD26, and will not be publishing today. But will return tomorrow with the Armchair Picks from our writers. Watch out for that!
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Hamilton has returned to the 38mm Khaki Field Murph with another variation, and this time the familiar Interstellar watch is getting considerably more color. The new Murph pairs the existing 38mm platform with a textured blue dial that darkens toward black at its perimeter. Hamilton says the dial was inspired by the glowing ionized gases surrounding an interstellar comet. If you ask me, that explanation feels secondary to the simpler reality: someone decided the Murph would look good in blue. I think they were probably right.
Time+Tide
With Geneva Watch Days in full swing, here you’ll find the most important new releases of the second part of the year so far. We’re covering the event live from Geneva and, frankly, spoilt for choice; the sheer number of watches launched this week has been staggering, so if a model or two is missing … Continued
Deployant
I went to visit my friend Vahé Vartzbed, CEO of Kerbedanz, and he showed me the new 65'27". Here is my hands-on impressions.
Deployant
M.A.D. 3 Vincent Calabrese is one of the stars of this year's show. I handled both Tribe version as well as the Raffle version. Hands-on impressions.
Fratello
The plan was simple: load the Subaru Forester, fold out the rooftop tent, and disappear for two nights at Frazer Beach, a small campground tucked inside Munmorah State Conservation Area on the New South Wales Central Coast, north of Sydney. The watch decision took considerably less thought than the packing list. A black-dial Seiko 5 […] Visit Why A Seiko 5 Is The Perfect Holiday Watch to read the full article.
Monochrome
The Oris Social Club is no longer a local initiative. With 62 chapters now established around the world, the community has become a truly international network of collectors, enthusiasts and friends. The new Oris Social Club Edition II celebrates that growth with a watch designed to unite all chapters rather than focus on a single […]
Fratello
A black-and-gold watch is hardly a new idea. It is one of those colorways that watch brands opt for whenever they want something to look slightly more serious, a bit more elegant, or simply a little more expensive. But that’s not what the new Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt is all about. The […] Visit High Five! Here’s The Daniel Roth Extra Plat Rose Gold Gilt, The Dress Watch’s Fifth Iteration to read the full article.
WatchAdvice
We take the new TAG Heuer Monza Flyback Chronograph hands-on to see how it brings 50 years of racing heritage into the modern era. What We Love Forged carbon makes the watch lightweight Heritage inspired dial design Flyback calibre delivers exceptional performance What We Don’t 50.85mm lug-to-lug can be challenging for smaller wrists with 15.22mm thickness, it remains noticeably substantial Chronograph pushers miss the forged carbon treatment Overall Rating: 8.6 / 10 Value For Money: 8.5/10 Design: 8.7/10 Wearability: 8.5/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 TAG Heuer has introduced the latest chapter in the Monza story just in time for Formula 1’s return to the legendary Italian circuit. This time, however, the Monza is returning to its roots. Created to celebrate the collection’s 50th anniversary, the new Monza Flyback Chronograph brings back the black, white and red identity that made the original 1976 model such an iconic design. It also combines contemporary elements from the 2023 Monza edition, which, in many ways, makes this new Monza a meeting of the timepiece’s past and future. The story of the TAG Heuer Monza first begins in 1971, when Heuer established a significant partnership with the Formula 1 racing team Scuderia Ferrari. This momentous relationship extended well beyond a conventional sponsorship between a watch brand and a racing team, as Heuer supplied Ferrari with its sophisticated Centigraph electronic timing system. This electronic timing system allowed...
Worn & Wound
While there’s often a large net cast over the art of enamel, the craft is actually quite nuanced. Enamel can take many forms outside classic grand feu, from cloisonne to champleve, plique-a-jour, flinque, paillonnee, grisaille, and contre-jour. However, even within traditional grand feu enamel work, there can be variations depending on the surface the enamel is applied to and the type of enamel (or enamels) used – both opaque and transparent. O&HoraPictor; is one of a small handful of brands dedicated to the artistic craft of enameling. Within its catalog, the brand is no stranger to spanning beyond grand feu and into other enamel applications. We see this in O&HoraPictor;’s latest limited edition release, the Duet.Aptly named “Duet,” the model showcases two enamel hues independently on a single dial with the primary color at the center, anchoring the handset, and the other more subtly framing it around the periphery. The metaphor continues further in two of the five editions – Submarine Canyon and Rhapsody – with the interplay between the two key components of the dial: the metal base where the enamel is applied and the enamel itself. Here, the foundation is laid with an engraved silver plate, creating a canvas with texture and depth to bring out the brilliance of the enamel shades. Tedious handwork begins here, requiring thousands of engravings to achieve the desired effect. Then comes the meticulous application of the enamel pigments.The enameling process st...
Hodinkee
Last year I took a trip to Swatch's Sistem51 factory, and many people seemed to enjoy getting a glimpse of the other side of watchmaking that we typically don't glamorize. Industrialization, in a way very opposite from classic watchmaking, is a different kind of technical art entirely. It's diametrically opposed to the philosophies of construction and finishing that you would expect from a classic watchmaker or brand, but as a result, that visit was one of the most interesting manufacturing sites that I've ever seen. I had no idea that I'd be back so soon, but then again, I certainly would have no idea that a collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet would be around the corner. So a little more than a year later, I found myself back in Biel, Switzerland, right outside of Swatch headquarters, making my way back to the Swatch Museum (still some of the most fun you can spend in a watch museum), the Swatch Drive-Through shop right outside of Swatch headquarters, and finally making the drive back out into the Swiss countryside to go see some Swatch factory sites. Of course, this time, it was in the hopes of seeing how things might have changed with the addition of the Royal Pop as a product on the factory lines. This trip wasn't all just déjà vu, however. In my visit last year to the ETA Sistem51 site in Boncourt, it just so happened that the ETA site in Grenchen, responsible for the production of Swatch's Bioceramic composite, was under renovation. They were in the mi...
Monochrome
Schwarz Etienne’s 1902 collection has evolved through a broad range of interpretations, including the Petite Seconde, Power Reserve and GMT models, all united by the Manufacture’s focus on in-house movement development and production in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The collection is a platform for trying out different functions and dial configurations while retaining its distinctive contemporary design […]
Today in store we have comedy legend (or legendary comedian, depending on who you ask) Kevin Nealon.Kevin is relatively new to the world of watches, but is looking for a watch that can easily be worn every day in a variety of scenarios. Check out the video to see what he ends up choosing!
Deployant
I had Michel Navas, one of the principals of La Fabrique du Temps to introduce the Rose Gold Gilt dial installed on the Daniel Roth Extra Plat.
Deployant
Gérald Genta releases a new version of their Minute Repeater with a magnificent Golden Obsidian dial. Here is our first impressions of handling the watch.
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.