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Results for Tungsten Carbide Watch Cases

21,469 articles · 233 videos found · page 677 of 724

An Amateur Astronaut: How A Mark II Speedmaster Racing Reinforced My Love of Oddball Omegas Worn & Wound
Omega s Jul 14, 2026

An Amateur Astronaut: How A Mark II Speedmaster Racing Reinforced My Love of Oddball Omegas

For better or worse, but likely worse, I have always attempted to be an iconoclast. When the iPod debuted, I eschewed it for an oddball Korean MP3 player, which I loaded up with nu-metal at a time when all my fellow high school students were evolving into emo kids. I shamelessly drive a 38-year old Saab instead of the Porsche that I thought I could own by this age. And it’s a mentality that has extended into my watch enthusiasm as well: whenever the perennially popular Omega Speedmaster Professional sometimes seems like one of the only watches that exists among enthusiasts and lifestyle publications alike, I look at Omega’s adjacent, oddball chronographs that were in development around the same time as the moon landing.  Such as the Flightmaster: an Omega chronograph which also has an enviable space legacy, hewn from a single block of Swedish steel, same as the aforementioned Saab.    View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Blake Z. Rong (@bzrong) But it’s the Speedmaster’s sequel that commands my attention: once envisioned as a permanent successor to the Moonwatch, the Mark II Speedmaster is as bold as any seventies chronograph, worthy of the original’s lofty aspirations.  I came across this watch at Theo’s Haberdashery, a recently-opened vintage shop that highlights vintage Americana. Think woolen pennants for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Playboy matchbook covers, turquoise jewelry and custom-rolled cigars, complete with a 1950s Dodge flatbed truck parke...

I’d Give It All Up For You: The Yellow Gold Rolex Daytona 126518LN With A Turquoise Dial Fratello
Rolex Daytona 126518LN Jul 11, 2026

I’d Give It All Up For You: The Yellow Gold Rolex Daytona 126518LN With A Turquoise Dial

Something got me started. In fact, it was Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazário, who was attending the FIFA World Cup. He was wearing the yellow gold Rolex Daytona 126518LN with a turquoise dial, which debuted last year at Watches and Wonders. My first thought was, “Why are you wearing ‘my’ watch?” It was a rather […] Visit I’d Give It All Up For You: The Yellow Gold Rolex Daytona 126518LN With A Turquoise Dial 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...

Studio Underd0g’s Second-Generation 02Series Becomes An Even More Seriously Fun Collection Fratello
Studio Underd0g Jul 6, 2026

Studio Underd0g’s Second-Generation 02Series Becomes An Even More Seriously Fun Collection

Three years ago, Richard Benc and his Studio Underd0g brand released the 02Series collection. The design was based on the iconic Dirty Dozen field watches, with the addition of Studio Underd0g’s typical playful sauce, of course. That resulted in four versions, all of which shared the same layered dial construction. Except for the matte black […] Visit Studio Underd0g’s Second-Generation 02Series Becomes An Even More Seriously Fun Collection to read the full article.

A Brief History Of The Seiko Astron GPS Solar - Including Some Of The Best Models Made So Far Fratello
Seiko Astron GPS Solar — Jul 4, 2026

A Brief History Of The Seiko Astron GPS Solar - Including Some Of The Best Models Made So Far

Time from space. The light-powered Astron GPS Solar, which Seiko launched 14 years ago — this article is indeed a brief history of the Seiko Astron Solar GPS, not the groundbreaking Astron from 1969 — was the world’s first wristwatch to use satellite signals to set the correct time automatically. A 47 × 16mm case […] Visit A Brief History Of The Seiko Astron GPS Solar — Including Some Of The Best Models Made So Far to read the full article.

Watching Movies: Hamilton Outfits Two Central Characters In Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day' Hodinkee
Hamilton Outfits Two Central Characters Jul 1, 2026

Watching Movies: Hamilton Outfits Two Central Characters In Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day'

We're in the thick of summer now, and with it comes days at the beach, ice cream trucks, and perhaps even a trip to the movies for the summer blockbuster, which this year is Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day. The film opened to $44 million domestically and has climbed to $195 million after three weeks in theaters. Hamilton has used the occasion to continue its nearly century-long tradition of working with filmmakers, outfitting two of the film's central characters with watches of their own. Disclosure Day follows a race between those trying to reveal a long-hidden truth and the forces working to keep it buried. In the film, Josh O'Connor's Dr. Daniel Kellner wears a Khaki Field Mechanical, while Noah Scanlon, another central character, is played by Colin Firth and wears a Jazzmaster Open Heart. Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm. Why We're Watching Disclosure Day marks the first time Hamilton has placed a watch in a film directed by Spielberg—he produced, but didn't direct, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which means this is new ground for a relationship that's typically run through Christopher Nolan. Notably, there likely isn't a watch to be found in Nolan's highly anticipated The Odyssey. Josh O'Connor in Disclosure Day. Photo courtesy of Hamilton. That history with Nolan is worth dwelling on, because it's arguably the high point of Hamilton's film work. Interstellar gave us "The Murph," the Hamilton Pilot's Watch worn by Matthew McConaughey's Cooper across de...

Introducing: Breguet Celebrates the 225th Anniversary of the Tourbillon with Four New Releases, And the Return of a Collector Favorite (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Breguet Celebrates Jun 26, 2026

Introducing: Breguet Celebrates the 225th Anniversary of the Tourbillon with Four New Releases, And the Return of a Collector Favorite (Live Pics)

The year was 7 Messidor Year IX—or for those who don't follow the French Republican Calendar, June 26, 1801. After years of intense study and experimentation and some correspondence with his friend John Arnold (who similarly experimented with the concept before his death in 1799), Abraham-Louis Breguet was granted a 10-year patent for the "tourbillon." By 1829, Breguet and his workshop would only make 40 watches with the regulating organ, which was designed to eliminate positional errors and distribute oil (which often thickened in place), thereby lubricating parts more evenly. A Breguet four-minute tourbillon watch with échappement naturel, which sold at Sotheby's last year for CHF 1,880,000. Photo courtesy Sotheby's. Well, Abraham-Louis Breguet (and John Arnold) would be proud of how far the concept of the tourbillon has come—he may even be spinning himself if he saw some of the things that have happened with the tourbillon, like Alfred Helwig's invention of the flying tourbillon, let alone the first tourbillon wristwatch—and how many of those concepts have been integrated into watches made under his name. Add to that the fact that Breguet annually makes multiple times the number of his lifetime production, and it's just pretty cool how far things have come in 225 years. The Breguet Experimentale 1, which was launched late last year. The 10Hz, 1-minute tourbillon was one of the most extreme tourbillons ever made. Exposition out of the way, Breguet is celebrating t...

Hands On: Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee” SJX Watches
Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 Jun 26, 2026

Hands On: Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee”

Tudor surprised with an off-season launch in the form of the Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee”. Coming just two months after Watches & Wonders 2026, the Bumblebee is one of the brand’s outstanding debuts for the year (so far), alongside the atypical Monarch. The Bumblebee is essentially a scaled-down version of the original Black Bay Chrono, which was excellent but half a size too large. Now it’s almost just right, but unquestionably good enough, especially since the downsized chronograph still retains the same high-spec movement and affordable price tag. Initial thoughts I’m a fan of the Black Bay Chrono; I own two earlier iterations of the model. Tudor got everything right with those, except for the size, which was a little too big for the design. The Black Bay Chrono 39 scales it down noticeably, enough that the watch is just right. The case is still a little thick (inevitably due to the movement), but the overall package has been refined to a point where it’s difficult to improve it much more, especially with the constraints of price and the MT5813 movement. The MT5813 is probably the top movement in this price range in terms of features and construction, but it is relatively thick. Still, the thickness is forgivable given the quality of the movement and the price. I certainly hope Tudor rolls out new variants of this chronograph as yellow is not for me, but I rate this highly in terms of proportions, wearability, and of course value. At US$6,725, the Black B...

Grand Seiko Launches Four New References In The Updated Evolution 9 Hi-Beat Collection Fratello
Grand Seiko Launches Four New References Jun 24, 2026

Grand Seiko Launches Four New References In The Updated Evolution 9 Hi-Beat Collection

Here we are, just a couple of short months after Watches and Wonders 2026, and Grand Seiko is pressing the launch button in a major way. Today, we’ve got live photos of the refreshed Evolution 9 collection, which encompasses five new Spring Drive and four new Hi-Beat models. This is one of the most important […] Visit Grand Seiko Launches Four New References In The Updated Evolution 9 Hi-Beat Collection to read the full article.

Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet Join Watches & Wonders 2027 Worn & Wound
Breitling Universal Genève Jun 23, 2026

Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet Join Watches & Wonders 2027

As the summer begins, next year’s Watches & Wonders (and the larger trade show agenda) is beginning to take shape. News broke this morning that Watches & Wonders will be adding several new brands to their show, which is slated for April 5-11 in Geneva, and will once again be held at Palexpo. The big story is that House of Brands, the new group fronted by Georges Kern including Breitling, Universal Geneve, and Gallet, will have space at Watches & Wonders 2027. Breitling has never participated in Watches & Wonders, but for as long as the show has existed, the brand has held parallel events in Geneva or events timed just before the show itself. Now they will be in the thick of it, along with their two sibling brands in a newly formed luxury group, each sitting at different ends of the market. We covered Universal Geneve’s return here. Gallet, to this point, has not made any announcements as far as products or availability, but they are expected to sit at a price point a tier below Breitling.  The Breitling news comes a week after the surprise announcement of an entirely new show to be held in Basel next year. The new fair, Basilia, is set to debut in April and is a product of MCH Group and Informa Markets. According to a press release, Basilia expects to attract more than 400 exhibitors, including “manufacturers, designers, brands, retailers, wholesalers, distributors and sourcing specialists from around the world.” No word yet on any specific brands that have signed...

Textile Textures: Seiko Brings ‘Tomioka Silk’ to the Presage SJX Watches
Seiko  Brings ‘Tomioka Silk’ Jun 23, 2026

Textile Textures: Seiko Brings ‘Tomioka Silk’ to the Presage

Seiko’s Presage series has long been the brand’s standard-bearer for affordable dress watches, and the latest Presage Classic Series ‘Tomioka Silk’ celebrates Japan’s 19th-century silk industry, which earned a UNESCO World Heritage designation in 2014. With an easy-wearing 38 mm case and an enthusiast-oriented no-date format, the ‘Tomioka Silk’ collection spans four colourways including an on-trend pistachio green flavour dubbed wakatake-iro. The embossed dial pattern results in a silk-like texture shimmer Initial thoughts Seiko’s Presage Classic Series has been treating watch collectors to a tour of historical Japanese hand crafts, with dials made from materials like Arita porcelain and urushi lacquer. The ‘Tomioka Silk’ collection toes a similar line, but uses a clever optical illusion to simulate the shimmer of the region’s famous silk more convincingly than past editions. While real silk dials do exist, they are understandably uncommon. Seiko’s time-tested approach to textile-textured dials involves embossing a metal dial with a pattern that, at arm’s length, resembles the source material, such as linen, or in this case, Tomioka silk. HCC002 Most watch brands would call this concentric multi-lobed motif ‘guilloche‘, but Seiko correctly avoids this term, choosing instead to emphasise the silk-like visual presentation of the stamped pattern. The dial quality is quite good for the price, which barely breaks four figures. I understand Seiko’...

Happenings: Join Us For Our Hodinkee Happy Hour In NYC This Week Hodinkee
Jun 22, 2026

Happenings: Join Us For Our Hodinkee Happy Hour In NYC This Week

We've had a fantastic response to our happy hour series, which we launched this year, and we're keeping the momentum going into the summer! The next installment will take place at Grotta Local on Thursday, June 25. Located a few blocks away from our office, it's a Hodinkee staff favorite. We'll have the entire restaurant and bar for some great drinks, food, and watches.  Our Editor-in-Chief, James Stacey, will be there, along with members of the Hodinkee team. Whether you've been to several of our events or this is your first, we'd love to have you! It's a great, casual way to get to know members of the Hodinkee team and the watch community here in New York City. Date:Thursday, June 25, 2026, 4:30 - 6:30 PM Location:Grotta Local177 Mulberry StreetNew York, NY 10012 Click here to RSVP. 

Hands-On: the Slomo Glance Worn & Wound
Jun 22, 2026

Hands-On: the Slomo Glance

First impressions leave a lasting mark, which is why packaging can matter so much. I don’t typically start a hands-on article by discussing packaging, but with the Slomo Glance, it really got things off to a good start. The box is a simple, natural-colored craft paper-wrapped card/heavy stock with a simple black print, which I love. So much, in fact, that the strap boxes for our Model 2s have been made this same way for several years. Regardless, the box, which is several inches long, a few inches wide, and just a hair over one inch thick, features the brand’s logo in large print spanning most of the box’s length, with the central, extended O split down the middle. Though there are no instructions on the box, the design is intuitive and clearly opens by sliding these apparent covers off to expose the inside. As you begin to slide the covers off, you are treated to a pleasant graphic surprise: the inner box has lines that align with the O, creating the illusion that it is being stretched as you pull the covers. Additionally, text appears saying “hurry up and slow down.” It’s fun and clever, making you excited for what you’ll find. With the outer covers off, a new cover is revealed and lifted by a black ribbon, finally exposing the watch within. I’ll get to the rest in a bit… It doesn’t happen that often anymore, but sometimes I just see a new watch by a new brand, think it’s cool, and say, “Hey, can you send one over?” Something about the watch jus...

Hands On: Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Annual Calendar SJX Watches
Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Annual Calendar Twenty Jun 22, 2026

Hands On: Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Annual Calendar

Twenty years since the original Venus’s debut, Dutch independent Christiaan van der Klaauw (CVDK) upgrades the concept with the Venus Annual Calendar featuring a stellar automatic movement and an austere new “astronomical” dial. The Annual Calendar supplements the more traditional Venus Zodiac, which shares the same 38 mm case and upgraded base calibre. Initial thoughts The next generation of CVDK’s Venus comes in two flavours that act as foils to each other, pitched by the brand as representing astronomy and astrology. While the Zodiac variant is a familiar blue aventurine glass affair, much like the original Venus launched back in 2006, the instrument-like white Annual Calendar version is new to the Venus family. Western sun-sign astrology divides the sky into 30° slices, each named after a constellation such as Virgo or Scorpio, with whichever slice the sun occupies being the current sign. CVDK’s planetariums normally include both an annual calendar and the 12 signs of the zodiac, so dropping the latter might seem like a loss for an astronomical watch. The duo would make an ideal set, but are currently only solid individually. However, these popular sun-signs do not match the actual locations nor sizes of the constellations. For example, the slice marked ︎ for Cancer actually contains the Gemini constellation, while Sagittarius (︎) accommodates Sagittarius and Scorpio. In some ways, the zodiacs were just bloat, and separating the two makes both watches st...

The Best Summer Watches: Daan’s Picks From Tissot, Sinn, Tudor, Grand Seiko, And Daniel Roth Fratello
Grand Seiko Jun 20, 2026

The Best Summer Watches: Daan’s Picks From Tissot, Sinn, Tudor, Grand Seiko, And Daniel Roth

This article comes right on time, as tomorrow marks the official start of summer here in Amsterdam. Besides, temperatures are already rising well above 30° Celcius here these days, so it’s the perfect moment to think about which watches I’d like to take with me on my family’s summer vacation to the southwest of France […] Visit The Best Summer Watches: Daan’s Picks From Tissot, Sinn, Tudor, Grand Seiko, And Daniel Roth to read the full article.

Hands-On: The Ressence Type 11 Hodinkee
Ressence Type 11 Jun 19, 2026

Hands-On: The Ressence Type 11

At a glance, the Ressence Type 11, which launched earlier this year at Watches and Wonders, might feel like every other Ressence. That's kind of the point. Distinct as it is within the collection, the Type 11 keeps the brand's visual language intact while changing what's underneath it. The biggest change is under the hood—it's the first Ressence to feature the brand's own integrated caliber, replacing the usual combo of an ETA base with Ressence's Orbital Convex System on top. Before we get to more on that, let's take a look at the Type 11's exterior. The 41mm by 11mm case, in grade 5 titanium, continues the trend seen in many of Ressence's recent releases toward more compact cases and feels like an evolution of the Type 9, in a sense. A fully polished, almost tonneau-shaped case features a short 45mm lug-to-lug measurement, while the lack of downturning of the lugs means the case still maintains quite a bit of presence on the wrist. On the Type 11, the lack of a bezel means the dial and crystal extend to the edges of the 41mm diameter. It's this kind of seamless visual effect that has lent models like the Type 1 and the Type 3 a distinctively futuristic look, and here it works very well with these lugs. Water resistance is bumped up to 3 ATM (as opposed to the typically "splash resistant" rating of its non-dive watches). On the dial side, we get the satellite display that Ressence is best known for, showing the hours, running seconds, and a power reserve indicator withi...

First Look - Certina Doubles Down with the New DS Super PH2000M Sea Turtle Consverancy (Incl. Video) Monochrome
Certina Doubles Down Jun 17, 2026

First Look - Certina Doubles Down with the New DS Super PH2000M Sea Turtle Consverancy (Incl. Video)

Certina has a very long legacy in keeping watches safe from the effects of shocks and water, dating back to the Double Security system introduced in 1959. This has remained a key element in the brand’s watches, which it expanded last year with the DS Concept Extreme Shock Resistance system. Doubling down on this legacy, […]

Happenings: The Patek Philippe Museum Celebrates 50 Years Of The Nautilus With A Special Museum Exhibition Hodinkee
Patek Philippe Museum Celebrates 50 Years Jun 17, 2026

Happenings: The Patek Philippe Museum Celebrates 50 Years Of The Nautilus With A Special Museum Exhibition

If you have ever been through Geneva but missed visiting the Patek Philippe Museum, you have missed the full horological experience. We should be thankful to the recently departed Mr. Philippe Stern, who passed away earlier this week, for leaving a legacy that extends not just to the work he did at Patek Philippe (of which his family has been caretakers of for generations) but also for providing a beautiful and robust celebration of watchmaking history through the Patek Philippe Museum. The space on Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers houses some of the most historically significant watches, not only from the storied brand's past but also from the broader history of watchmaking in Switzerland and abroad. And from June 2026 to early 2027, the museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of their most important, influential, and coveted models: the Nautilus. Photo courtesy Patek Philippe. I've been to the museum a number of times, and the Nautilus has never taken a particularly prominent place in any display. With hundreds, if not thousands, of Patek Philippe watches on display, many of them unique, many of them complicated or artistically oriented, the Nautilus is truly only a small part of the brand's history. But it's also been the avenue through which the brand has reached its broadest audience, and the watch has made a massive impact on popular culture at large. So it's a watch worth celebrating. Patek is doing so in the way that feels most "them," with a very historically mi...

Hands-on - The Revival of a Charming Chimer with the Angelus Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater Monochrome
Angelus Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater Jun 13, 2026

Hands-on - The Revival of a Charming Chimer with the Angelus Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater

Unveiled by Angelus at Watches & Wonders 2026, the Tinkler 1958 Quarter Repeater is a re-edition of the brand’s pioneering mid-century automatic, waterproof quarter repeater wristwatch, which was already a rarity in its day. Engaging sight, sound and touch, we’re going hands-on with the more luxurious, 15-piece limited edition of this charming chiming revival piece […]

Hands-On: The Norqain Wild One Skeleton X-Lite & Wild One Skeleton Chrono Fratello
Norqain Wild One Skeleton X-Lite Jun 13, 2026

Hands-On: The Norqain Wild One Skeleton X-Lite & Wild One Skeleton Chrono

Since their official launch in the UK in 2025, Norqain has been on a tear. The brand is growing here and abroad, which says something in the current climate. Sure, the watches are a luxurious expenditure, but they’re fun, wearable, and capable. Today, I’ll briefly share some hands-on thoughts on two recently released Wild One […] Visit Hands-On: The Norqain Wild One Skeleton X-Lite & Wild One Skeleton Chrono to read the full article.

Review: The Trafford Crossroads S 36 & 40 Worn & Wound
Ming new watches from Jun 11, 2026

Review: The Trafford Crossroads S 36 & 40

It will be impossible to talk about the new Trafford Crossroads S without discussing the size of the case in great detail, which I fear might be disservice to the watch as a whole, because there are a lot of very nice things about the Crossroads, and it’s one of the most charming new watches from a microbrand that I’ve seen in some time. But the case size is critical, because Trafford has walked a very interesting line with this release, debuting the Crossroads S in two sizes and marketing each based on how they feel the case wears, not its actual measured size. It’s getting by on vibes, as the kids sometimes say. It also capitalizes smartly on the growing trend we’ve seen for smaller, more discreet watches in a really interesting way.  The Crossroads S is actually two watches: the Crossroads S 36 and the Crossroads S 40. Neither of these watches are named for their actual measurements, though. Instead, Trafford has used these pretty commonly understood sizing conventions to name the watches based on how, in their estimation, they actually wear. The Crossroads S 40 measures 35mm x 36mm, while the Crossroads S 36 comes in at 31mm by 32mm (both are 9mm thick). Looking at the watches side by side, and compared to other watches in circular cases that are true 40mm and 36mm cases is an interesting lesson in how we perceive size depending on shape. It also, in my opinion, illustrates how one of these watches is absolutely the “correct” size while another is, well, n...

Auctions: Previewing New York's Spring Auction Season At Phillips, Sotheby's, And Christie's Hodinkee
Jun 8, 2026

Auctions: Previewing New York's Spring Auction Season At Phillips, Sotheby's, And Christie's

Auction season can be exhausting. I can barely believe that we do this twice a year. We often only have the time and energy to cover the main show in Geneva, with a few thousand lots offered between four auction houses just last month. But after Geneva and Hong Kong (which comes before Geneva for some houses and after for others), the circus comes to New York, and this year we're going to take a gander at the watches on offer in the city. Most auction houses don't drop their catalogs until after Geneva is over. That prevents people from holding their bids because they're doing the "distracted boyfriend meme" and looking at future watches. That keeps them from going all-in in Geneva, which isn't what the auction houses want. They want your bids now and later. Well, later is here, and I hope you have some cash left over. Weirdly, I'm getting a sense of déjà vu; there are a few familiar-looking watches. So let's go ahead and take a look. Phillips It was a banner weekend for Phillips in Hong Kong with a pretty fantastic $51.5 million sale, backed by the $10.2 million sale of the first series rose gold Patek 2499, which became the most expensive wristwatch ever sold in Asia. That is one of three mega Pateks Phillips was offering this season, which is rounded out by an incredibly clean and honest 1518. I know the record result means that that should be the watch to pick, all things being equal, but I still like a watch that looks basically untouched. Photo courtesy Phillips. P...

Independent Highlights at Marteau & Co.’s Summer Sale SJX Watches
Patek Philippe ref 2524 Jun 5, 2026

Independent Highlights at Marteau & Co.’s Summer Sale

Online-only auctioneer Marteau & Co returns for its third sale, The Heat Wave. which opens at noon Geneva time on June 10, continuing with its focus on independent watchmaking. Marteau & Co was founded just last year by a duo including industry veteran Arthur Touchot, who spent several years as a journalist followed by a stint at a prominent auction house. The Swiss auctioneer sets itself apart with its intriguing “Maker’s Fee” concept, which rewards the maker of the timepiece with 3% of the hammer price for each watch sold, allowing a brand to benefit from the appreciation of its products. While artists’ resale rights, or droit de suite, is far from a new concept, and has been codified into law in the European Union and United Kingdom, Marteau & Co’s approach is the first instance of its application in watchmaking. Lot 6 – Voutilainen Decimal Repeater Regulator piece unique Kari Voutilainen needs no introduction, but this watch does as it is, like all Voutilainen minute repeaters, a unique piece. This example left the Voutilainen workshop in 2024, cased in 38 mm of unusual 4N gold, which sits between red and yellow gold, while the hands and dial, as you’d expect from any Voutilainen watch – excellent, but with a chiming twist. During a survey of vintage repeating wristwatches you’ll realize that many only have two hands. If you compared the movement of, say, a Patek Philippe ref. 2524 with a seconds hand to one without, the reason becomes clear. The two ...

Introducing: MING And J.N. Shapiro Team Up For The 37.06 Lightning Hodinkee
Massena Lab Jun 5, 2026

Introducing: MING And J.N. Shapiro Team Up For The 37.06 Lightning

What We Know When Ming, Fleming, and J.N. Shapiro teamed up in 2024 to launch the Alternative Horological Alliance, they did so with a product: a "universal" tantalum bracelet. But I've been waiting to see if the AHA (now including Fears and Massena LAB) would team up in other ways. Today, Ming and J.N. Shapiro announce the 37.06 "Lightning," which blends the dial work Shapiro's team is known for with Ming's signature design language into something that's both new yet familiar. It's not a trick of the light. The dial is really that striking (no pun intended, I promise). Each dial is made from grade-2 titanium and hand-guillochéd in Los Angeles through engine-turning on a traditional rose-engine lathe to create a pattern called "Lightning guilloché." It's a pattern J.N. Shapiro hasn't used on a wristwatch before. The dials are then shipped to Kuala Lumpur, where Ming Thein himself hand-colors each dial by heat-staining it with a butane torch.  It's not as easy as just sticking a torch on a dial. A time too long or too short by even a few seconds, and the color might be uneven. Even if you do it right, the final result might still fail because the guilloché process exposes variations in titanium's crystalline structure. Only one in three dials works out. The dial is still very Ming, as is the rest of the watch, with the flared lugs and engraved crystal that's filled with HyCeram luminous indices. The hands have Super-LumiNova X1. The case is 38mm in diameter, 10.9mm in t...

Introducing - The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph XV Limited Edition Monochrome
Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph XV Limited Jun 4, 2026

Introducing - The Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph XV Limited Edition

Quite a radical departure from the usual classic German style of the Pano and Senator collection by Glashütte Original, the Seventies range, now exclusively available as a chronograph, is characterised by its TV-shaped case and integrated bracelet, but also by a great audacity in colours – which reflects the era after which the watch is […]

Hands On: Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty SJX Watches
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty Jun 4, 2026

Hands On: Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty

The Girard-Perregaux (GP) Laureato Fifty collection adds four new references in crowd-pleasing configurations. The original 39 mm size is joined by a compact 36 mm option, available with our without diamonds, while a range of expensively made dials are on offer from solid 18k rose gold to deep blue flinqué enamel. The first four permanent members of the Laureato Fifty collection are powered by the brand’s latest automatic calibre, the GP4800, which illustrates GP’s capabilities as a manufacture. Initial thoughts Last year’s launch of the Laureato Fifty felt promising, but it was clearly just an opening act. GP is a brand intent on resurgence, and the Laureato Fifty represents an important part of the brand’s future. In this context, the four new Laureato Fifty references — in 2 sizes and 3 popular colourways — feel somewhat inevitable, though the high level of execution is anything but. Under the leadership of Marc Michel-Amadry GP seems to be building momentum in the right way — by emphasising what makes the brand unique. Specifically, its design icons like the Laureato and Three Gold Bridges, and its capabilities as a manufacture. In a few short months, the brand has delivered in each of these categories. The Laureato was one of the original luxury sports watches with an integrated bracelet, and helped establish the now-familiar format. Today, however, the field is crowded, a fact that invites comparison. The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak comes to mind first,...

Dispatch: A Visit to Philippe Dufour's Workshop, Twelve Years Since Our Last Hodinkee
Jun 3, 2026

Dispatch: A Visit to Philippe Dufour's Workshop, Twelve Years Since Our Last

It's been some time since we visited Philippe Dufour's workshop—at least officially. I'm not sure if my colleagues have stopped in before, which wouldn't surprise me. Once you know Dufour, stopping by his workshop in Le Solliat becomes much more informal. But until two weeks ago, I actually hadn't stepped foot inside the old building that was once his kids' schoolhouse and that has become his workshop.  Back in 2013, Ben stopped by during the "Road to Basel" series, but a lot has changed since then. Or has it? Despite being a watchmaker for over 59 years now, all Philippe Dufour seems to want to do is make watches. And where better to do it than the famed "Valley of Complications"?  When we last left him, Ben noted that he had just delivered the last of his Simplicities, after about 200 watches. "He will never make another," said Ben, and that Dufour was working on a more complicated follow-up. Well, since then, he certainly has delivered more Simplicities, including one with an aventurine dial that was auctioned for charity, and there are still more watches on the bench. And it's not just him at the workshop; his daughter Danièla is also working away as well. Tools on the display cases inside Philippe Dufour's workshop and a selection of pocket watches  In 2022, I traveled to Switzerland and the Vallée de Joux for the first time to research and photograph a story on the watchmaker Charles-Henri Meylan. I immediately fell in love with the place. The three-dimensiona...

Tudor Unveils The Colorful Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee” Fratello
Tudor Unveils Jun 3, 2026

Tudor Unveils The Colorful Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee”

Ask Tudor fans what they would like to see from the brand, and one of the top answers would be a smaller Black Bay Chrono. Well, that wish has been granted with the new Tudor Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee.” The watch introduces a new, smaller 39mm case that is also a good bit slimmer. […] Visit Tudor Unveils The Colorful Black Bay Chrono 39 “Bumblebee” to read the full article.