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22,664 articles · 217 videos found · page 714 of 763

The Business of Watches Podcast: The GPGH Jury And Award Winners With Senior Editor Mark Kauzlarich Hodinkee
19h ago

The Business of Watches Podcast: The GPGH Jury And Award Winners With Senior Editor Mark Kauzlarich

This week on The Business of Watches, we unpack the results and go behind the scenes of the voting process for the biggest industry awards of the year - the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG). For this episode, we're lucky enough to have someone who was in the room as the votes were cast and the jury debated which prizes should go to which brand or watchmaker. Mark Kauzlarich, Hodinkee senior editor, served on the GPHG jury for the first time in 2026 and presented the award for the GPHG Gemset Watch Prize.  Mark Kauzlarich presenting at the GPHG. Mark walks us through his week in Geneva, how the jury process plays out, and what winning a prize means for those fortunate enough to be awarded one. We also discuss what's at risk for those participating and how the GPHG might attract an even bigger slice of the industry in the future. And finally, Mark gives us the highlights from some of the watchmakers and brands he visited as well as the top takeaways from another record auction weekend.  There's plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Please leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This show is published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. This episode is brought to you by Watches of Switzerland. Listeners get $200 o...

Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding And FiftySix Complete Calendar Hodinkee
Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding 2 days ago

Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix Self-Winding And FiftySix Complete Calendar

What We Know It's a dial refresh, but it's a welcome one for the Vacheron Constantin Fiftysix, which gets a bit of new life with a new grey two-tone dial for the stainless steel case. For the self-winding version, this is now another option for the most affordable watch Vacheron makes, which previously had a blue dial and a monochrome grey. But alongside that new self-winding, there's now a new complete calendar model to complement it. Both watches have a 40mm steel case, with 9.6mm thickness for the self-winding version and 11.6mm for the complete calendar. On the former, there's a gradient opaline center, a gradient darker grey sunburst exterior, and a snailed peripheral minute track. On the complete calendar, this display is reversed, plus a darker, nearly black, external date track for the pointer date. The moon phase has gone monochrome as well. Both watches have applied white gold numerals and indices, which (like the hands) are filled with Super-LumiNova. The watches have display casebacks and a 30m water resistance. The Fiftysix Self-Winding uses the caliber 1326, produced by Richemont's Manufacture Horlogère Valfleurier and finished, assembled, and regulated by Vacheron Constantin. That movement has 48 hours of power reserve. The complete calendar movement, with automatic winding as well, is the 2460 QCL/1. It's actually a higher-grade movement, so it has a Geneva Seal mark for quality, but it only has 40 hours of power reserve. Both run at 4Hz. The pricing stays...

Hands On: Orient Star Skeleton 75th Anniversary SJX Watches
Ming diamond-milled chamfers 2 days ago

Hands On: Orient Star Skeleton 75th Anniversary

The ambitious new Orient Star Skeleton 75th Anniversary Flagship Model RE-BR0001N represents two major milestones for the brand — 75 years as a manufacture and 35 years of making skeletonised watches. A limited edition of 130 pieces, the Orient Star Skeleton introduces the new F9 movement family, which combines the best of the brand’s finishing and technology, including a prominent blue silicon escape wheel and gleaming diamond-milled chamfers, in a zaratsu-polished stainless steel case. Initial thoughts Orient Star cites no fewer than three inspirations for the design of the open-worked dial plate: Zen garden ripples, the use of negative space (“ma”/間 in Japanese) and the orbits of planets — the latter fitting into Orient Star’s overall astral theme. Regardless, the overlapping circular design is appealing and creates ample surface area for decoration. The Orient Star Skeleton is an inherently movement-forward watch, with its cal. F9B82 displayed proudly beneath its chamfered dial plate. But there’s more to the Skeleton than its open-worked dial. In particular, the gleaming case is as sharp and shiny as you’d expect of a Japanese luxury watch, addressing a relative weakness of past models and helping justify entry into a new price segment. While the interlocking ring motif brings order to the dial, the balance wheel is arguably overemphasised, breaking the symmetry. This pattern interruption feels abrupt in part because it reveals the less attractive und...

Bring a Loupe: An André Beyner/Maurice Grimm Prototype, A Yema Yachtingraf Regatte, An Omega Seamaster Recife, And A Tropical Rolex Daytona Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet calendar being offered 5 days ago

Bring a Loupe: An André Beyner/Maurice Grimm Prototype, A Yema Yachtingraf Regatte, An Omega Seamaster Recife, And A Tropical Rolex Daytona

I know there's all sorts of consequential stuff happening, and the GPHG winners are announced tomorrow, but we're currently witnessing an exceptional musical run. I mentioned Twisted Teens in August, at which point they'd released their second excellent album of the year, but today sees the release of The Holy Cross Tigers, their incredible third album of 2026 and Sub Pop debut. Please note that the quality isn't dropping across releases, and please also note this is the band's fourth album total. If you're not listening to them, you really, really should, even if you don't think dirty swamp punk's your jam. Scorekeeping last week's pick, the Universal Genève regulator jump hour sold, the Baladin remains available, and the Royce diver and BWC chronograph both auction tomorrow. Strays Photo courtesy of Wind Vintage. It would be heretical not to start by noting this extraordinary Audemars Piguet calendar being offered by Eric Wind, and while the watch is sensational, that caseback engraving's one of the best I've ever seen. This Angelus Chrono-Datoluxe deserves a fair bit more attention, as does this Chopard Quartz dual time. If you were curious about what has to be the strangest Swatch ever made, allow me to nominate the Swatch Light Tree with, according to the listing, working Christmas lights. This Zenith El Primero 'TV' isn't flawless—observe the scratches on the crystal—but the case and original bracelet look very good, the chrono pushers are covered by a large roc...

Hands On: JM Fleury Chronograph Openwork SJX Watches
Patek Philippe 6 days ago

Hands On: JM Fleury Chronograph Openwork

After more than two decades manufacturing components at Patek Philippe and independently for client brands, Jean-Marc Fleury has begun applying that expertise to watches bearing his own name. His latest is the JM Fleury Chronograph Openwork, which pairs a titanium case with sapphire dial elements that reveal the finely finished calibre within. Inside is the manufacture’s own FM04, a hand-wound chronograph that takes inspiration from the Lemania 2310 while refining its architecture and enlarging it for contemporary proportions. Initial thoughts The prevailing emphasis on elaborate movement finishing explains the concept behind the JM Fleury Chronograph Openwork. With collectors seemingly laser-focused on mirror-polished steel and gleaming bevels, independent watchmakers are increasingly turning to inverted architectures and transparent dials to bring more of their work to the surface. Like the chronographs of Petermann Bédat and Rexhep Rexhepi, the Chronograph Openwork stops short of all-out skeletonisation, opting instead for a selectively open-worked main plate visible through sapphire crystal dial elements. The result strikes a balance: enough of the main plate remains intact to give the dial a (mostly) coherent backdrop, while the openings expand the visible canvas for decoration. The hand-wound FM04 draws on the Lemania 2310, but its architecture has been extensively rethought. This technical foundation, combined with high-quality finishing, makes the Chronograph Op...

Auctions: The 2026 Geneva Fall Auctions Mega-Preview, Part 2 - Phillips, Sotheby's, And Marteau & Co. Hodinkee
Rolex ref 6062 Stelline Photo 6 days ago

Auctions: The 2026 Geneva Fall Auctions Mega-Preview, Part 2 - Phillips, Sotheby's, And Marteau & Co.

Earlier this week, we tackled two of the four auctions taking place in Geneva this week (and into next). Now we tackle the last two—Phillips and Sotheby's—which will round out to around 1200 watches that I’ll have looked at to consider for coverage. Have I missed some deals? Certainly. Are there maybe one or two watches that don’t quite look as nice in person as they do in pictures? Yes, again, I’m sure. That's part of why I’m in Geneva this week, taking a look at as many previews as I can. As I said before, if I see anything worth noting, I’ll update my story, but I’ll skip further exposition and get right into the watches. Phillips — November 7th and 8th, 2026 Okay, so I’m in Geneva this week, mainly for the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, but in a great twist, Phillips starts off the action with their auctions starting the same morning of the GPHG awards ceremony that evening. That means I get to start the day watching bidding at Phillips before heading to the hotel to throw on a suit and party the night away. What more could you want? A fresh-to-market, essentially single owner Rolex ref. 6062 "Stelline." Photo courtesy Phillips. Well, there’s a lot I could want at Phillips, starting with this amazing Rolex ref. 6062 “Stelline” that is fresh to market. This watch, with an estimate in excess of CHF 600,000, is one of the nicest, most honest yellow gold ref. 6062s I’ve seen in a long time, and the consignor bought it from the original ow...

SJX Podcast: In Conversation with Anthony de Haas SJX Watches
Nov 4, 2026

SJX Podcast: In Conversation with Anthony de Haas

On episode 56 of the SJX Podcast, SJX speaks with Anthony de Haas, A. Lange & Söhne’s longtime head of product development, about the thinking behind the watches. The starting point is the new Datograph Perpetual, which takes a familiar model in an unexpected direction with a platinum bracelet and discreet diamond indices. The conversation explores the collaborative watchmaking culture in Glashütte and why every new release should bring something different. Mr de Haas also explains how Lange retains the character of a small manufacture within Richemont — an approach that has earned it the reputation of being “the biggest independent”. Other topics include the growing attention paid to finishing, the work required to give movements a recognisable aesthetic, and why collector enthusiasm won’t necessarily translate into more watches or more bracelets. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Auctions: The 2026 Geneva Fall Auctions Mega-Preview, Part 1 - Christie's and Antiquorum Hodinkee
F.P. Journe Nov 2, 2026

Auctions: The 2026 Geneva Fall Auctions Mega-Preview, Part 1 - Christie's and Antiquorum

It’s time to dig in for the fall auction season, and with over 1225 lots, I must admit I've delayed this out of sheer overwhelming anxiety about the amount of work to do. Also, aside from a small preview of watches held by Phillips in New York a few weeks back, I haven’t had time to handle these watches, which increasingly leaves me unnerved as prices rise and audiences become more educated. It allows folks to pick out details you just can’t notice when looking at hundreds of watches but can find if you look at one or two watches closely, which I don’t have the luxury of. Caveat emptor, as always, but I’ll be going to some previews in Geneva next week, and I will update if I notice anything. In case you missed it, Ben covered some things he noticed for these same auctions, which led to me crossing out some things I was going to cover (since he beat me to it) and to send him a bit of a lamenting text saying that he blew up my spot on a few things I was going to bid on. All is fair in love and coverage. I’m sure I might blow up some readers. Them’s the breaks. So let’s get into what caught my eye. Christie’s - November 9, 2026 We’re going to start where the market has put its attention: F.P. Journe. The elephant in the room is the brand headquartered a 15-minute walk from the Christie’s auction room in Geneva at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues, across the Rhône, and into the Old Town. The demand for Journe is not of the brand’s making, and it has cert...

Highlights: Indies Step Up for Charity with Watches for ELA SJX Watches
F.P. Journe where his work Nov 2, 2026

Highlights: Indies Step Up for Charity with Watches for ELA

Watches for ELA brings together a selection of charitable lots within Christie’s upcoming Rare Watches auction on November 9th in Geneva. Proceeds will benefit the European Leukodystrophies Association (ELA), which supports research into leukodystrophies and helps families affected by these rare genetic diseases. François-Henri Pinault, scion of the family that owns Christie’s, is a board member and longtime supporter of ELA. One of the most notable lots is football great Zinedine Zidane’s personal Cartier Pasha, donated as part of his longstanding commitment to the European charity. While his contribution is a watch he has owned for decades, the other watches on offer were created as unique pieces specifically for Watches for ELA. Zinedine Zidane’s personal Cartier Pasha Lot 130 – Atælier Haute Complication Dual Time Art for ELA Vladimir Victor Négault founded Atælier Haute Complication in 2018 after 14 years at F.P. Journe, where his work in the research and development department included building 3D models and animations of the brand’s movements. This was an unusually advantageous training ground for the aspiring independent, who struck out on his own in 2018. Launched in 2022, the brand’s debut watch offered an unusual take on the dual time complication. Its proprietary hand-wound calibre was based on the going train of the proven Peseux 7001, but with a unique bridge architecture and dual time display. The 41 mm stainless steel ELA edition relocates...

What is a Microbrand? Worn & Wound
Ming ly as Oct 29, 2026

What is a Microbrand?

What is a microbrand?  I think about this a lot, never more than in the days and weeks after a Windup, and particularly the days and weeks following the New York City version of our fair, which is the largest and most diverse in terms of the types of brands represented. We often hear people describe Windup as “the microbrand show” or something similar. Not in a pejorative way, necessarily, but as a way to distinguish it from an event like WatchTime (which is more focused on traditional luxury brands) or IndiesNYC (which, yup, is focused on “indies,” another hard to define term when you step back and actually try).  I don’t have an answer for what a “microbrand” actually is. Defining it gets more complicated when you consider all of the other small niches that pop up in the space. Terms like “micro-indie” and “challenger brand” have been thrown around a lot in the last few years, seemingly as an attempt to subvert a negative connotation with the microbrand moniker. But these terms have their own issues. Micro-indie implies, at least in how this publication has used it, that an element of the watch has some handmade craft or traditional watchmaking techniques behind it, but maybe uses a shortcut (like a case made in China, or an off-the-shelf movement) to save money. Not all brands and makers want to be seen as making compromises, even though essentially everyone short of, I dunno, Roger W. Smith and Philippe Dufour are making something about the proc...

Introducing: Habring² and SJX Watches Chrono Felix Perpetual “Star” Hodinkee
Rolex Stelline dials Oct 29, 2026

Introducing: Habring² and SJX Watches Chrono Felix Perpetual “Star”

What We Know Early this year, SJX and Habring released their second collaboration with Habring² for the Chrono-Felix Medicus, which seemed to be an overwhelming success with two variations. Now they're throwing things back to their first release, the Erwin "Star," with a new, more complicated base model. The new Habring² and SJX Watches Chrono Felix Perpetual "Star" uses a relatively new (for Habring) movement design of a monopusher chronograph and a Dubois-Depraz perpetual calendar module to make a watch that's still a great value for how complicated it is. The watch is very obviously inspired by vintage "Galaxy" style watches, like the famous Rolex Stelline dials that fetch incredible prices. The watch uses a black glossy lacquer dial with matte black subdials (with a concentric snailed finish). The dial features eight applied gold-plated star indices, matching hands, and even a gold-plated moonphase to match the entire design. Various other indices (especially for the calendar) are also printed in gold. The case is made in stainless steel, 38.5mm by 13mm, with a mix of brushing and polishing. The triple-stepped bezel helps mask the calendar module while housing the adjustment pushers along the edge. The manually wound movement runs at 4Hz and offers a 48-hour power reserve. The base is that Habring² A11 chronograph base, visible through a display caseback. The finishing of the levers (straight graining on the top and polishing on the bevels) was done in Germany by th...

Sinn Announces their Autumn Novelties Worn & Wound
Sinn Announces their Autumn Novelties Oct 27, 2026

Sinn Announces their Autumn Novelties

It’s finally autumn (even here in California), which means changing leaves, tasty hot beverages, and a smattering of new Sinn novelties. Like the coziest cafe array of apple ciders, hot chocolates, and pumpkin spice lattes, this latest trio of pieces from the German independent are as diverse as they are classically Sinn-flavored. You may not be surprised by the clean and efficient designs that the brand is known for, but Sinn has a rather colorful surprise up their sleeve—read on to find out more.  556 I FAZ II Green and Orange Limited Editions Love your watches simple and tactical, but want a little more color on the wrist? The new 556 I FAZ II may be for you. Made in collaboration with respected Sunday newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), it comes in two appropriately fall-flavored colors—orange and green—but maintains the reliable pilot watch legibility and functionality to keep the design subtle and professional. The stainless steel and satinized case has a diameter of 38.5mm with a thickness of 11mm (including the sapphire crystal), making it solid but not big, which should bode well for the vast majority of wrist sizes. In classic Sinn fashion, the dial is kept free of distraction, with just the Sinn logo at 12 o’clock, and a date window at 6.  The dial itself is crisp electroplated silver to match the off-white hue of newsprint, providing excellent contrast with the orange and green accents respectively. Depending on which color model you cho...

Introducing - The 417 ES x 0260 x BAIT Chronograph, The Vintage Racing Hanhart That Never Was Monochrome
Oct 26, 2026

Introducing - The 417 ES x 0260 x BAIT Chronograph, The Vintage Racing Hanhart That Never Was

The 417 ES Chronograph by Hanhart is one of the defining models in the German brand’s history, introduced in 1954 as a pilot’s chronograph for the German armed forces: robust, reliable and legible. The stainless-steel version, designated 417 ES, which also happened to be one of Steve McQueen’s favourite watches off-screen, became the foundation for […]

Introducing: The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual In Platinum With Bracelet (Live Pics) Hodinkee
A. Lange & Sohne Oct 24, 2026

Introducing: The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual In Platinum With Bracelet (Live Pics)

What We Know Happy birthday, A. Lange & Söhne. It’s October 24th, which marks another anniversary since the name was revived in Glashütte watchmaking in 1994. For the past few years, the brand has often used this milestone day to release a heavy hitter or two—the 30th-anniversary Lange 1s and the second-generation Zeitwerk come to mind. Today, Lange is dropping something absolutely nuts—a 50-piece limited edition of the Datograph Perpetual in platinum, with a diamond-baguette-adorned dial and a platinum bracelet. Yes, that’s right. Odysseus aside, this is A. Lange & Söhne's first commercially available watch with a bracelet since the long-gone Wellendorf days. And boy, is it a doozy. The dial retains the familiar layout seen in past iterations of the Datograph Perpetual, with the oversized date window at twelve o’clock, the two offset subdials below, and a moonphase at six o’clock.  The subdials, which convey both information for the chronograph and the calendar complications, feature two small interruptions (subdials on top of subdials, basically) by way of a day/night indicator and the perpetual calendar’s leap year pointer. Aside from those two elements, the month, day of the week, running seconds, and thirty-minute counter are all contained within these two areas.  What immediately stands out (and even more so in person) is a big twist that feels quite different from typical Lange—baguette-cut diamonds are used in place of baton indices for the hou...

Auctions: Monaco Legend Group's Fall Auction Is A Return To The Classics Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Triple Calendar Moon Phase Oct 23, 2026

Auctions: Monaco Legend Group's Fall Auction Is A Return To The Classics

We're back in the saddle again, riding the bucking bronco that is the auction market. But as a salve to the wounds of the usual suspects of whatever the market is hyped on these days, today we're looking at the Monaco Legend Auction catalog, which takes place October 31 and November 1 in—you guessed it—Monaco. I won't be there this time (though I am hoping to return in the future), but here's my view from afar. I haven't seen any watches in person, so I won't go into depth on quality—do your own research—but hopefully this gives you a jumping-off point. The Top Lots Lot 50, Rolex ref. 6062, with an estimate of €1,000,000 to €2,000,000 As I like to do, I feel like I have to acknowledge some of the top lots. The auction feels more like a return to Monaco Legend's older catalog, where much of it is super rare, but it's not the loud, flashy stuff you'd find elsewhere. But to have your top watch be a very, very clean Rolex ref. 6062 in steel, carrying an estimate of €1,000,000 to €2,000,000, is a massive flex. The watch comes from the collection of Auro Montanari and, frankly, the estimate may be a bit conservative. Watches like this, especially in this condition, are rare, and the buyer pool is also thin. The watch could go for triple the low estimate without surprising me, as long as the right buyers don't already have one. Lot 208, Audemars Piguet Triple Calendar Moon Phase, estimate € 200,000 –⁠ 400,000. Lot 181, Patek Philippe ref. 3974, estimate € ...

In Partnership - From The Source : Gallet Managing Director Erwan Rossignol On 200 Years Of Adventure Hodinkee
Breitling Oct 22, 2026

In Partnership - From The Source : Gallet Managing Director Erwan Rossignol On 200 Years Of Adventure

Throughout history, there are countless examples of the inherent and primal human desire to explore the unknown. This wanderlust is more than the urge to chart a course to new destinations. It's the instinct to break free from the ordinary, leave the noise behind, and chase what lies beyond. Driven by these aspirations, we've built timepieces ready for wherever adventure calls. It's these same principles that have anchored watchmakers and their designs, which have long served as loyal companions to adventurers on their journeys. Gallet is one such brand with two centuries of history tied to adventure within aviation, motorsport, and yachting. On the monumental year of its 200th anniversary, the brand is in a modern renaissance with new collections manufactured by Breitling that are rooted in this lineage while considering the needs of today's voyagers. These adaptable designs feature interchangeable quick-release straps that allow the watches to evolve with every environment and expedition. We sat down with Gallet Managing Director Erwan Rossignol to discuss the brand's re-emergence amidst its historic anniversary. Hodinkee When you're reintroducing 200 years of history, how do you decide which pieces come back and which stay in the archive? ERWAN It's about finding the right balance between honoring the heritage and staying relevant. We never wanted to become a museum brand. We went into the archives and identified the iconic names: the Flying Officer, the Clamshell, the ...

Introducing - Oris Aquis Date Kelp Forest Limited Edition Monochrome
Oris Aquis Date Kelp Forest Oct 20, 2026

Introducing - Oris Aquis Date Kelp Forest Limited Edition

Oris supports environmental causes through its watches, like the Aquis Date Yangtze Jiangtun or the New York Harbour limited editions, participating in projects dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems and bringing attention to issues beyond watchmaking. The new Aquis Date Kelp Forest Limited Edition is made with Francis Pérez, the award-winning underwater photographer and long-time Oris […]

Happenings: "George Daniels 100" Exhibition To Celebrate The Legendary Watchmaker With Some Of His Rarest Pieces In Singapore Hodinkee
Oct 20, 2026

Happenings: "George Daniels 100" Exhibition To Celebrate The Legendary Watchmaker With Some Of His Rarest Pieces In Singapore

There's no such thing as overdoing the celebration of the impact of George Daniels on the horological landscape, especially in the year that marks the 100th anniversary of his birth. Coinciding with the opening of IAMWATCH in Singapore, a celebration of the modern independent watchmaking scene, a scene that would likely not exist if not for Daniels—Phillips and The Hour Glass are exhibiting 22 of his watches. That list, which hasn't fully been made public, includes—for the first time—reuniting the Space Traveller I and Daniels' personal Space Traveller II. Photo courtesy Phillips and The Hour Glass. The fact that there will be twenty-two of Daniels' watches in one place is even more remarkable considering that, during his lifetime, Daniels alone made only twenty-four pocket watches and two wristwatches (the Spring Case Tourbillon and the Four-Minute Tourbillon) before the Millennium and Anniversary done with Roger W. Smith (not accounting for some other pieces that were made by Smith under Daniels' direction). For acolytes of Daniels, lovers of horology, and people who appreciate once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, the exhibition in Singapore is something you can't miss. Luckily, you'll have at least two chances to see the exhibition. Photo courtesy the George Daniels Educational Trust. For even more context, the Space Traveller and Space Traveller II are particularly important watches in the annals of watchmaking history. Both were made in 1982; the first was made and...

Urwerk Takes a Quantum Leap with the UR-300 SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Oct 15, 2026

Urwerk Takes a Quantum Leap with the UR-300

Urwerk’s latest interpretation of the wandering hours complication ventures beyond classical physics with the UR-300 Time Quantum, which debuts a cleverly constructed jumping display inspired by quantum mechanics. Housed in a sleek new titanium case with a choice of finishes, the UR-300 is almost as cutting-edge on the inside as its futuristic design makes it out to be, with LIGA-formed levers and wheels that catapult the display forwards in the blink of an eye. Initial thoughts According to Urwerk, the design of the UR-300 was inspired by the property of quantum entanglement, which informed the functional design of the new jumping wandering hours module. This explains why when one of the two “atoms” responsible for the hours flips, so does the other. I got a preview of the prototype movement earlier this year and was immediately taken by the new display and the elegance of its mechanism, which takes a familiar look and adds a surprising, jumping twist. The final design of the space ship-like case suits the concept, making it immediately recognisable as an Urwerk. Ultimately, the unique selling proposition of this watch is aesthetic, but it’s an aesthetic that only works thanks to clever engineering. That said, the roughly US$200,000 asking price is steep by the standards of high-end wandering hours complications, whether from Urwerk or larger brands like Audemars Piguet that, admittedly, have vastly different economies of scale. But no brand does futurism quite li...

Highlights: Unique Indies at Marteau & Co’s ‘The Encore’ SJX Watches
Oct 9, 2026

Highlights: Unique Indies at Marteau & Co’s ‘The Encore’

Yesterday Marteau & Co kicked off its fourth sale, The Encore, comprising primarily pièce unique watches from independent watchmakers, which is the founding theme of the online-only auctioneer. Beyond its focus on indies, the auctioneer sets itself apart with its “maker’s fee”, which rewards the maker of the timepiece with 3% of the hammer price for each watch sold Conceived to allow watchmakers to reap the rewards when their products appreciate, this fee is also known as the artist’s resale right, or droit de suite, a concept that’s been codified into law across Europe for fine art. Marteau & Co’s approach is the first instance of its application in watchmaking, and seems successful so far. Lot 9 – Yosuke Sekiguchi Primevere “Interprétation du Japon” pièce unique Yosuke Sekiguchi is Swiss independent watchmaker, born in Japan and trained in France, who cut his teeth at La Joux-Perret and Christophe Claret before pivoting to restoration work in 2016. Around that time he transformed an orphaned Jules Jürgensen pocket watch movement dating to 1871, casing it into a wristwatch, which inspired the Primevère. We covered the prototype of this watch in depth when it debuted in 2021, and shot another (this time in rose gold with a black enamel) earlier this year, but this stainless steel confirmation with a red enamel sub-dial – a look inspired by the Japanese flag – is perhaps the best looking configuration we’ve seen. Beyond its striking looks, this...

Introducing - H. Moser & Cie. Presents Three New Models with its Retrograde Seconds Display Monochrome
H. Moser & Cie Presents Three Oct 7, 2026

Introducing - H. Moser & Cie. Presents Three New Models with its Retrograde Seconds Display

Retrograde complications, in which a hand sweeps across an arc or sector and snaps back to zero, are prized for their theatrical jumping display. While retrograde displays have been around for centuries and were popularised by watchmakers like Lépine and Breguet, a surprisingly wide range of brands still feature them today. H. Moser & Cie.’s Pioneer […]

Auctions: Previewing Marteau’s ‘Encore’ And Antiquorum’s Return To New York, Both This Month Hodinkee
F.P. Journe Oct 6, 2026

Auctions: Previewing Marteau’s ‘Encore’ And Antiquorum’s Return To New York, Both This Month

The fall auction season is already upon us. Or, I guess you could say, it's been here since the strong showing by Sotheby's in Hong Kong—though that technically ended right before the official start of fall. The Cartier Cheich in white gold (which traded hands among dealers and collectors for a few years at far less than that) sold for $3.4 million, setting a record as the most expensive Cartier and most expensive quartz watch ever sold. Weeks later, if you asked me what this means for the market, I'd probably stare at you blankly. Ben would probably do the same, as he's said on the site that it's just hard to make sense of prices both at retail and at auction anymore. Let's chat about that all first. What The Heck Is Going On With The Market? As we head into the bulk of the auctions, I currently feel far less confident telling you where prices will land. I think most prognosticators—myself included—would say that we have to be nearing the height of the bubble for F.P. Journe and A. Lange & Söhne. But then again, over breakfast the other day, a friend asked if I knew someone who'd want a very historically important watch from a more traditional brand that went underpriced nearly 10 years ago and now was available for double that—into the seven figures. Some things (like that very vague story, probably) make sense; some can leave you scratching your head. European Watch Co. has this Tourbillon Pour le Mérite listed for $1,100,000 right now. There was an interestin...

Review: My Five Years on Earth with the Hamilton Cooper (H64615135) WatchRider
TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 5 I Oct 4, 2026

Review: My Five Years on Earth with the Hamilton Cooper (H64615135)

In 2026, twelve years after Interstellar hit cinemas in 2014, I still think it is a masterpiece and probably the greatest film about time travel ever made. The film’s protagonist, Cooper, wears a Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date Auto (H64615135), which I had to have as a huge Christopher Nolan fan. Inception had already led me to the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 5 I reviewed earlier. But why the Coop and not the Murph? The answer is simple: I had an offer I couldn’t refuse back in 2021. The Murph is still on my list and I’ll get one if a similar offer comes along. The 42mm Case: Dimensions and Fit on My Wrist My wrist measures 7.5 inches now, down from 8 inches before my recent weight loss. I had removed one link from the bracelet at 8 inches and have now removed a second. Even on my smaller wrist, the Cooper sits perfectly and looks right to me. The 42 mm Coop on my wrist (7.5 inch) with its original bracelet. With a digital caliper I measured the case at 42 mm without the crown and 45.5 mm including it. The lug tips are 48.2 mm apart, while the span from one bracelet link to the other is 53.4 mm. That extra span across the bracelet is worth knowing when judging the fit from the 42 mm case diameter alone. I measured the watch’s height at 12.5 mm, slightly more than the official thickness of 11.85 mm listed by Hamilton. On my wife’s 6.5 inch wrist, the Cooper still looks good to me. It does not wear as large as the numbers might suggest, so I would tell someon...

Introducing: Hamilton American Classic Cushion Mechanical Hodinkee
Hamilton American Classic Cushion Mechanical Oct 2, 2026

Introducing: Hamilton American Classic Cushion Mechanical

What We Know This week, Hamilton dropped the latest in their series of vintage-inspired watches. But where most brands lean hard on their mid-century offerings for their re-editions, here Hamilton takes a different tack, reaching deep into their archive to resurrect watches so old, they'd be better described as antique rather than vintage. So, it is with the Hamilton American Classic Cushion, which breathes new life into a century-old design. And before you ask, these aren't quartz fashion watches dressed up in vintage clothing; these are tried-and-true hand-wound mechanical watches. The new collection — and it really is a collection, with six models split across two case sizes — is directly inspired by cushion-case watches made by Hamilton in the 1920s. If they seem eerily familiar for watches designed 100 years ago, it may be because Cillian Murphy wore an antique Hamilton cushion watch in Oppenheimer. Here, those watches have been quite respectfully updated for 2026, and though absolute fidelity was not the goal here, these remain easily among the most faithful-feeling reissues we've seen from Hamilton recently. As I mentioned earlier, a big part of the appeal of these watches comes down to the choice to use a hand-winding mechanical movement in these watches, rather than the quartz movements so often used in these small-size vintage reissues. Here, Hamilton is using the H-42, a manual-wind caliber that is, in essence, Hamilton's branded version of the ETA 7001. It'...