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The Quintessential Modern Steel Omega Speedmaster Watches Fratello
Omega Speedmaster Watches It has Jul 7, 2026

The Quintessential Modern Steel Omega Speedmaster Watches

It has been a while, but here’s a new installment in our Speedy Tuesday article series. This week, I will take a look at what I consider the five best modern steel Speedmaster models in Omega’s current catalog. And despite the Speedmaster having been constantly in production since 1957, the current catalog is quite fresh. […] Visit The Quintessential Modern Steel Omega Speedmaster Watches to read the full article.

A Double Shot, Please: New And Refined Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Models Fratello
Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Models Jul 7, 2026

A Double Shot, Please: New And Refined Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Models

The Seiko Presage Cocktail Time is back in three new references, and the changes are subtle but significant. The new HCB001, HCB002, and HCB003 keep the familiar formula but bring a smaller 38.5mm case, new dial textures and colors, and a less prominent date display at 4:30. That may not sound like a complete overhaul, […] Visit A Double Shot, Please: New And Refined Seiko Presage Cocktail Time Models to read the full article.

Indie-Focused IAMWATCH Returns SJX Watches
Patek Philippe ref 2523 world time Jul 7, 2026

Indie-Focused IAMWATCH Returns

Singapore retailer The Hour Glass has announced the return of IAMWATCH, the retailer’s indie-focused watch fair, slated to take place November 12-15 at the Singapore Edition hotel, with public days November 13-15. The event comes two years after the successful inaugural edition, hinting at the possibility of a biennial format akin to that of Dubai Watch Week. Focused on independent watchmaking The inaugural 2024 event featured the biggest names in independent watchmaking, including foundational figures like Kari Voutilainen and Felix Baumgartner of Urwerk, as well as the leading lights of the younger generation including Rexhep Rexhepi, Raúl Pagès, and Florian Bédat and Gaël Petermann. The second edition is set to be even larger, with more makers in attendance. Attendees can expect to encounter industry executives as well — Aurel Bacs, Jean Arnault, Max Büsser, and Jean-Claude and Pierre Biver attended the first edition. It’s also sure to be one of the year’s best opportunities for watch spotting — this Patek Philippe ref. 2523 world time with a blue enamel dial and “Gobbi” signature was seen at the event in 2024. The relaxed dress code explicitly encourages double wristing, so the chances of spotting a unicorn in the wild are doubled. IAMWATCH will be held at the Singapore Edition hotel. Admission is free and open to the public daily November 13-15, however, advance registration is required and it can be done online at Iamwatch.com.  

In Depth: Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Jul 6, 2026

In Depth: Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000

The Star Caliber 2000 occupies a peculiar position in the history of grand complications. It was never the most complicated watch in the world. At its debut it ranked fourth — behind Patek Philippe’s own Calibre 89 and Graves Supercomplication, and the Leroy 01 — and in the quarter-century since, the complexity record has moved further still, most notably to Vacheron Constantin. The complication arms race the Calibre 89 inadvertently triggered ran its full course, and the Star Caliber 2000 was never part of it. What it did instead was something harder to measure and, as it turns out, more durable. It demonstrated that the tradition’s inheritance of unsolved problems — the desynchronised equation, the imperfect melody, and the moon exiled from the sky — was not inevitable. That each problem had a solution. And that the solutions, taken together, produced a different kind of watch: not necessarily more complicated but more coherent; not a larger accumulation of independent mechanisms but an integrated instrument in which every display refers to a single source of truth. The arms race In early 1989, as Switzerland prepared to celebrate the most complicated portable timepiece ever made, the man who had just assembled it returned to his bench. Paul Buclin had spent years assembling and setting up the Calibre 89 by hand — 1,728 components driving 33 complications. Weighing most of a kilogram, the watch itself required its own carrying case. The watch was a monument...

eBay Finds: Great Vintage Watches from Zenith, Omega, Seiko, and More! Worn & Wound
Zenith Omega Seiko Jul 3, 2026

eBay Finds: Great Vintage Watches from Zenith, Omega, Seiko, and More!

eBay Finds is back! This bi-weekly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Zenith A3630 Vintage Diver  Here’s a rare gem to start us off this week, a vintage Zenith diver with original bracelet! This Zenith A3630 has a classically styled 38mm diver case in steel that looks to be unpolished. It does have some wear consistent with use and its age, but it does not look abused. The matte black dial looks excellent, with a contrasting white outer chapter ring and applied steel markers, and an unobtrusive date window at 4:30. The steel hands have large lume plots, and the hour hand has a nice big arrow tip for easy reading. The oversize crown is signed with the Zenith star symbol. The aluminum elapsed time bezel insert has some nice fading to it, but overall it’s in good shape. This piece comes with the original Gay Freres steel bracelet with a Zenith signed buckle. The Zenith automatic movement is clean and runs well per the seller. Great hard to find vintage diver! View auction here Heuer Autavia 1163 Vintage Chronograph  Next up is another heavy hitter, a vintage Heuer Autavia 1163 chronograph. Wow, this beast is a real beauty. The 42mm steel cushion case is superb, unpolished with crisp edges and the original brushed finish. The black dial looks original an...

Patek Philippe’s Milan Grand Exhibition Rare Handcrafts are La Dolce Vita SJX Watches
Patek Philippe s Milan Grand Exhibition Jul 3, 2026

Patek Philippe’s Milan Grand Exhibition Rare Handcrafts are La Dolce Vita

Patek Philippe has just offered a peek at the Rare Handcrafts collection conceived for the upcoming Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan 2026 that begins in October at the CityOval exhibition hall in Milan. As is traditional for the exhibition collection, the watches are centred on themes local to the host country or region. Italy, unsurprisingly, offers abundant inspiration and the pair of watches revealed so far certainly evoke la dolce vita. The first is the pocket watch ref. 992/193J-001 “Burano” that features an enamel decoration modelled on the streets of the Venetian island known for its compact houses painted in bright colours. A variety of enamelling techniques were employed for this motif, including cloisonné for the buildings and figures and paillonné for the waterway. The second timepiece is the Dome Clock ref. 20179M-001 “Sicilian Oranges”. This depicts Palermo seen from a distance, with an orange grove in the foreground. As is traditional for Dome Clocks, majority of the decoration is in cloisonné enamel. Because of the size of the clock, some 15 m of gold wire was required to complete the motif. The Grand Exhibition takes places October 2-18, 2026, at CityOval in Milan. Entry is free but complimentary tickets are required and available via online registration at Watchart2026.patek.com.  

Hands On Horology 2026 Hosted By Oracle Time Magazine - Photo Report Fratello
Jul 3, 2026

Hands On Horology 2026 Hosted By Oracle Time Magazine - Photo Report

Last month, I attended the second — and soon-to-be annual — Hands On Horology event. Hosted by Oracle Time at Protein Studios in Shoreditch, London, the show brought together watch brands from around the world. Representatives from Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany, China, Japan, Britain, Norway, the United States, and many other nations filled the venue. With […] Visit Hands On Horology 2026 Hosted By Oracle Time Magazine — Photo Report to read the full article.

Straum Introduces the Frozen Metal Titanium, Featuring their Long Awaited Titanium Bracelet Worn & Wound
Straum Jul 2, 2026

Straum Introduces the Frozen Metal Titanium, Featuring their Long Awaited Titanium Bracelet

Straum has announced a new permanent addition to their popular Jan Mayen Collection of sports watches, the all new Frozen Metal Titanium. While at a quick glance you could be forgiven for thinking this is simply an iterative redeployment of a proven sports watch formula, there are actually a handful of notable upgrades when you start looking at it a little more closely. Like just about every other watch Straum makes, it takes inspiration from the natural landscape and a spirit of outdoor exploration, but here we also have some additional refinements and hints at potential new aesthetic directions that will have many enthusiasts curious about the brand’s future.  The first notable upgrade on the Frozen Metal Titanium is right there in the name of the watch. While not their first grade 5 titanium model, it does represent the debut of their long awaited grade 5 titanium bracelet. It has a blasted finish to match the case and an H-link design, and Straum says that it is fully backward compatible with other titanium watches in their catalog. That’s a big win for Straum’s existing customers, and makes good on what amounts to a social compact a brand makes when they develop an integrated bracelet sports watch: provide workable strap and bracelet options that your early adopters can take advantage of.  The other new developments here can be found in the dial treatment. Straum is using a new galvanic treatment for this dial execution that they say “frosts” the edges of ...

After Giving Us The Rainbow, Awake Now Gets Us The Pot Of Gold With The New Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Royal Blue Fratello
Jul 2, 2026

After Giving Us The Rainbow, Awake Now Gets Us The Pot Of Gold With The New Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Royal Blue

Have you seen a rainbow anywhere lately? I haven’t, but every time I see one, I think about the pot of gold that’s supposed to be sitting right at the end of it. Independent watch brand Awake also makes me think there’s a connection between the two. Lex recently went hands-on with the Sơn Mài […] Visit After Giving Us The Rainbow, Awake Now Gets Us The Pot Of Gold With The New Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Royal Blue to read the full article.

Introducing the Temporal Works Series A “Rambler” Worn & Wound
Jul 1, 2026

Introducing the Temporal Works Series A “Rambler”

Temporal Works, the brand brought to you by Armoury founder Mark Cho and the Armoury’s creative director Elliot Hammer, is only about six months removed from their first release at the end of last year. Today, they’ve unveiled the next watch in their Series A collection, dubbed the Rambler. It’s a slight tweak on the simple idea that defined the Series A in the first place. According to Cho, he thought of that watch as something that should be as straightforward and effortlessly elegant as a well tailored navy blazer. If that first batch of Series A watches could be thought of as trading in a somewhat elevated level of refinement, the new Series A Rambler takes a similar approach but with a more rugged perspective.  The new Rambler takes a more tool watch forward approach than its predecessor in a few key ways. First, the case has been finished with a bead blasting process and forgoes the polishing of the original Series A, making it immediately more of a casual, toned down piece. Matte dials in “Black Sesame” and “Red Bean” feel both classic and kind of earthy, with handset designs borrowed from historic pilot watches. It’s a tasteful, sector dial with the brand’s logo appearing at the 4:00 position, and no additional text to speak of. Straps are also appropriately casual, with the black dial pairing with an olive canvas strap, and the red dial one in gray Alcantara.  The Series A Rambler is sized at 37mm in diameter and 45mm from lug to lug. It’s 10...

Business News: Breaking N3W5 - Former AP CEO Bennahmias Announces First New Watch Brand Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Chief Executive François-Henri Bennahmias Jul 1, 2026

Business News: Breaking N3W5 - Former AP CEO Bennahmias Announces First New Watch Brand

Former Audemars Piguet Chief Executive François-Henri Bennahmias unveiled details of a new watch brand called N3W5 that will launch in late 2027 and draw on some significant names from the Swiss industry for the design, production, and craftsmanship.  Called 'N3W5' - an acronym for 'North, East, West, South' and pronounced 'NEWS,' the new marque will launch at Dubai Watch Week next year, the Honourable Merchants Group, the Bennahmias-led luxury brand constellation, said in a statement. Watch prices for the first models will start at about CHF 20,000, and production will commence at 'several thousand pieces' in the first year. A second collection will debut in 2028, according to the company's plans. François-Henri Bennahmias at an event in Crissier, Switzerland, introducing The Honourable Merchants Group. The news of N3W5 comes as pressure and speculation have mounted as to what Bennahmias, who led AP for more than a decade and oversaw a period of spectacular sales growth to more than CHF 2.3 billion for the family-owned brand, would do next in the watch world. At a flashy event near Lausanne last year, Bennahmias unveiled his vision for THMG, a new, multi-brand luxury brand group backed by private investors that promised a new philosophy of work, innovation, products, and sustainability in the luxury space. The charismatic executive said the new group would not be driven solely by profit and that at THMG, "we want to change the world of business. It is a mission," Be...

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: Split Watches Comes To The U.S. With Its New GMT (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet watches Jun 30, 2026

Introducing: Split Watches Comes To The U.S. With Its New GMT (Live Pics)

What We Know If you haven't heard of the brand Split before, you're likely not alone. The brand has not previously been distributed in the U.S., but it came to my attention when their chronograph, called "In The Skies," launched with a fully luminous case made from a proprietary ceramic-and-polymer fusion called Ceramod+. At $2,053, it was an interesting and fun novelty, and cheaper than the IWC Ceralume Perpetual Calendar (though a vastly different proposition, to be fair). Now that material, sans lumen, is coming to the United States with a new, relatively affordable GMT. But the watches are only a small part of the story for Split. The brand was co-founded by Edward Margulies, the third generation of a prominent family of UK-based Swiss watch distributors. His father, Marcus Margulies, might be known to some as the collector behind one of the most impressive collections of Audemars Piguet watches in history, which formed the basis for much of the AP museum. Edward moved to Switzerland at the age of 19 to train to follow in his footsteps.  While the press release talks about how he spent his life putting on a smile to hide a frown caused by burying trauma for years, his interview in the New York Times reveals something deeper. The reality is that, after decades of struggling with his mental health and taking traditional paths of therapy and antidepressants, his physical health had deteriorated, and he was prescribed fentanyl. "Next thing I know," he said to the New York...

The $2,100 Question: Hampden’s First Hand Watchmaking Workshop Worn & Wound
Jun 29, 2026

The $2,100 Question: Hampden’s First Hand Watchmaking Workshop

I was recently invited by the Hampden Watch Company to participate in their First Hand Watchmaking Workshop and experience what it’s like to build my own watch from the ground up. I first happened upon the program through an Instagram advertisement at the beginning of 2026, only a couple of months after its December 2025 launch. Upon my initial review of the program’s website and details at that time, my only gripe was the cost of the workshop itself (a topic we will revisit later), especially as an enthusiast who bases his collecting solely on the affordable vintage sphere. When Hampden reached out to me, I became eager to see how my area of watch collecting would intersect with a different sphere of the hobby; in essence, how my ultra-budget-conscious perspective on watch collecting would intertwine or potentially clash with that of a more luxury oriented experience. Additionally, having personally performed minor maintenance and repairs on watches without professional equipment or knowledge of how to fully disassemble or reassemble a movement, I was curious to see what type of experience I would gain and potentially implement in my daily watch life through participating in the workshop. The day starts at 9:30 AM in Hampden’s headquarters located in a rather quiet area within the West Loop of Chicago. The well-preserved architecture of the building’s interior is a remarkable demonstration of how to properly preserve old industrial spaces from a period gone by–...

The Best Summer Watches: Ben’s Five Picks From Orient Star, Longines, Fears, Hermès, And Richard Mille Fratello
Richard Mille Well Jun 29, 2026

The Best Summer Watches: Ben’s Five Picks From Orient Star, Longines, Fears, Hermès, And Richard Mille

Well, this week in the UK, and much of central Europe, sits firmly in the grip of an intense heatwave. Honestly, I’ll take a cold, wet day over this any time. Still, summer is here, and the vibes are unavoidable. So, let’s look at some watches that can handle the heat across different price points. […] Visit The Best Summer Watches: Ben’s Five Picks From Orient Star, Longines, Fears, Hermès, And Richard Mille to read the full article.

Interview: Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Jérôme Lambert SJX Watches
Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Jérôme Lambert From Jun 29, 2026

Interview: Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Jérôme Lambert

From now until July 18, Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) is exhibiting the sixth edition of its Collectibles programme at the brand’s boutique in London. The occasion offered an opportunity to sit down with CEO Jérôme Lambert to understand what the brand hopes to achieve with its Collectibles exhibitions. Launched in 2023, the concept stems from the eponymous book that assembled a dream collection of vintage JLC watches. Since then, museum-grade pieces have been sourced from around the world, restored in the brand’s dedicated workshop — without altering their patina — and presented for sale through travelling exhibitions. Triple Calendar with Moonphase from 1946. The capsule collection assembled for the London edition features seven Reverso models alongside five other rare watches, including a 1946 Triple Calendar with moon phase. With one exception — a small 1931 Reverso — all 12 watches had found buyers within hours of opening. The interview was edited for length and clarity. Yannick Nardin (YN): What is the purpose of the Collectibles programme? Is it a commercial, strategic or heritage-driven initiative? Jérôme Lambert (JL): All of those dimensions played a role in its creation. First, there were our conversations with collectors. Many expressed a desire to acquire exhibition or museum pieces, while others approached us to authenticate watches they had purchased through dealers. Two-tone Reverso from 1941. At the same time, following the great JLC exhibitions of...

The New Greubel Forsey Balancier QM Takes Hand-Finishing To A Whole New Level Fratello
Greubel Forsey Balancier QM Takes Hand-Finishing Jun 27, 2026

The New Greubel Forsey Balancier QM Takes Hand-Finishing To A Whole New Level

Today, we’ll take a brief look at a stunning new timepiece. With the Balancier QM, Greubel Forsey announces a new hand-finishing standard. What’s more, this new bar applies to every component within the caliber. That’s 298 pieces! Best of all, the watch is offered in a perfectly wearable case. Shall we investigate? Greubel Forsey makes […] Visit The New Greubel Forsey Balancier QM Takes Hand-Finishing To A Whole New Level to read the full article.

Hands-On: Re-Defining the Hype of Quiet Luxury with the Moser Streamliner Minis Worn & Wound
Jun 26, 2026

Hands-On: Re-Defining the Hype of Quiet Luxury with the Moser Streamliner Minis

There was one particular moment the Moser Streamliner clicked for me. I was fresh off my first enameling apprenticeship in the summer of 2023. At Geneva Watch Days, Moser was previewing some new models set to launch at Dubai Watch Week later that year, and one of those models was the Streamliner Small Seconds Aqua Blue. As a refresher, this is a standard mid-size 39mm build, but most importantly, it introduced an enamel dial to the collection for the first time. Let’s be clear, this isn’t any ordinary enamel dial. It starts with a hand-hammered solid gold base topped with three varying pigments of translucent aqua-blue enamel applied over the course of a whopping 12 firings to achieve the unique fume effect radiating from light to dark around the periphery. The result of the intricate process creates a visual range much broader than aqua-blue alone, evoking bright tones of turquoise and deep tones of violet in high and low light. Having just come off a week of training in an enameling atelier on far simpler designs, my degree of admiration and respect for the brand grew tenfold. This wasn’t just a beautifully streamlined (and perfectly named) take on the classic integrated bracelet sport watch – this was a true way of making a stainless steel sport watch luxurious, artisanal, and dare I say elegant. From that point forward, I started to develop a bit of an obsession with the Streamliner, and it began to inch toward my grail list of dream models. However, there’s ...

In Loving Memory Of Om Malik, Friend, Writer, Venture Capitalist, And Ever The Believer Hodinkee
Cartier ID2 He came Jun 26, 2026

In Loving Memory Of Om Malik, Friend, Writer, Venture Capitalist, And Ever The Believer

I made a decision long ago to never use Hodinkee as a personal platform – rather, to keep it to professional writing about things that impact people who come here solely for watches. Today, I may be breaking my own rule, but sometimes, some things are worth it – or in this case, some people. Om Malik died yesterday at Stanford Hospital after a prolonged fight with issues related to his heart.  For those who don't know Om, he was born in India, educated in the UK, and was one of the first people to take legacy media brands online (he was a founding member of the Forbes.com team in 1997!) After that, he launched an early and important digital business publication called GigaOm, as well as contributing to the likes of Business 2.0, the WSJ, and more. He is credited with being among the first people to cite companies that would shape the world, such as Twitter, and being part of their fabric at times. One such example is Hodinkee.  Om reached out to me via Twitter in January of 2012. I went back tonight and checked. In those early emails, we talked mostly about watches – he attended an event I hosted for the Harry Winston Opus 12. And another for the Cartier ID2. He came to Nomos launch parties (before they were in the USA), and the same for Tudor. He was early and awesome with Hodinkee, and watches for that matter, but that's not why I'm writing this post tonight. Om practicing his love of time lapse photography with me on a trip to the Bay Area. Om changed my life. ...

Fratello Talks: Breguet’s CEO On The Latest Tradition 7047, 225 Years Of The Tourbillon, And The Brand’s Future Fratello
Breguet s CEO Jun 26, 2026

Fratello Talks: Breguet’s CEO On The Latest Tradition 7047, 225 Years Of The Tourbillon, And The Brand’s Future

On the 225th anniversary of the tourbillon patent, we sit down with Breguet CEO Gregory Kissling to discuss the latest version of the Tourbillon 7047, the brand’s enduring appeal, and the future of one of watchmaking’s most historic names. Before taking the helm at Breguet on October 1st, 2024, Kissling served as Vice President of […] Visit Fratello Talks: Breguet’s CEO On The Latest Tradition 7047, 225 Years Of The Tourbillon, And The Brand’s Future to read the full article.

Fratello’s Top 5 Recent Jaeger-LeCoultre Releases Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre Releases Another Friday another Jun 26, 2026

Fratello’s Top 5 Recent Jaeger-LeCoultre Releases

Another Friday, another list! This week, we will take a look at the five best releases from one of the most talked-about brands in the past few years. Jaeger-LeCoultre made quite a few waves with its releases in 2025 and did so again at Watches and Wonders 2026. But the many great timepieces were not […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Recent Jaeger-LeCoultre Releases to read the full article.

Baltic Launches a New and Improved Scalegraph Collection Worn & Wound
Baltic Launches Jun 25, 2026

Baltic Launches a New and Improved Scalegraph Collection

Baltic expands their Scalegraph collection today with the launch of a pair of new sporty chronographs that the brand says will be part of their permanent collection. First introduced a year ago as a limited edition, this new iteration of the Scalegraph has a number of improvements that should add up to a more refined package overall. It’s also something of a return to the brand’s roots as a maker of vintage inspired sports watches, after getting more press as of late for dabbling in affordable haute horlogerie and watches defined by the blinding bling of lab grown diamonds. As a sports chrono, the aesthetic of the Scalegraph is about as classic as you can get. It has a traditional three register layout with a tachymeter bezel, beads of rice style bracelet, and screwdown pushers. It’s heavily racing inspired, and has the simple, classic case lines of many a familiar vintage sports watch. The stainless steel case is the same 39.5mm diameter as the original Scalegraph, but Baltic says the lugs are now wider, which should give the watch some additional presence on the wrist. Baltic has also replaced circular finishing on the top of the lugs with vertical brushing, which is certainly more reminiscent of the historic chronographs manufactured by Rolex, Universal Geneve, and others, that the Scalegraph is clearly emulating, at least somewhat.   The Scalegraph is available in three new colorways: Champagne, Blue, and Grey. All have tan colored contrasting subdials at 3, 6,...

Introducing: The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate (Now In 38mm) Hodinkee
Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate Now Jun 25, 2026

Introducing: The Blancpain Villeret Ultraplate (Now In 38mm)

What We Know Today, Blancpain has downsized its ultra-thin Villeret Ultraplate dress watch, with new options in 38mm for greater wearability. The previous 40mm options of the 'Golden Hour' series, which I covered last October, remain, but the 38mm options are going to be much more appealing all around as proper dress watches. The case still remains incredibly thin, especially for a self-winding watch, at 8.35mm, but the 38mm downsizing now offers a short 43.35mm lug-to-lug measurement for small wrists and those who prefer the more traditional proportion of how a dress watch should look on the wrist. Here, four options are presented within these new measurements: three with stainless steel cases, and one in 18K red gold. The dial design continues the visual update introduced last October in the Villeret series, with simplified Roman numerals, the applied "JB" logo at 12 o'clock (standing for Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, who the brand credits as the founder), slim but still lumed leaf hands, and a skeletonized rotor. In stainless steel, there are three dial colors available. Salmon is a first for the Villeret collection, with a copper-hued dial paired with anthracite-coated 18K gold numerals. My favorite of the lineup, the Villeret Ultraplate featuring a warm champagne-hued dial with 18K yellow gold numerals set within a steel case with a green nubuck strap, will be offered as a boutique exclusive. More classic pairings of white gold numerals in a steel case and red gold numeral...

A Preview Of The National Geographic Museum Of Exploration And The Rolex Landing Hodinkee
Rolex Landing It was about Jun 24, 2026

A Preview Of The National Geographic Museum Of Exploration And The Rolex Landing

It was about halfway through James Cameron's speech on the Rolex Landing at the new National Geographic Museum of Exploration in Washington, D.C., that I glanced up. There, suspended above my head, was a familiar yellow object. To the uninitiated (and less nerdy), it might look like an alien spaceship from a low-budget sci-fi film. But I knew what it was immediately: Jacques Cousteau's soucoupe, the diving saucer from his 1964 documentary, "World Without Sun."  As I listened to Cameron go on about his descent to Challenger Deep, I looked around at all these incredible objects—there was the bathysphere that William Beebe climbed into and descended to over 3,000 feet in 1934. Down the hall, the Maruti Suzuki 4x4 used by Sandesh Kadur to track wildlife in India, its tires still muddy.  A dugout canoe, once upended by a hippo, used by Steve Boyes while searching for the source of the Zambezi. A Chinese terra cotta warrior. And a one-atmosphere JIM suit like the one in which Dr. Sylvia Earle walked 1,000 feet deep on the ocean floor. For a student of exploration history like me, this was nothing short of nirvana. Rolex has been a supporting partner to the National Geographic Society since 1954. Those were halcyon days for exploration and the introduction of Rolex's most legendary tool watches—the Explorer, the Submariner, and the GMT-Master. The names Rolex and National Geographic have been intertwined ever since, and I, for one, recall seeing those great print ads in the...

Auctions: French Soccer Legend Zinédine Zidane Talks Watches And Why He's Offering His First Cartier To A Special Charity Sale Hodinkee
Cartier Jun 24, 2026

Auctions: French Soccer Legend Zinédine Zidane Talks Watches And Why He's Offering His First Cartier To A Special Charity Sale

Zinédine Zidane is football (soccer) royalty in France. Having played for his home country in the World Cup three times, he led Les Bleus to victory in 1998 and made the final in 2006, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.  Photo credit: Alex Teuscher Before becoming a manager coach at Real Madrid, Zidane, known as 'Zizou', also had a prestigious career in professional soccer as an attacking midfielder at a host of European clubs, including Juventus. Widely regarded as one of the best players in history, he rose to prominence early in his career in the French Ligue 1 at FC Girondins de Bordeaux. And it was in Bordeaux that Zidane bought his first proper watch, a Cartier Pasha. Now that watch will be sold at a charity auction for ELA International as part of the Watches For ELA auction by Christie's on November 9 in Geneva. Zidane has been a supporter of ELA International - the European Leukodystrophies Association - for a quarter century. The non-profit organization is dedicated to defeating leukodystrophies—rare, genetic diseases that destroy the central nervous system. They fund medical research, support affected families, raise public awareness, and advocate for universal newborn screening. With the 2026 World Cup in full swing and on North American soil, we asked Zidane about his passion for watches, his support for ELA International, and why this Cartier has special meaning for the French soccer legend.   Zidane's Cartier Pasha.Photo credit: Al...

Introducing: Amida Digitrend OSII Black - Now With Lume (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Jun 23, 2026

Introducing: Amida Digitrend OSII Black - Now With Lume (Live Pics)

What We Know Amida keeps finding new ways to update and reinvent the classic Digitrend driving watch. When we last heard from the brand, they had fashioned a model inspired by the NASA space shuttle missions, a timepiece that demonstrated the range of design and development possibilities of the Digitrend format, which first debuted in the pre-shuttle era way back in 1976 at Basel.  Now, it seems, Amida has seen the light. Or rather, it's seen the way to add luminescence material to an open-worked version of the digital jump hour timepiece with the Digitrend OSII Black. Featuring an open sapphire hood showing the DLC-coated workings of the movement and Amida's in-house developed jump hour module, the new model uses an LRD or 'light reflecting display' utilizing prismatic technology that illuminates the digital numerals via Super-LumiNova, for the first time.  The Digitrend has never been a watch for everyone. It's quirky, and its time-reading display is unusual, to say the least. But the addition of lume certainly adds to its functionality and represents a welcome upgrade for this new edition that is limited to 150 pieces and goes on sale today on Amida's website.  The brand and co-founder Matthieu Allègre say the ongoing improvements, revisions, and tweaks to the Digitrend model line shouldn't be seen as merely more refined or robust versions of the original. Rather, they're designing and producing the model as it would have evolved had the original brand not been am...

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...