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Baltic Introduces their Latest Tour Auto Limited Edition Worn & Wound
Baltic Introduces their Latest Tour 3 days ago

Baltic Introduces their Latest Tour Auto Limited Edition

Last week was a big one for Baltic, as it saw the release of their collaboration with SpaceOne, the Seconde Majeure, which is easily one of our favorite watches of the year so far. With all the teases for that watch in the lead up to its release at the end of the week, you may have missed another Baltic launch that took place right before it. To celebrate the brand’s fourth consecutive year as the official timekeeper of the Tour Auto (the modern version of the classic Tour de France Automobile, which began all the way back in 1899) Baltic has released a limited edition rally timer, a combination stopwatch and dashclock, that in its own way is every bit as idiosyncratic as the Seconde Majeure.  This of course is not the first time Baltic has released a limited edition for the Tour Auto (see our coverage of their 2024 and 2025 releases here and here), but it is the first time that release hasn’t included a wristwatch. The 2024 release did include a similar rally timer combo, but not as a standalone effort – it was bundled with a chronograph that surely would have been the main draw for most buyers.  Here, Baltic is centering an unusual timing device, but one that is core to racing, much more than a wristwatch. The rally timer as conceived by Baltic consists of two separate instruments. First, a stopwatch, with a light blue dial, which is powered by a manually wound Hanhart caliber with flyback functionality. The flyback mechanism is particularly well suited to racing...

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First Look: Seiko 5 Sports Field Series SJX Watches
Seiko 5 Sports Field Series 6 days ago

First Look: Seiko 5 Sports Field Series

Seiko is reinforcing its entry level collection with the 5 Sports Field Series, a range of new models with compass bezels available in a range of dial colours from instrument-like white to brown, which seems to be a popular colour at the moment. While substantively similar to existing Seiko 5 Sports models and equally well priced, the Field Series watches feature serrated compass bezels with a glittering hobnail motif that is both functional — for enhanced grip — and attractive. Left to right: HDB009, HDB008, HDB006, and HDB007. Image – Seiko Initial thoughts The Seiko 5 Sports collection is perhaps the ultimate gateway to watch collecting. It’s the rare entry level watch that could be someone’s last watch as easily as their first. Not everyone is a collector, and some people just want a watch that does what is asked without asking for much in return. The Seiko 5 Sports fits the bill, while opening the door to the larger world of mechanical watches. The Seiko 5 is tangibly appealing in several respects, being one of the most affordable mechanical watches from a fully integrated manufacture. With Seiko, there’s no wondering who made what — the brand even formulates its own luminous compound for the hands, hour markers, and bezel pip instead of relying on the same suppliers as everyone else. Seiko also understands the aesthetic history of the wristwatch because the brand helped write it. This explains some of the subtle details like the tiny serifs on the hour ...

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Girard-Perregaux Introduces the Laureato Chronograph in a Rich Chocolate Brown Worn & Wound
Girard-Perregaux Introduces May 7, 2026

Girard-Perregaux Introduces the Laureato Chronograph in a Rich Chocolate Brown

After taking my French lessons in Duolingo for the better part of three years, I’m happy to say that some of those grammar tips are still rolling around in the ol’ noggin when I have to type such names as Girard-Perregaux Laureato Chronograph in Chocolate – hey, if no one else is going to toot my horn, I might as well, right? Now, enough about me. This latest edition from the brand (which, impressively, has been around since 1791) gives the overall appearance of the Laureato model (which, only slightly less impressively, has been around since 1975) a warmer character with a brown hobnail dial, a matching rubber strap, and rose gold details against the slightly colder steel case. The Laureato elements haven’t gone anywhere on this iteration, they’ve just been updated to complement the chocolate tones. The octagonal bezel, crown, and chronograph pushers have all been executed in rose gold. The integrated rubber strap and tonneau-shaped 904L steel case keep the model’s trademark style while working within what Girard-Perregaux has described as “sporty-chic,” a phrase I’m not too fond of, but can’t deny does describe this watch quite well. The real depth and warmth come from the dial itself. Girard-Perregaux uses a brown Clou de Paris hobnail pattern, with matching subdials and rose-gilt baton markers and hands. The rubber strap I briefly mentioned above continues that same Clou de Paris texture, tying the Chocolate colorway together and keeping things in b...

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Hands On: Patek Philippe’s Celestial Goes to Space SJX Watches
Patek Philippe s Celestial Goes May 4, 2026

Hands On: Patek Philippe’s Celestial Goes to Space

Perhaps the most surprising launch from Patek Philippe at Watches & Wonders 2026 was the Celestial Sunrise and Sunset Ref. 6105G-001. The ref. 6105G arrives over a decade after its predecessor, the ref. 6102 (2012), which in turn replaced the ref. 5102 (2002). While the prior model was an incremental evolution over the original, the ref. 6105G is a drastic redesign with its spaceship-inspired aesthetic and 47 mm (!) white gold case that wears unexpectedly well. The ref. 6105G is also an upgrade in mechanical terms with the addition of an elegant and simple sunrise and sunrise display that’s smartly implemented on the date ring, and driven by a clever compliant mechanism. And the ref. 6105G has another trick up its sleeve, a mechanism that accounts for summer and winter time (also known as daylight saving time), which shifts the time display as well as the date ring backwards or forwards as the seasons change. Initial thoughts Put simply, the ref. 6105G is weird but cool. Some of Patek Philippe’s recent experiments with design have been so-so in attractiveness, but the ref. 6105G scores well, maybe even the best amongst the brand’s adventurous designs. It’s unlike any other Patek Philippe ever with its huge case and integrated rubber strap, but it is appealing. Even though the star chart complication is a historical one descended from the Henry Graves Jr. “Supercomplication”, it feels like a perfect match for the sci-fi case. The case is huge at 47 mm, but the ...

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Introducing: Naoya Hida & Co.'s 2026 Slate Of Releases, Including Two Brand-New Models And Their First Porcelain Dial Hodinkee
Naoya Hida Apr 30, 2026

Introducing: Naoya Hida & Co.'s 2026 Slate Of Releases, Including Two Brand-New Models And Their First Porcelain Dial

What We Know It's spring, which means it's time for Naoya Hida's annual trunk show, where the brand tours the world to showcase its new watches. If you're in town for one of their few stops (like next week in New York), you can treat it like any tailor's trunk show and find out if the watch is a good fit. And every year, Hida-san and his team unveil a few new styles. In fact, you can see the ten releases on offer below. Some are familiar; others have small tweaks (the Type1 is now the Type1E because of the new domed crystal that makes it 10.9mm). But there are three watches that are so distinctly new that it's worth talking about. Let's go in numerical order, starting with a watch that is essentially just a dial revision, but it's a dramatic one at that. The Type2 series has been around for six years now as the brand's central seconds movement, followed by revisions in 2021 and then the coveted collaboration with The Armoury in 2022, called "The Lettercutter." I know a lot of people fought to get that piece, but there's a new Type2C-2 that's going to get some attention. While a big draw for Naoya Hida is the hand-engraved German or Argentium silver dials (in fact, that's where a lot of the price goes), they've pivoted here to their first-ever porcelain dial. The watch, powered by a Cal. 3020CS manually-wound movement with 45-hour power reserve and 4Hz beat rate, is cased in 37mm by 11.4mm stainless steel with a 44.8mm lug-to-lug. The glass is a curved sapphire crystal with...

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Sunday Morning Showdown: Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer Vs. Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture Fratello
Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture It’s Apr 26, 2026

Sunday Morning Showdown: Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer Vs. Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture

It’s Sunday morning, which means it’s time for a nice cup of coffee and an early morning watch battle. On top of that, this is the first one after Watches and Wonders 2026 officially ended. This week has predominantly been one of reflecting on the new introductions and, for the Fratello team members who were […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Nomos Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer Vs. Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture to read the full article.

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Bring a Loupe: A White-Gold Vacheron Constantin, An IWC Mark XII, And A Cartier Bamboo Coussin Hodinkee
Vacheron Constantin Apr 24, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A White-Gold Vacheron Constantin, An IWC Mark XII, And A Cartier Bamboo Coussin

It was bound to happen. I've written nine Bring a Loupes, covering 38 watches (excluding Strays or Buyer Beware watches). Two weeks back, I picked a clunker of a Doxa Sub 300T, which, among other issues, had the wrong hands (I'd actually been more concerned with the dial), and in my enthusiasm for vintage Doxa divers, I screwed up and included it. My apologies, though, as Coleman Hawkins consoles, "If you aren't making mistakes, you aren't really trying." Scorekeeping the picks from two weeks ago, the Esso Breguet sold for €15,2000, the Juvenia Arithmo's still available, the Blancpain Bund sold for €15,500, the Doxa Sub 300T passed, the Chaumet sells Friday afternoon and has been bid to $12,000 at the time of writing, and the black dialed Seamaster sold for CHF 1,000. Strays A Universal Genève Railrouter. For sale on OmegaForums. A Gübelin Cioccolatone at Monaco Legend this weekend. For absolutely no reason whatsoever, here's a lovely Doxa Sub 300. As Stefon (from SNL) would say, this watch has it all: original (correct!) black hands, no-T dial, signed expandro bracelet and screw-down crown, and, of course, the OG thin case. These early thin-cased Doxa Sub 300s were made for only a year, and aside from minor paint loss on the bezel, this looks like an excellent example. If the Doxa's not your flavor and/or diving's not your bag, maybe this UG Railrouter'll do it for you. I have an overdeveloped fondness for railroad watches, which fondness is equaled by my appreciati...

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Hands-On: The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin 2500V Hodinkee
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin 2500V Apr 22, 2026

Hands-On: The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin 2500V

The new Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin 2500V is a release from the brand at this year's Watches and Wonders that's gotten quite a bit of chatter, deservedly so. After all, it is the brand's thinnest-ever Overseas, thanks to a brand-new in-house movement developed over seven years, which means what I assume to be an ungodly amount of R&D; dollars per millimeter shaved. It's also come at a time when Vacheron seems to be really having a moment - the passion I saw amongst Vacheron collectors when I was in Miami last month for the opening of the brand's largest U.S. boutique was very much an exciting sight to see.  But is the final result worth all the effort? Very much so, if we take the new Overseas Ultra-Thin 2500V as an ultra-limited, ultra-expensive halo product to mark the development of this new caliber. This 2500V and the Overseas Dual-Time Cardinal Points released alongside it at Watches and Wonders are already seeing very strong demand, and I think that's a sign of a good showing in Geneva. To many collectors of Vacheron over the years, the previous ultra-thin, time-only Overseas 2000V might feel like it had just come out, but in fact, a decade has passed since its introduction. Coming in white gold, the case measured 40mm in diameter, with a thickness of 7.5mm. Inside was the Vacheron 1120 caliber, a version of the JLC caliber 920 that had found its way in many watches amongst the Holy Trinity of brands, thanks to its superlative of being the thinnest aut...

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Good Vibrations: Armin Strom reveals  the Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition Quill & Pad
Armin Strom reveals  Apr 22, 2026

Good Vibrations: Armin Strom reveals  the Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition

We all know that watchmakers love complications. Throughout history, the quest for ever greater chronometric precision has produced a wide range of mechanisms, like the tourbillon, which has been mastered by many and improved. The post Good Vibrations: Armin Strom reveals  the Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 First Edition appeared first on Quill & Pad.

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Watches & Wonders: Tudor Updates the Black Bay Ceramic with a New Bracelet Worn & Wound
Tudor Updates Apr 21, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Tudor Updates the Black Bay Ceramic with a New Bracelet

“So many Tudors, so little time.” That could be a bumper sticker, a tattoo, and perhaps even the Watches & Wonders motto in almost any year the event takes place. One of the real challenges of the show, at least in the very first moments of it, is deciding which Tudor releases to focus on. As we’ve discussed many times, Tudor is one of the only brands that does not give press early access to news of their new releases. Each of the last few years, their official press release has hit while our team was on the shuttle from our hotel to Palexpo for the first day of the show (where we always meet with Tudor first thing in the morning). Part of those first few hours of Watches & Wonders always involves discussing and trying to predict which of their novelties are going to be of the greatest interest to our readers.  This year, it was pretty clear that the new Monarch was going to be the most discussed new Tudor release. It’s a brand new watch, after all, with a new case and bracelet design, and a new movement. Even if it went over like a lead balloon with the public, that’s clearly the most newsworthy release and the one to lead with. The Black Bay 54 in blue also felt like it would generate a lot of discussion. And we wouldn’t have suspected it at the time, but the Royal relaunch is actually pretty major as well – those watches are much better in person than we could have imagined from the press release, and they represent a substantial investment on Tudor’s p...

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A Hands-On Introduction To The Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting Fratello
Apr 21, 2026

A Hands-On Introduction To The Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting

Sometimes we come across projects or brands initiated by unique characters. Christophe Schaefer is one of those people. He is the founder of Schaefer & Companions, which releases special watches in very limited quantities. These timepieces result from Schaefer using his brand as a platform to celebrate human creativity. He does so by collaborating with […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The Schaefer & Companions Solune Antarctica Micro-Painting to read the full article.

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Auctions: Previewing The Monaco Legend Spring 2026 Auction Hodinkee
F.P. Journe Répétition Souveraine – €400,000 Apr 20, 2026

Auctions: Previewing The Monaco Legend Spring 2026 Auction

The spring auction season is sneaking up on us quickly. Things start early with Sotheby's Hong Kong auction (with its boatload of Cartier), which slightly edges Monaco Legend Group out of the gate, as their auction starts one day earlier. But on April 25 and 26, MLG will open its spring auction, which promises to be one of the more interesting and eclectic vintage-focused auctions of the season. That's not to say it's all vintage, of course. The auction starts out with a Bamford-modified blackout GMT (that the Parmegiani family behind the auction house seems to have an affinity for), an RM35-02 Nadal, a Journe Répétition Souveraine, and more Patek 5004s than you can shake a stick at, keeping things spicy. Lot 109 – F.P. Journe Répétition Souveraine – €400,000 to €800,000. There are 288 lots, and while the top lots sometimes feel a bit obvious to call out (mostly because everyone likely peers longingly at these watches and wishes they could bid), it's incredibly important to examine what is driving the top end of the market. And if you weren't paying close enough attention, you'd potentially miss the top lot. While it might look like a Rolex Daytona, like the ref. 116509 with a Tahitian mother-of-pearl dial and different indices, this is a whole different ballgame. Lot 78 of the auction is one of the "FAB 4" Daytonas, four unique platinum Zenith Daytonas, each executed with a hardstone dial (one with turquoise, one with lapis lazuli, two mother-of-pearl) made at...

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Sunday Morning Showdown: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5610 Vs. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin Fratello
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin It’s Apr 19, 2026

Sunday Morning Showdown: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5610 Vs. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin

It’s that day of the week again, Fratelli! This Sunday marks the end of a week that brought us a gazillion new watches, two of which go head-to-head today. For this week’s Sunday Morning Showdown, we put two literal heavyweights up against each other. Jorg puts forward the platinum Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin. Meanwhile, […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5610 Vs. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin to read the full article.

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First Look – The New Panerai Luminor PAM01735 and Forged Titanium PAM01629 Monochrome
Panerai Luminor PAM01735 Apr 17, 2026

First Look – The New Panerai Luminor PAM01735 and Forged Titanium PAM01629

The Luminor is in the spotlight this year with several vintage-inspired novelties that celebrate Panerai’s legacy as a supplier of precision instruments to the Italian Navy. Following the first generation of combat diver’s watches in the mid-1930s, glowing with radium-based Radiomir, Panerai developed a less harmful luminous substance known as Luminor, which would eventually denote […]

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First Look – The Eye-Catching Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Patina Monochrome
Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Patina Apr 17, 2026

First Look – The Eye-Catching Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Patina

Chopard’s Mille Miglia collection can best be described as the watchmaking expression of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s lifelong obsession with the classic Italian Mille Miglia road race, which he calls an open-air museum on wheels. As the official sponsor of the race since 1988, Chopard enjoys one of the longest-running partnerships between a watch brand and a […]

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Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko’s Nature-Inspired SBGZ011 Spring Drive Limited Release Shows The Shape of Water Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko s Nature-Inspired SBGZ011 Spring Apr 16, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko’s Nature-Inspired SBGZ011 Spring Drive Limited Release Shows The Shape of Water

Deep in the heart of a primeval forest lies a waterfall whose fresh spring waters are unspoilt by man, and whose mystic beauty is an endless source of inspiration - for the band of artisans who quietly engrave by hand some of the most intricately detailed watches in the world. It’s not a Studio Ghibli movie: the Tateshina Falls are real, located in central Japan’s Nagano Prefecture, which is also home to Grand Seiko’s Micro Artist Studio. And at Watches and Wonders 2026, a limited release pays tribute to this serene locale with a Spring Drive model that, according to Grand Seiko, “conveys time’s eternal flow in nature.”  The Masterpiece Collection SBGZ011 takes Grand Seiko’s sharp-edged 44GS case - rendered in platinum - and imbues it with hand-engraved lines from lug to lug, around the bezel, and entirely within the dial (save for a thin minute ring). These dashed silver lines flow in colliding swirls, bursting forth and blending into each other with seeming chaos; Grand Seiko suggests that they represent spring water bubbling forth from below the earth’s surface. On the bezel and the case’s flat surfaces and intersecting ridges, the patterns appear even more dramatic, resembling petals of a monochromatic flower. And on the dial, the white-gold hands and markers provide smooth, brilliant contrast, while the Grand Seiko and Spring Drive logos are carved and inset in their own boxes.  The manual-winding Caliber 9R02 is Grand Seiko’s thinnest Spri...

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Watches & Wonders: A Quick Rundown of the New Hublot Big Bangs Worn & Wound
Hublot Big Bangs Hublot has Apr 16, 2026

Watches & Wonders: A Quick Rundown of the New Hublot Big Bangs

Hublot has never trafficked in subtlety. The Big Bang chronograph first made its presence known with a 44mm size, hefty ceramic bezel with contrasting screws, and a rare combination of rose gold and rubber, which contrasted different textures with clashing case finishes. So what if it had an ETA movement-which, at the time, seemed more plebeian than the in-house movements of rival luxury chronographs? In that maximalist, McBling era, the stance and the presence were all that mattered.  Hublot has only taken its flagship model to more audacious heights. At this year’s Watches & Wonders Geneva, the Big Bang Reloaded enters the collection, following the 20-year anniversary of the Big Bang, by combining the intricate case with Hublot’s in-house chronograph movement, the Unico calibre, bringing together all the things that Big Bang enthusiasts love.  The Reloaded exemplifies Hublot’s adherence to high-tech materials: available in titanium, scratch-resistant 18-karat “Magic Gold,” and three options of ceramic: black, blue, and dark green. The strap, still in textured rubber, matches the case colors.    Hublot introduced its Unico calibre in 2010, and now the HUB 1280 UNICO makes an appearance from behind a skeletonized and multi-layered dial: redesigned to match the stencil-style numbers, a date window at between 4 and 5 o’clock, and horizontally-placed chronograph registers. It’s an automatic flyback chronograph, with 43 jewels and a power reserve of 72 hour...

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Watches & Wonders: Oris’ 24-Year-Old Product Design Engineer Just Reworked a Classic – This is the Sleek New Artelier Complication Worn & Wound
Oris 24-Year-Old Product Design Apr 15, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Oris’ 24-Year-Old Product Design Engineer Just Reworked a Classic – This is the Sleek New Artelier Complication

Oris first introduced its Artelier Complication in 1991 alongside the Caliber 581, which notably featured a moonphase module developed in-house by the brand. The release marked another significant moment for the maison in its commitment to manufacture movements following the quartz crisis. The model’s presence ultimately faded but received new life in 2017 with an updated design that featured a more modern, cleaner style with slimmer, tapered lugs, and a redesigned bezel. At Watches & Wonders, we get the next evolution of the Artelier Complication.  The newest incarnation gives us another redesign from the 2017 edition while keeping the focus on highlighting the romantic moonphase. This updated take on the Artelier Complication comes from 24-year-old Lena Huwiler, Oris’s new Product Design Engineer. Huwiler has been able to achieve the perfect balance between honoring the model’s place in the history of the brand and propelling it forward with a design that will resonate with her generation. An old soul at heart, Huwiler admits she does not just find inspiration online but still appreciates architecture, crafts, and interior design. She clearly brings the duality of these sensibilities into her design for the new Artelier Complication. Here, Huwiler has given an Oris classic a modern, urban profile and reworked the moonphase display designed by and for the next generation of watch collectors. The major update here is in the complication and how it is presented thank...

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Roger Dubuis Debuts Biretrograde Calendar in Steel SJX Watches
Roger Dubuis Debuts Biretrograde Calendar Apr 15, 2026

Roger Dubuis Debuts Biretrograde Calendar in Steel

Following the introduction of the same model (sans bracelet) in 18k pink gold last year, the new ‘cosmic blue’ variant of the Roger Dubuis (RD) Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar offers the brand’s signature retrograde day and date complication in a more accessible stainless steel package. Initial thoughts As a maker of big, bold, avant-garde watches, RD has found itself out of step with mainstream collector culture, which lately has favoured smaller, more elegant designs. The brand seems to understand the implications of these latent trends, and just last year introduced the Hommage La Placide, which was widely praised. The new 40 mm Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar is another step in the right direction, bridging the gap between RD’s more flamboyant instincts and contemporary collector preferences. In this context, the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar is clearly a watch designed to resonate more widely - the 40 mm stainless steel case paired with a blue dial is a commercially popular and almost universally appealing configuration. It works in part because the striking Excalibur design and unmistakeable biretrograde day and date functionality keep it from looking too much like anything else. The stainless steel bracelet is also noteworthy. It’s not the first time the brand has offered a steel bracelet - and it has produced this same design in titanium in the past as well - but it might as well be new since the Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar will probably appea...

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Watches & Wonders: Bremont Races to the Moon with the Space-Themed Supernova Chronograph Worn & Wound
Bremont Races Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Bremont Races to the Moon with the Space-Themed Supernova Chronograph

Because of the Artemis II launch earlier this month, the moon is all the rage again. That’s why the timing for Bremont’s Supernova Chronograph feels so auspicious: not only because it was designed with the stars in mind, but because it might actually go to the moon itself.  To promote the Supernova-which is an entirely new family, and not just a single release-Bremont is partnering with the aerospace company Astrolab, which is planning to send a FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) rover to the moon’s surface. In a future spacefaring reality, the Flexible Logistics & Exploration (FLEX) rover can traverse lunar and Martian terrain, delivering cargo with a 30-kg payload. That’s more than enough room to fit a Supernova, which will net Bremont as the first watch permanently placed on the moon’s surface. The Supernova Chronograph ticks the boxes of a terrestrial sports watch: with 100-meter water resistance, stainless-steel construction, and an integrated bracelet and optional rubber strap, it carries a bold presence that seems much tougher than the current lineup. The primarily brushed case, measuring 41mm and featuring smaller polished contrasts, is cushion-shaped, harkening to the midcentury enthusiasm for space exploration. The black bezel is made from ceramic and cut into ten sides.  The Supernova’s dial features contrasting triangular arrows and a geometrically aligned waffle pattern. On the main dial they’re both black, but in the subdials the triang...

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Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko Introduces the SBGY043 “Iwao Blue” Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Introduces Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko Introduces the SBGY043 “Iwao Blue”

At Watches & Wonders 2026, Grand Seiko’s newest addition to the Elegance Collection brings together the things it does best. Namely, intricately textured dials with a nod to Japanese artistry, and its flagship Caliber 9R Spring Drive.  Engraved to resemble a weathered rock face, the SBGY043’s striking dial suggests the appearance of a mountain at dusk: Grand Seiko calls this pattern iwao, which translates to rock or crag. Depending on the angle it’s viewed from behind its domed sapphire crystal, different facets take on intermingling light and dark tones of blue, purple, and black. Its color is inspired by the tradition of katsuiro dyeing, a centuries-old technique and reportedly a favorite among the samurai class, which produces a deep indigo hue. Set against bright silver markers and hands - no blued seconds hand here, which is almost its own Grand Seiko tradition - it makes for an especially understated contrast.  This Iwao Blue version runs on the Caliber 9R31, a manual-wind Spring Drive movement with a 72-hour power reserve and visible through a clear caseback. The case is among the slimmest in the Elegance Collection, with standard zaratsu polishing and soft, rounded lugs. A nine-row stainless steel bracelet is the only option, which reflects the craggy-faced dial’s aura of ruggedness.  Grand Seiko enthusiasts, of which there are many, might remember this dial from 2021 - albeit in a sharp-angled Heritage case and with a Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive mov...

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SJX Podcast: Rolex Marks Oyster Centenary with Daytona and Day-Date SJX Watches
Rolex Marks Oyster Centenary Apr 14, 2026

SJX Podcast: Rolex Marks Oyster Centenary with Daytona and Day-Date

Episode 36 of the SJX Podcast comes straight from Watches & Wonders 2026. As ever, all eyes are focused on Rolex during the first hour of the event. SJX and Brandon unpack the brand’s new models, which feature new materials and a novel industrial approach to enamel dial production. We’ll be back soon with more live coverage of the industry’s biggest event. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

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