Hodinkee
Photo Report: Watch Week Aspen Returns For Its Second Year
The second annual Watch Week Aspen brought 16 brands and over 200 attendees together to share in the passion for watchmaking amidst the beautiful backdrop of Aspen, Colorado.
Results for Swiss vs Japanese Watchmaking
4,703 articles · 45 videos found · page 81 of 159
Hodinkee
Worn & Wound
Louis Erard Introduces the Gravée Main, with a Fully Engraved Case
Of all the artisanal specialities in watchmaking, case engraving has to be among the most obscure and unheralded. I think there are a few reasons for this. One, the dial is where the action is on most watches, and applying a time consuming artistic craft on the case might be seen by some watchmakers as a waste of valuable time. Another factor is that to a large extent, we’ve all been trained to appreciate a particular type of case finishing. We see crisp transitions between brushed and polished surfaces, and that registers as being of a certain level of quality that we expect in a luxury watch. If those elements aren’t there, even if they’re substituted by something that might be visually striking, our reptile brains feel like there’s something missing. The latest in Louis Erard’s ongoing Métiers d’Art series, however, is a good opportunity to appreciate complex case engraving in a new way. The whole idea behind how Louis Erard approaches Métiers d’Art, and to a certain extent the brand’s focus more generally, is to make craft accessible. The new Gravée Main is perhaps their most ambitious attempt in this area to date. Virtually every steel surface (the case, bezel, lugs, crown, and buckle) is hand engraved. According to the brand, each watch takes upwards of 50 hours to engrave by hand, and only 99 will be made. Engraving is one of those things that really comes alive when you look at it closely and imagine that painstaking work that went into creat...
Monochrome
Introducing - The Norqain Wild One “Stan the Man” Limited Edition
Even though a relatively young brand, Norqain has made a name for itself in the field of sports watches, as well as a strong commitment to Swiss production. Norqain’s CEO Ben Küffer has been able to count on some great friends since he started his brand in 2018, one of them being industry veteran Jean-Claude […]
Monochrome
Introducing - The Paulin Mara, The First Dive Watch by the Glasgow-Based Brand
Paulin Watches, founded in 2013 by three sisters and now part of anOrdain, has built its reputation on a bold, design-driven approach to watchmaking, characterised by distinctive typography and an original use of form and colour. With the Mara, the Glasgow-based brand takes a step into the world of professional watches, reimagining the diver through […]
Monochrome
News - Phillips Watch’s Next Auction Has Everything but Watches, and Will Benefit a Good Cause
On Saturday, 6 September 2025, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will host a live charity auction at Geneva Watch Days to benefit the Pierre Amstutz Fund, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting apprentices at the Geneva School of Watchmaking. Now in its third consecutive year, the charity auction has become a fixture of […]
Monochrome
Introducing - Indie Brand Guebly Updates Its Initial Concept with the new CH1 Rétrograde
Guebly isn’t an old brand. On the contrary, it’s a recently created independent watchmaking company that released its very first watch, the Prologue or Chapter 1, only a year ago. Guebly is the brainchild of Adnane Kerd, a collector who turned watch entrepreneur. A sober luxury sports watch that showed great attention to detail and […]
Teddy Baldassarre
"Are Tissot Watches Good?"
Tissot is one of the world's largest Swiss watchmakers and can look back on a rich history upon which it is still building today. In the modern era, Tissot is widely known for its large and diverse portfolio of watches, which ranges from dressy to sporty to high-tech, for its high-profile sports timing presence, and for its incredible value for the money. But there is a lot more that you may not know about Tissot and its many contributions to watchmaking history. Here, we delve into the highlights and tackle the easily answerable question of "are Tissot watches good?". (And if you're interested in learning more about particular Tissot Watches that are available now, check out our companion article on the Best Tissot Watches for Men.) Tissot’s Watchmaking Milestones Began in 1853 Tissot is one of the oldest watch manufacturers in the world, tracing its history back to 1853. Its founders were the father-son watchmaking team of Charles-Félicien and Charles-Émile Tissot, who turned their home in the Swiss Jura town of Le Locle, where the company remains headquartered today, into a small factory. By 1858, the family firm had gained a major foothold in Tsarist Russia, which became the largest market for the savonette pocket watches that were its specialty at the time. (At one point, Charles-Émile’s son, Charles Tissot, the third generation of the Tissot family to join the business, moved to Moscow to open an office there.) Tissot is recognized as the producer of the first...
Hodinkee
One To Watch: Sohaib Maghnam, A 30-Year-Old Automotive Designer And CEO Of Two Watch Brands With Three 2025 GPHG Entries
Qatar-based Beda'a is one of the few non-Swiss brands with a GPHG Entry this year, and it has two, with Maghnam's eponymous brand rounding out the third.
Deployant
Insider secrets: Jean-François Mojon talks about Chronode and the work he does for Hermès
We visited Chronode, an independent complications specialist for the watchmaking industry. Here we chatted with Jean-François Mojon, the Founder and Chief.
Monochrome
Introducing - The New Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in Pink Gold
Roger Dubuis introduced the Excalibur Spider Flyback Chronograph in 2023, debuting it in a lightweight carbon case inspired by supercar engineering and embodying the brand’s vision of hyper horology – bold, expressive, and technically advanced watchmaking. Also in 2023, the Excalibur Spider Revuelto Flyback Chronograph was unveiled alongside the launch of the actual Lamborghini Revuelto. […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The New Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II
We know Oris as a watchmaking company dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and supporting good causes around the globe. Today, I got a chance to go hands-on with the brand’s latest effort in that spirit. This is the Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II. This 2,000-piece limited edition supports the Billion Oyster […] Visit Hands-On With The New Oris Aquis New York Harbor Limited Edition II to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The 15 Best British Watch Brands (2026)
While Switzerland is regarded today as the world leader of watchmaking, Great Britain can lay claim to a wealth of horological milestones throughout its history as well. From Thomas Mudge’s development of the lever escapement in 1755 to John Harrison’s invention of the marine chronometer in 1759 to the innovations of clockmaker Thomas Tompion and his protegé George Graham in the areas of science and astronomy, England was an undisputed leader in timekeeping throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The 20th century brought the decline of the British Empire and, with it, British watchmaking, as nations like Switzerland, Germany, and (for a while) the United States stepped in with modern mass-production techniques while the Brits held fast to traditional, artisanal methods. The United Kingdom essentially ceased being a major producer of timepieces by the end of World War II, but as the 21st Century dawned, a handful of entrepreneurial Britons have made great strides in bringing high-end watchmaking back to their native land, establishing new brands - and in some cases, resurrecting old ones - to make watches that appeal to today’s discerning enthusiasts in the U.K. and across the world. Whether the focus is military-style tool watches, avant-garde complications at approachable prices, or ultra-high-end pieces for well-heeled collectors, each brand boasts an identity that is proudly British and at the same time distinct from its peers. Here are 15 British watch bran...
Worn & Wound
Oris Unveils the New York Harbor Limited Edition II and Continues their Partnership with the Billion Oyster Project
Back in 2022, we brought you a story on the first watch Oris released to celebrate their partnership with the Billion Oyster Project. That particular Aquis was a real head turner, using mother of pearl in a unique fashion to create a dial meant to conjure the Hudson River. But the more interesting story then, as it is now as Oris releases the long awaited follow up piece, is the one about the Swiss brand’s interest in conservation, and the mission of the Billion Oyster Project. If you need a refresher, the Billion Oyster Project exists to restore New York Harbor’s oyster reefs, and to educate the public on the inherent benefits of this endeavor. A fully grown oyster is, somewhat amazingly, able to filter as much as 50 gallons of water per day. Reintroducing oysters (a billion of them!) into New York waterways has the potential to dramatically clean up those waters in a sustainable and natural way. The founders of the Billion Oyster Project, Murray Fisher and Pete Malinowski, say that they’ve already introduced 150 million oysters into the harbor. They started in 2014, so if you do the math, there’s still plenty of work to be done to get to that billion number, but it’s far from an impossible goal. One of the charms of the Billion Oyster Project is that it is by its very nature a group effort – the organization has a lot of help, and enlists public schools, volunteers, and occasionally a Swiss watch brand to lend a hand. Every time they get in the harbor and a...
Monochrome
Introducing - The New Chronoswiss Opus Purple Rain, Celebrating 30 Years of The Skeleton Chronograph
When Gerd-Rüdiger Lang (1943–2023) founded Chronoswiss in 1983, his mission was to safeguard and advance mechanical watchmaking at a time when quartz technology threatened to eclipse traditional horology. A master watchmaker, Lang became renowned for pioneering features now considered staples of fine watchmaking, and the openworked mechanical chronograph. In 1995, Chronoswiss launched the Opus, the […]
Monochrome
Introducing - The Unexpected Azuki X H. Moser & Cie. Elements of Time Collection
Two worlds that couldn’t be more different, one born from blockchain and anime culture, the other rooted in centuries of Swiss horology, have collided to create something genuinely original. The Elements of Time series, a collaboration between Azuki and H. Moser & Cie., feels as if it shouldn’t work, but it does. Azuki, the web3-native […]
Monochrome
Introducing - The RGM Model 222-RR Ferguson Railroad Dial is a Genuine Slice of American Railroad History
As the only vertically integrated manufacture in the United States producing components, movements and guilloché dials, RGM is already an anomaly on the American watch scene. Founded by master watchmaker Roland G. Murphy in 1992 in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, Murphy’s interest in early 20th-century American watchmaking history is reflected in the brand’s railroad watches. The […]
WatchAdvice
Is The New Rolex 1908 Settimo Horological Perfection? (Hands-On)
As always, Rolex represents the highest possible standard of the watchmaking world – but does this new 1908 model uphold this illustrious reputation? Let’s find out! What We Love: A perfectly executed contemporary design Extremely well-built and highly wearable Surprising value proposition, even among similar pieces What We Don’t: Clasp feels unnecessarily long Scratch and smudge magnet Movement finishing – Too little, too late? Overall Rating: 9.5/10 Value for Money: 10/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 10/10 Build Quality: 9/10 When it comes to watches, there are plenty of uncomfortable truths one must face. They’re hardly life-or-death scenarios, sure — but within the world we navigate as enthusiasts, there are a few pills that are undeniably hard to swallow. Some are classics, like how quartz movements are just as relevant to the industry as mechanical ones, or the ever-lingering question of how much cultural impact wristwatches still hold. But there’s one truth in particular that keeps many a watch lover up at night, clutching their favourite timepiece and hiding under the covers. That truth, of course, is this: Rolex is the greatest watch brand of all time. Naturally, there are plenty of valid, subjective counters to that claim. I, for one, would argue that Casio belongs on the same playing field simply because of its cultural popularity and accessibility. But when you look at the data, the case for Rolex is practically airtight. According to Morgan Stan...
Teddy Baldassarre
An Inside Look At The New Glashütte Original Dial Manufacture
Here’s the headline: this summer, the namesake and flagbearer of the Glashütte watchmaking region, Glashütte Original, has opened its own, dedicated dial manufacture. You might be asking yourself, “I thought G.O. already did everything in-house, what’s the deal?” And while you would be right to ask, the basis of the question is also correct. Glashütte Original, while owned by Swatch Group, does, in fact, “do everything in-house,” or to be more specific: 95% of everything. However, up to this point, the dials for G.O. watches were made in a facility six hours away in Pforzheim. This move has brought production to a 5,000-plus-square-foot facility that is just a quick float down the babbling Muglitz River - 450 meters, to be exact. In a market where collectors are placing increasing importance on “in-house” everything, this is a big move for a company that has been preaching the Homemade Gospel from the Saxon hilltops for decades. Not only does this allow for more agile production timelines, but it increases G.O.’s production capabilities as a whole. G.O. brought me to Germany to see the new facility and to tour the full manufacture as well. In addition to the photos here, which won’t tell the full story, we also have a full video touring the manufacture. This sort of care for detail and attention to craftsmanship is deeply ingrained in the region, and in Glashütte Original as a brand. The people at this manufacture take the namesake very seriously...
Time+Tide
10 of the best perpetual calendar watches
Often considered the pinnacle of watchmaking, these are some of the very best perpetual calendars you can find today. The post 10 of the best perpetual calendar watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The C1 Bel Canto versus the C12 Loco - which Christopher Ward are you?
The Anglo-Swiss brand's two high horology heavy hitters go head to head.The post The C1 Bel Canto versus the C12 Loco – which Christopher Ward are you? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Teddy Baldassarre
18 Great Panda-Dial Watches (2026)
Panda-dial watches - a category of chronographs that derive their nickname from their two-tone dial colorways, generally defined by black subdials on a white main dial - have gone from a niche favorite to a widely popular genre for collectors and enthusiasts, who prize their high-contrast sharpness and legibility. Even in an era of watchmaking when bolder and brighter colorways seem more dominant than ever, there is something about the black-and-white simplicity of pandas, and their mirror-image cousins, the so-called “reverse pandas” (white subdials on black dial), that still strike a chord. Here are 18 of our favorites. Dan Henry 1964 Chronograph Price: $300, Case Size: 38mm, Thickness: 12.9mm, Lug-to-Lug: 44.7mm, Lug Width: 19mm, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Seiko VK63 Mechaquartz A longtime watch collector, and founder of the historical-watch website Timeline Watch, Dan Henry established his eponymous watch brand in 2016, inspired by his extensive collection of vintage pieces to produce contemporary watches with recognizably retro design language. Each Dan Henry watch model is limited and numbered, and named after the year from which it draws its main aesthetic influence. The mechaquartz-powered 1964 Gran Turismo Chronograph brings to mind iconic racing watches born in the ‘60s like the Heuer Carrera and Rolex Daytona, and Dan Henry makes it in both 36mm and 38mm case sizes, with either a two- or three-register dial design, with o...
Monochrome
Introducing - The Fresh & New Minase Uruga with Ice Blue Dial
Minase is a Japanese watch brand well known to those who appreciate fine case construction and artisanal finishing. It was founded in 2005 by Kyowa Co., a specialist in precision machining and metalworking since the 1960s. Minase began as a case and bracelet manufacturer before stepping into full watch production. With a strong focus on […]
Fratello
Hands-On With The Everest-Worn HP Hercules Hand-Wound Double Barrelled
HP Hercules watches, originally crafted in post-war Germany, made a comeback in 2022 under the leadership of Swiss watchmaker (of Dutch origins) Adriaan Trampe, formerly of EZA watches. The brand’s rebirth leans on nostalgia, but aims to recharge it with modern mountaineering efforts. I got a chance to go hands-on with the Hercules Hand-Wound Double […] Visit Hands-On With The Everest-Worn HP Hercules Hand-Wound Double Barrelled to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
JLC Reverso Tribute Review: A Discreet Icon With a Posh Party Trick
Back in 2016 Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced the Reverso Tribute collection to celebrate the 85th anniversary of their iconic reversible rectangular-cased watch. Last year they added four new Reverso watches to this collection, two of which finally get us back to a case size that is nearly identical to that of the original Reverso from 1931. The Reverso has been a canvass for so many of JLC’s designs and watchmaking innovations over the years but I have to say it is so nice to get back to the basics with a legitimately unisex size and a monoface dial. As nice as the duoface Reversos are, the watch was conceived for polo players who wanted to protect their watch while leaving room for some personalization on the enclosed side. Here I am looking at the Reverso Tribute Monoface in steel with a blue dial, though it is also available in a white dial version. JLC Reverso History The year is 1931: Herbert Hoover is President, the Empire State Building in New York City is nearing completion, and the Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as America’s National Anthem. Of course, something entirely different is going on in the world of Swiss watchmaking when businessman and watch distributor Cesar de Trey attends a polo match while traveling in India. He notices one of the players watch crystal shattered while playing so he he pitched an idea to one of his colleagues who just happened to be Jacques-David LeCoultre. LeCoultre enlisted his partner Edmond Jaeger and the rest is, as they say,...
Monochrome
First Look - Vintage Charm for the New Montblanc 1858 Automatic Date in Cupro Aluminium
Montblanc, the renowned producer of luxury fountain pens since 1906, entered the watchmaking arena in 1997. Keen to enhance its horological credentials, Montblanc acquired the famous Minerva manufacture in 2006. While the brand’s vintage-inspired 1858 line takes inspiration from Minerva’s historical watches and is named after the year the fabled manufacture was founded, it would […]
Teddy Baldassarre
MechaQuartz: The Hybrid Chronograph Movement Explained
Watches with mechaquartz movements are a small but quietly growing niche within the industry, particularly in the ambitious, creative, and extremely budget-conscious world of small independent watchmaking. Watchmakers have discovered that these “hybrid” movements, which offer quartz-level accuracy along with a dose of mechanical appeal, can often provide the opportunity to make chronograph watches that entice watch enthusiasts while still maintaining the affordable price points that keep their brands competitive. But what is a mechaquartz movement, exactly, and what watch brands are currently offering the most interesting examples of this technology? Read on. What is a MechaQuartz Movement? In a nutshell, mechaquartz (which various brands and other sources have also spelled mecaquartz, meca-quartz, or mecha-quartz) refers to a chronograph movement that combines a battery-powered quartz crystal oscillator for the main timekeeping (i.e., the hours, minutes, and running seconds) with a mechanical module for the stopwatch functions. The latter element ensures that the chronograph seconds hand sweeps smoothly over the dial, as in a fully automatic watch, rather than in short jumps, as it would operate in a fully quartz one, and that the seconds hand will snap back instantly to zero at the end of a time measurement. A mecaquartz movement is often referred to as a hybrid movement, but it’s not a hybrid in the same technical sense as, say, Seiko’s Spring Drive calibers, ...
Monochrome
First Look - The Revival of the Keyring Watch with the Volan Type One
Dutch watch enthusiast, collector and entrepreneur Diederik van Golen is back at it again, reviving a fun historical piece of watchmaking with his newly founded brand, Volan Watches. Inspired by his love for cars, yachting and watches, the goal is to bring back the Keyring Watch, an item that was very popular in the 1950s […]
Worn & Wound
Exploring Mid-Level Independent Brands: a Collector’s Perspective
I recently read Zach’s article on “Micro Indies,” in which he explains how small independent brands are challenging the bigger watch companies in terms of design and innovation, and yet offering watches in the $3,000 – $5,000 price range. This made me think about another category of brand that does not fall squarely into the “Micro Indies” bucket, but is a level above in terms of watchmaking and challenges the higher-end independent brands. I could not clearly decide on how to label this category – it is not accurate to call them “affordable independents” since they are not that affordable, therefore I landed on referring to them as “mid-level independents” or MLI for short. How do I define the MLI category? These are brands that fall in the $5,000 – $15,000 price range and offer a combination of various aspects of high horology – from in-house movements, dials, and finishing, to complications often seen in the higher spectrum of independents. Even though I selected this price range where the majority of the watches fall, there are outliers based on precious metals and complications, that can go well over $15,000, and sometimes into the six figures. I selected three very different brands to highlight in this category since their specialties cover different aspects of watchmaking: D. Dornblüth & Sohn, Laine, and Sartory-Billard. I will go into details on how each of these brands has their own niche in watchmaking, and how their strategy differs ...
Monochrome
Introducing - The New Bremont Supermarine 500M with Polar White Dial
Some of you might remember the adventurer and survivalist Bear Grylls wearing a Bremont pilot’s watch on an episode of his TV show Man Vs Wild. Since that was over 17 years ago, Bremont has refreshed its roster of ambassadors to feature more contemporary figures. To promote the latest white dial edition of the rugged […]
Monochrome
First Look - The Orient Bambino 75th Anniversary Classic and Day-Night Come with Plenty of Vintage Soul and Modern Charm
For many watch enthusiasts, the Orient Bambino is a rite of passage, often a first mechanical watch that proves you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy heritage design and honest, in-house watchmaking. To mark its 75th anniversary, Orient has refreshed its popular Bambino lineup with new dial colours and two limited editions that […]