Teddy Baldassarre
Bulgari Serpenti: A Guide to the Iconic Snake Watch Design
Though many have turned to the motif in the watchmaking world, the Bulgari Serpenti will always be the ultimate snake watch.
Results for The Royal Oak Launch Story
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Teddy Baldassarre
Worn & Wound
Review: The Trafford Crossroads S 36 & 40
It will be impossible to talk about the new Trafford Crossroads S without discussing the size of the case in great detail, which I fear might be disservice to the watch as a whole, because there are a lot of very nice things about the Crossroads, and it’s one of the most charming new watches from a microbrand that I’ve seen in some time. But the case size is critical, because Trafford has walked a very interesting line with this release, debuting the Crossroads S in two sizes and marketing each based on how they feel the case wears, not its actual measured size. It’s getting by on vibes, as the kids sometimes say. It also capitalizes smartly on the growing trend we’ve seen for smaller, more discreet watches in a really interesting way. The Crossroads S is actually two watches: the Crossroads S 36 and the Crossroads S 40. Neither of these watches are named for their actual measurements, though. Instead, Trafford has used these pretty commonly understood sizing conventions to name the watches based on how, in their estimation, they actually wear. The Crossroads S 40 measures 35mm x 36mm, while the Crossroads S 36 comes in at 31mm by 32mm (both are 9mm thick). Looking at the watches side by side, and compared to other watches in circular cases that are true 40mm and 36mm cases is an interesting lesson in how we perceive size depending on shape. It also, in my opinion, illustrates how one of these watches is absolutely the “correct” size while another is, well, n...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Autodromo Adds an Affordable Ana-Digi Watch to the Group C Lineup
The Autodromo Group C Turbo Sport pairs an analog dial with a digital display for the first time in the brand's history.
Time+Tide
Christopher Ward partners with seconde/seconde/ once more to create the ultimate watch enthusiasts holiday watch
Christopher Ward and French watch artist seconde/seconde/ have partnered to produce the ultimate summer holiday watch for enthusiasts
Monochrome
Introducing – The Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Raticosa
Since becoming World Sponsor and Official Timekeeper of the famous Italian endurance rally in 1988, Chopard has created a large family of chronographs inspired by the cars, drivers and roads that made the Mille Miglia a legendary event. Among the most challenging sections of the route is the Raticosa Pass, a mountain road that has […]
Fratello
Introducing: The Christopher Ward C60 Pool Diver With Seconde/Seconde/
Christopher Ward and seconde/seconde/ team up for the fourth time. This time, we get the Christopher Ward C60 Pool Diver, a lighthearted take on the holiday/vacation watch. At its core, this is still the capable C60 Trident Reef, but it is covered — and I mean absolutely covered — in gags. If it’s a full […] Visit Introducing: The Christopher Ward C60 Pool Diver With Seconde/Seconde/ to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – The Longines Master Collection Gets a Complete Overhaul
Since 2005, the Longines Master Collection has been the brand’s flagship line of traditional mechanical watchmaking. While the collection includes more complex models such as chronographs, moon phases and GMTs, the core, conservative Master Collection mainly comprises time-only models. The latest news from the winged hourglass brand is the release of the new, fully redesigned […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Introducing the New Longines Master Collection in Four Updated Sizes
The elegant family gets its first major facelift in two decades, with four new sizing options joining the Longines Master Collection family.
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Longines Master Collection Refreshed For 2026
What We Know When Longines launched the Master Collection in 2005, it established the line as the brand's flagship dress watch offering—a position the line has held for two decades. Today, the Saint-Imier-based brand is announcing a comprehensive rethinking of the collection, spanning 30mm, 34mm, 39mm, and 41mm cases across some twenty new references. It's the second significant collection update Longines has made in 2026, following the successful and much-in-demand Hydroconquest refresh announced in March. All twenty references share the same core design language. Cases are stainless steel throughout. The barleycorn dial texture runs across the line, though the 30mm and 34mm models offer silver barleycorn only, and offer a two-tone option with yellow or rose gold-capped bezels and matching crowns. While the 39mm and 41mm expand to include blue barleycorn options. The 41mm also adds a variant with Eastern Arabic numerals, which is not offered in any other size. All models display hours, minutes, and seconds centrally, with a date aperture at 3 o'clock. The 30mm references are powered by the Caliber L592.5, a self-winding movement with a silicon balance spring and a power reserve of up to 45 hours. The 34mm, 39mm, and 41mm models all use the Caliber L888.5—also self-winding, also silicon balance spring—with a power reserve of up to 72 hours. Both are exclusive Longines calibers. Across all sizes, watches are offered on stainless steel bracelets with newly designed sho...
Fratello
MAT Watches Introduces The Whimsical Egg Master II
Generally, watches are serious business. At least to most of us, they are. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for some fun. Some good examples are the many seconde/seconde/ collaborations we have seen from various brands. Obviously, the theme should appeal to you and make you like one of these whimsical timepieces. If there […] Visit MAT Watches Introduces The Whimsical Egg Master II to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – The New Angelus Instrument de Mesures, Three Historic Chronograph Scales in One
Throughout all its phases of life, Angelus has been responsible for several milestones in wristwatch history, including some of the earliest chronographs with calendar indications. Its robust eight-day movements famously found their way into vintage Panerai watches. Succumbing to the quartz crisis, the brand’s revival began in 2011 under La Joux-Perret’s ownership. In recent years, […]
Fratello
Renders Can Ruin A Watch — Hands-On With The Oris Hölstein Edition 2026
Oris introduced its annual Hölstein Edition on June 1st, and unfortunately, the brand used renders (not very good ones) to showcase it. It was the accompanying press release, with all the information about this watch, that convinced me it could actually be interesting. Oris ensured we could go hands-on with the Hölstein Edition 2026 to […] Visit Renders Can Ruin A Watch — Hands-On With The Oris Hölstein Edition 2026 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
Max Maertens Dishes on His Creative Process in Designing the New MB&F; HM12
I first met Max Maertens at Dubai Watch Week last year. The young designer already has a storied career under his belt, working on projects with brands like Chopard, Vacheron Constantin, Cartier, and MB&F;, where he started out as an intern. Here, something clicked. For several years, Maertens firmly fell in the “F” or “friends” category of the brand, collaborating with MB&F; and L’Epée on the T-Rex clock before being given free rein to create the TriPod and the Orb. But his legacy with MB&F; is only just getting started. Through these projects on several horological objects, the brand’s founder Max Busser saw something special and took him under his wing as his protégé and future successor. Today, we see Maertens’ first take on a more traditional MB&F; wristwatch – well…. sort of. Making its grand entrance is the HM12 Guardian, the next chapter in the brand’s horological machines. It started with a “simple” brief (though we all know, nothing MB&F; does is simple. “I was in Max’s office, and he said to me, ‘wouldn’t it be cool to create a watch that’s also a robot’s head?’ And somehow, immediately in that moment, a vision popped in my mind of how it should look,” recalls Maertens. “In the end, I would say this final concept of the HM12 is about 80% of what I had in my mind from that first idea.” Yes, the concept still originated from the mind of Busser himself, but the design of the new HM12 Guardian – a wristwatch with a “very...
Monochrome
First Look – The New Christiaan van der Klaauw Venus Zodiac, Planetary Mechanics on the Wrist
Christiaan van der Klaauw (founded in 1974 in the Netherlands) has dedicated itself almost exclusively to astronomical complications, creating wristwatches that display celestial phenomena with remarkable mechanical ingenuity. From planetariums to highly accurate moon phases, the brand turns astronomy into wearable mechanical art. Following the introduction of its new in-house CKM-01 calibre in 2024, this […]
Hodinkee
The Business of Watches Podcast: Benjamin Arabov, CEO Of Jacob & Co.
This week on The Business of Watches, a brand we don't talk about a lot on this channel - Jacob & Co. Complicated, audacious, and expensive, Jacob & Co. watches hold a unique position in the industry. The brand enjoyed a strong 2025, growing sales and volumes, according to estimates by Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult, bucking the industry trend. And the brand recently got some high-profile exposure on the wrist of the Roland Garros winner with French Open champion Alexander Zverev wearing Jacob & Co. during his matches and on the podium. We sat down in Geneva with Benjamin Arabov, the Chief Executive Officer of Jacob & Co., to talk about the brand's operations and strategy. You might be surprised at how Jacob & Co. watches are produced, the size of its production, and how the brand is being impacted by the war in the Middle East. But first, some business news headlines, including looming job cuts at one of Switzerland's most important and respected watch brands, which are the result of shifting trends impacting the industry. Sources: Morgan Stanley and LuxeConsult And finally - looking ahead to next week's episode, number 30 in the history of The Business of Watches, we're planning a special Q&A; episode and will gather some of the Hodinkee team, including editor-in-chief James Stacey and editors Mark Kauzlarich and TanTan Wang, to answer your business-related questions. Want to offer up a question? Please drop it in the comments below. We're looking forward to hearing f...
T
Teddy Baldassarre Excl
Teddy Baldassarre Excl
The Mastery of Grand Seiko
With Grand Seiko Brand Curator Joe Kirk as our host, we’re exploring the relationship between the natural world and the high-precision craftsmanship that defines one of watchmaking’s most distinctive brands.More
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The 5 Best Chronograph Watches of 2026 So Far
A closer look at the best chronograph watches of 2026 so far, from the titanium TAG Heuer Monaco to the Seiko Astron, Bulova Lunar Pilot, and more.
Worn & Wound
Introducing the Autodromo Group C Turbo Sport, the Brand’s First Ana-Digi Watch
Few innovations in automobile engines have been as impactful as the turbocharger, first brought to production cars in the 1960s and popularized in the United States largely thanks to the iconic turbodiesel 1978 Mercedes-Benz 300SD. With a telltale whistle accompanying that extra boost of power, the turbocharger soon became synonymous with motorsports and performance cars of the 1980s: the Audi Quatto’s breathy flutter, the 930 Porsche 911 Turbo’s heartpounding lag, and the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth’s European rally dominance all helped propel the decade into the “golden era” of turbocharged performance. With their latest release, motorsport-inspired watchmakers Autodromo are bringing another homage to a period of automotive innovation, this time highlighting the Group C “prototype” class of sports cars from the 1980s, many of which featured bold (and sometimes dangerous) turbocharged power. The basis of this new collection is their already-successful Group C digital watch, initially released in 2023, and the new Turbo Sport models draw inspiration from the analog tachometers of turbocharged ‘80s motorsports legends to create an ani-digi design that straddles the classic and modern eras of automotive and horological design. First, the dimensions: measuring in at 38.5mm in case diameter and 40mm lug-to-lug, the Group C Turbo Sport is compact, and sits fairly lightly on the wrist with a 11.4mm case thickness measurement. The case itself is anodized aluminum ...
Hodinkee
Introducing: The Autodromo Group C Turbo Sport Chronograph
What We Know It's been a while since we've heard from Autodromo. The motorsports-inspired boutique brand is a longtime favorite of many here at Hodinkee. Heck, we did a pretty cool LE with them back in 2023, featuring a special-edition series of Group B Chronographs. That same year, the brand unveiled its Group C, a watch that captured the spirit of digital '80s watches rather nicely. Today, Autodromo is launching its first totally new model since then. Meet the Autodromo Group C Turbo Sport, a fresh take on the practical analog-digital (ana-digi) watches like the Tissot Two Timer, the Heuer Manhattan Chronosplit GMT, and, of course, Breitling's Aerospace and Pluton that once adorned wrists behind the wheel and at the track a couple of decades back. The case is 38.5 millimeters in diameter and made from anodized aluminum – that's the alloy that your BMX bike parts used to be made from back in the day – or at least mine were. The new Group C Turbo comes in three anodized aluminum flavors, clear, grey, and gold. Each has a stainless steel caseback and features a grid dial that's meant to evoke the tachymeter instruments of the Group C Turbo racing era that ran from the early 1980s until about 1993, and was defined by European endurance events including the 24 hours of Le Mans. The Group C cars of the era that inspired these watches featured clean lines, ground effects that delivered high downforce, and turbochargers, offering outsized horsepower that demanded physi...
Fratello
Introducing: The Makina Cassiel II — A Brutalist Chronograph From The Philippines
Philippine microbrand Makina returns with the Makina Cassiel II. This second iteration looks nothing like the original Cassiel. However, it looks much more like a Makina now, and that’s a good thing. Join me for a closer look at a distinctly brutalist, design-first chronograph. The Makina Cassiel II goes on presale today, priced at US$1,850. […] Visit Introducing: The Makina Cassiel II — A Brutalist Chronograph From The Philippines to read the full article.
Time+Tide
MB&F; spent years developing its new HM12 ‘The Guardian’ and once all 36 pieces are sold it is gone for good
The MB&F; HM12, originally planned for the 20th anniversary celebrations, marks a major turning point as we enter the brand's third decade.
SJX Watches
Max-imum cool: MB&F; HM12 “The Guardian”
After more than 20 years, avante garde independent MB&F; returns to its roots and looks to its future with HM12 The Guardian. It combines a Horological Machine with a high-end shaped movement, flying tourbillon the most elaborate – and coolest – watch stand imaginable: a nearly 400 mm tall, 15 kg robot. Better yet, The Guardian can shift into battle mode at a moments notice, deploying armor to protect its weak points. Initial Thoughts MB&F; marks its 20th anniversary with HM12 The Guardian, or would have, had it been ready in time. Instead HM12 celebrates MB&F;’s future, as the first project led solely by the brand’s creative director (and Max Büsser’s heir), Max Maertens. Mr Büsser kicked the project off about four years ago by pitching a robot with a watch for a face, following up on the brand’s robot Melchior and Balthazar desk clocks. After that, Max 2.0 was left to his own devices, with this as the result. It is a very reassuring result for those concerned about the brand’s future after Maximilian Büsser’s eventual retirement, which isn’t yet imminent, but something the brand is clearly preparing for. Interestingly, Eric Giroud, who has designed just about every MB&F; watch, was not involved in the project either. Max (left) and Max (right). Image – MB&F; While discussing the project, Mr Büsser told me that Mr Maertens actually modelled the robot himself in SolidWorks, which goes well beyond the normal duties of a designer. That Maertens did the har...
SJX Watches
MAXimum Cool: MB&F; HM12 “The Guardian” is a Robot Watch-Clock
After more than 20 years, avant-garde independent MB&F; returns to its roots and looks to its future with HM12 The Guardian. The HM12 is a Horological Machine containing a high-end shaped movement featuring a flying tourbillon, nestled in the most elaborate – and coolest – watch stand imaginable: a nearly 400 mm tall, 15 kg robot. Better yet, The Guardian can shift into battle mode at a moments notice, deploying armor to protect its weak points. Initial Thoughts MB&F; marks its 20th anniversary with HM12 The Guardian, or would have, had it been ready in time. Instead HM12 celebrates MB&F;’s future, as the first project led solely by the brand’s creative director (and founder Max Büsser’s heir), Max Maertens. Mr Büsser kicked the project off about four years ago by pitching a robot with a watch for a face, following up on the brand’s robot Melchior and Balthazar desk clocks. After that, Max 2.0 was left to his own devices, with this as the result. It is a very reassuring result for those concerned about the brand’s future after Maximilian Büsser’s eventual retirement, which isn’t yet imminent, but something the brand is clearly preparing for. Interestingly, Eric Giroud, who has designed just about every MB&F; watch, was not involved in the project either. Max (left) and Max (right). Image – MB&F; While discussing the project, Mr Büsser told me that Mr Maertens actually modelled the robot himself in SolidWorks, which goes well beyond the normal duties of a...
Deployant
New and reviewed: MB&F; HM12 The Guardian
We had a good look at the new MB&F; HM12 The Guardian recently when Max Büsser and his team visited and presented us with this novelty.
Fratello
A Hands-On Introduction To The New Raymond Weil A.R.T. Collection
Ever since Raymond Weil won the GPHG Challenge Watch Prize in 2023 with the Millesime, the brand has been on a roll. The Millesime collection really shows that stylish Swiss-made watches don’t have to break the bank. The same goes for last year’s dressier Toccata Heritage Series. Now, the brand, led by Raymond Weil’s grandson […] Visit A Hands-On Introduction To The New Raymond Weil A.R.T. Collection to read the full article.
Monochrome
First Look – The Bang-For-Buck Seiko 5 Sports Field Series Will Guide You When Lost
At this point, perhaps it is very safe to say that Seiko doesn’t like holding back when it comes to giving the 5 Sports collection new directions. What started as a home for SKX-inspired sports watches has gradually turned into one of the brand’s most varied collections. Along the way, we have seen GMT models, […]
Teddy Baldassarre
Farer Lander IV Review: Exploring the British Brand's Attainable GMT Watch
The latest take on the Farer Lander IV delivers a Swiss-made movement, bold color palette, and versatile 39.5mm sizing for under the $1,600 mark.
Worn & Wound
Seiko Celebrates their Long Relationship with PADI: Introducing the HBB002 PADI 60th Anniversary Diver
Earlier this year, I helped a close friend pick out her first mechanical watch: a beautiful blue Seiko Prospex “Save the Ocean” special edition. For me, it was an easy recommendation, given my love of Seiko, their position as the true global king of entry- to mid-level watch purchases, and the prestige of the Prospex diver line itself. For her, as a lover of all things to do with the natural world, it was meaningful thanks to the eco-benefitting twist and oceanic theming. That particular Prospex was not the first, nor the last Seiko to showcase an organization doing work for ocean conservation and education: new for 2026 is the Prospex HBB002, celebrating the Professional Association of Diving Instructors’ (PADI) 60th anniversary. Seiko’s connection with the world of diving goes far beyond the simple styling and function of many of their iconic diver timepieces. As the company points out, it released its first diver in 1965, just one year before the PADI itself was founded with the intention of raising training standards and expanding access to education on diving as a hobby and profession. Now operating in 183 countries, PADI also puts promoting ocean conservation at its forefront, a noble cause that Seiko themselves have championed with their Save the Ocean program. So, it makes sense that Seiko has supported PADI as a partner for ten years, and is celebrating that partnership and PADI’s sixtieth anniversary with the new HBB002 model. The watch itself bring...
Monochrome
First Look – The DUG Glashutte Purist Typ 2 Is Good-Old Honest Watchmaking
If there’s one epicentre of watchmaking outside of Switzerland that can measure itself with Le Locle or the Vallée du Joux, it’s Glashütte. This small region in the far east of Germany was once known for its rich iron ore deposits and very active mining culture. But as deposits ran dry and prosperity dwindled, people […]
Monochrome
First Look – The DUG Glashütte Purist Typ 1 Is Good-Old Honest Watchmaking
If there’s one epicentre of watchmaking outside of Switzerland that can measure itself with Le Locle or the Vallée du Joux, it’s Glashütte. This small region in the far east of Germany was once known for its rich iron ore deposits and very active mining culture. But as deposits ran dry and prosperity dwindled, people […]