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Results for 904L Oystersteel

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Rolex Celebrates the Oyster SJX Watches
Rolex Celebrates Apr 14, 2026

Rolex Celebrates the Oyster

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Rolex Oyster, the first waterproof watch produced by the brand. Rolex just announced two new Oyster Perpetual models to mark the occasion. One is a sombre 41 mm Rolesor Anniversary model (Ref. 134303) which blends gold with steel and the other is a playful 36 mm Jubilee Dial (Ref. 126000) which focuses on colour and patterns.  Initial thoughts Celebrating 100 years of the landmark Oyster case is certainly important to Rolex, as that original invention has been defining the brand ever since. Choosing arguably the plainest model line to mark the occasion is both meaningful and inspired. The entry-level Oyster Perpetual line manages to still bridge the gap between what Rolex has become and what the brand was 100 years ago. This back-to-basics approach gave birth to interesting models, which couldn’t be more different. The  restrained 41 mm anniversary Oyster Perpetual is dressed in 904L Oystersteel paired with a yellow gold bezel and crown. Complemented by the gold accents on the dial and hands, the final look is very reminiscent of some configurations of the beloved “Bubbleback” Oyster era.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, the new 36 mm Jubilee loses all celebratory sobriety and instead relies on a colourful reinterpretation of the Jubilee monogram dial introduced back in the 1970s. The blocky letters printed in vivid colours make for a look that is split between vintage inspired and excessively modern.  This Oyster...

Rolex Celebrates the Oyster with Anniversary Models SJX Watches
Rolex Celebrates Apr 14, 2026

Rolex Celebrates the Oyster with Anniversary Models

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Rolex Oyster, the first waterproof watch produced by the brand. Rolex just announced two new Oyster Perpetual models to mark the occasion: the Oyster Perpetual 41 mm Rolesor Anniversary (ref. 134303) in an unusual blend of gold and steel, and the playful Oyster Perpetual “Jubilee Dial” that’s all about colour and patterns with a dial reminiscent of the works of Alighiero Boetti (and is available in 41 mm, 36 mm, and 36 mm variants). Initial thoughts Celebrating 100 years of the landmark Oyster case is certainly important to Rolex, as that original invention has been defining the brand ever since. Choosing arguably the plainest model line to mark the occasion is both meaningful and inspired. The entry-level Oyster Perpetual line manages to still bridge the gap between what Rolex has become and what the brand was 100 years ago. This back-to-basics approach gave birth to interesting models, which couldn’t be more different. The  restrained 41 mm anniversary Oyster Perpetual is dressed in 904L Oystersteel paired with a yellow gold bezel and crown. Complemented by the gold accents on the dial and hands, the final look is very reminiscent of some configurations of the beloved “Bubbleback” Oyster era.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, the new 36 mm Jubilee loses all celebratory sobriety and instead relies on a colourful reinterpretation of the Jubilee monogram dial introduced back in the 1970s. The blocky letters pri...

Hands On: Rolex GMT-Master II Oystersteel Ref. 126710GRNR SJX Watches
Rolex GMT-Master II Oystersteel Ref May 17, 2024

Hands On: Rolex GMT-Master II Oystersteel Ref. 126710GRNR

Just released at Watches & Wonders 2024, the Rolex GMT-Master II in steel with a grey and black bezel (ref. 126710GRNR) is the newest addition to the famous line of dual time zone watches. More restrained in terms of colour, the new GMT-Master sports a 24-hour bezel with a grey-and-black Cerachrom insert. It’s still immediately recognisable, but a bit more discreet than its siblings in the collection, especially the famous “Pepsi” that is perhaps too recognisable.  Like several other Rolex sports models, the 126710GRNR sports green accents on the dial and GMT hand. And the 126710GRNR is available on either a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. Initial thoughts The GMT-Master II is a almost perfect, with little that needs revision. While some expected a “Coke” GMT this year, the 126710GRNR is a solid proposition for anyone who wants a GMT-Master dressed more subtly. The bi-colour bezel is functional without being too loud unlike the better-known GMT-Master “Pepsi”. Flashy or recognisable watches sometimes attract unwanted attention, so dialling back the bezel colours is smart. In fact, the 126710GRNR may as well be more appealing than the discontinued 116710LN with its all-black bezel. Although I prefer the all-black bezel of the 116710LN, the grey and black bezel of the 126710GRNR is more functional as it separates day and night. The Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” 126710BLRO The green accents are a nice touch and also logical since green is the Rolex corporate c...

Hands-On: The Chopard L.U.C 1860 In Aeruse Blue Hodinkee
Chopard L.U.C 1860 5 days ago

Hands-On: The Chopard L.U.C 1860 In Aeruse Blue

If there's a watch that seemingly stole the hearts of many collectors this year at Watches and Wonders, it's definitely Chopard's new blue-dialed L.U.C 1860 dress watch. The funniest part is that the new model is really only a dial color change. That's it. And yet, among a sea of new designs and complications, Chopard managed to pull off something much larger than its description on paper, and ended up being one of my personal favorite releases from the show. If you're familiar with the previous, now-discontinued salmon dial version of the L.U.C 1860 released back in 2023, well, chances are you already know much about this watch. But its identical specs are very much a good thing, as I think Chopard has really hit a home run with the 1860 as a proper, compact, and thin (8.2mm) dress watch amongst its larger L.U.C. movement-powered siblings.  The 36.5mm case in Chopard's Lucent Steel alloy is very safe in its design, with smooth, curved lines and a fully-polished, rounded bezel and top lugs. While there aren't any little extra design touches that add any additional flair, the sides are vertically brushed to create a bit of contrast. Is the case boring as a result? Certainly not in my eye, as its subdued character works well in the 36.5mm format and, most importantly, it serves as a very nice frame for a spectacular dial. That dial, produced by Chopard's in-house dialmaker Metalem, is an absolute home run. And it surprises me to say this, given that I typically don't care a...

The Louis Erard Le Régulateur Esprit Flinqué in Grey – a Worn & Wound Collaboration, Revisited Worn & Wound
Louis Erard Le Régulateur Esprit Flinqué Apr 22, 2026

The Louis Erard Le Régulateur Esprit Flinqué in Grey – a Worn & Wound Collaboration, Revisited

Late last year, we launched one of the most ambitious limited edition collaborations we’ve ever undertaken: the Louis Erard x Worn & Wound Le Régulateur. Developed over the course of three years, the project began with a concept from our side that pushed beyond anything we had done before. Realizing that vision required extensive R&D; to bring it to life at the highest possible standard, but the result was something truly distinct. Our goal with collaborations is always to create something unique, something special, and in this case, the outcome was a watch that stood apart from anything else. Layered, elaborate, provocative, and even a touch challenging, it’s a design that holds its own in even the most esoteric collections. the Worn & Wound x Louis Erard collaboration from 2025 Because the design itself was so original, and the execution so involved, it felt unfortunate for its life to be limited to just the 99 blue models of the initial release. During development, Louis Erard explored several alternate dial colors, some of them quite unconventional. While the design translated surprisingly well across these variations, there was something compelling about the restraint of the grey version that ultimately set it apart. Yes, grey and black are often the safe choices, but here, the result feels anything but typical. Zach Weiss’ Design from the 2022 pitch deck Now known as the “Le Régulateur Esprit Flinqué,” the design set out to rethink the regulator display w...

Introducing: The New Chopard L.U.C. Chopard Strike One In Titanium (Live Pics) Hodinkee
Chopard L.U.C Chopard Strike One Apr 20, 2026

Introducing: The New Chopard L.U.C. Chopard Strike One In Titanium (Live Pics)

What We Know Among the more attractive releases from Watches and Wonders this year is the new Chopard L.U.C. Strike One Titanium, now with a beautiful new dial treatment. In ethical 18k rose gold with salmon-colored galvanic treatment, with a hand-guilloché central medallion with a honeycomb motif, the Strike One is a watch that may fly under the radar for some. Not a minute repeater, not a grande et petite sonnerie, but rather a beautiful watch that chimes once at the top of the hour (a sonnerie au passage), it's still got a very romantic quality about it. Despite being a chiming watch, Chopard has (as they usually do) minimized the size as much as possible with a 40mm by 9.86mm case in Grade 5 titanium. That light metal should help emphasize the chime's sound, with the hammer on the dial side visible through an aperture for the full experience. Even better, the gong is made of sapphire and is connected in a monobloc construction (one piece) to the dial crystal to emphasize sound transmission. The dial itself is capped by a snail-shaped chapter ring and has rhodium-plated hour markers and hands, plus anthracite-colored printed transfers. This is all powered by the L.U.C. 96.32-L. With a two-barrel construction and micro-rotor, you get 65 hours of power reserve, automatic winding, and a 4Hz beat rate, all chronometer-certified by COSC, with Poinçon de Genève-certified quality. Chopard really shows bigger brands how to do it when it comes to finishing, so this is the kin...

Flying Six IWC Pilot’s Watch Le Petit Prince 20th-Anniversary Editions Fratello
IWC Pilot’s Watch Le Petit Apr 20, 2026

Flying Six IWC Pilot’s Watch Le Petit Prince 20th-Anniversary Editions

To mark two decades of collaboration with the estate of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, IWC introduces five Pilot’s Watch models in the Le Petit Prince collection, available in 5N gold and steel. The collection spans multiple case sizes and complications, ranging from 36mm to 43mm, and includes both time-only and chronograph executions. The sixth novelty in […] Visit Flying Six IWC Pilot’s Watch Le Petit Prince 20th-Anniversary Editions to read the full article.

First Look – The Chopard L.U.C. Strike One in Titanium with Salmon Dial Monochrome
Chopard L.U.C Strike One Apr 16, 2026

First Look – The Chopard L.U.C. Strike One in Titanium with Salmon Dial

Thirty years ago, Chopard’s co-president, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, opened the Manufacture in Fleurier. The first in-house calibre, L.U.C 1.96, a slim automatic micro-rotor movement, made its debut inside the L.U.C XPS 1860 the following year. Rapidly ascending the complications ladder, in 2006, Chopard celebrated the tenth anniversary of its Manufacture with the release of the L.U.C […]

First Look – The Chopard L.U.C XPS Prussian Blue in Lucent Steel Monochrome
Chopard L.U.C XPS Prussian Blue Apr 15, 2026

First Look – The Chopard L.U.C XPS Prussian Blue in Lucent Steel

Chopard celebrates 30 years since the founding of its Manufacture in Fleurier, and the L.U.C collection, named after Louis-Ulysse Chopard, continues to highlight the brand’s most technical and refined timepieces. Among the anniversary releases, the new L.U.C XPS Prussian Blue presents an evolution of the sector-dial model in green introduced in 2024. This new edition […]

Blue Steel: Chopard L.U.C 1860 SJX Watches
Chopard L.U.C 1860 Apr 15, 2026

Blue Steel: Chopard L.U.C 1860

To mark 30 years of its Fleurier manufacture, Chopard has introduced a new variant of the watch that started it all. The new Lucent steel L.U.C 1860 adds a blue dial to the brand’s flagship time-only dress watch. The L.U.C 1860 is short on novelty, being merely a new colour for a model that debuted in 2023, but the incremental improvements result in a sleek and sophisticated steel dress watch. Initial thoughts The L.U.C 1860 is very traditional dress watch in the sense that nothing feels exaggerated. At the same time, it doesn’t feel boring thanks to its guilloché dial and the obvious quality of the movement within. While there are some who believe that a proper dress watch must come in precious metal, the popularity of the steel-and-salmon L.U.C 1860 released in 2023 proves there’s an alternate perspective.   The brand’s proprietary ‘Lucent’ steel makes the watch more accessible, especially in the age of near-record gold prices. Despite the use of a comparatively humble material, the case finishing remains high-end - though the design is generation behind the new case profile introduced for the Grand Strike. Since the original L.U.C 1860 debuted in 1997, it has always been a small watch. For a time, that left it out of step with consumer preferences, especially in the early 2000s, but tastes have once again shifted back in favour of smaller cases. In this context, the vintage-leaning 36.5 mm size feels just right. That said, while it makes sense for Chopar...

Watches & Wonders: The Chopard L.U.C. 1860 Chronometer, Like the Original from Three Decades Past, May be Worth The Wait Worn & Wound
Chopard L.U.C 1860 Chronometer Like Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: The Chopard L.U.C. 1860 Chronometer, Like the Original from Three Decades Past, May be Worth The Wait

Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded his eponymous watch company in 1860, but it took over 100 years for the brand to truly come into its own. In 1996, and after three years of development, the company debuted its own in-house movement. The wait seemed to have been worth it. The L.U.C 96.01-L immediately drew acclaim for beautiful finishing, embracing the microrotor, and COSC certification. It, and the subsequent L.U.C. 1860 dress watch, marked a sea change from reliance on third parties to true independence, arriving at a resurgence in fine mechanical watchmaking. Thirty years later, the L.U.C. family has expanded into dozens of variants, complications, and movements. But at 2026’s Watches & Wonders, Chopard pays tribute to 30 years of in-house manufacturing with a continuation of that vaunted original. The L.U.C 1860 Chronometer uses the same dial and microrotor movement from 1996, albeit with their own upgrades and unique design tweaks.  The intricate white-gold dial features guilloché finishing in the center, emanating in scalloped waves from the Chopard logo and nameplate. The concentric circles are separated by thin bands of white gold, and delicate spear-shaped markers point inward, toward the dauphine hands. At 6 o’clock, the small-seconds dial echoes the twin-circle pattern of the overall dial, and Chopard specifically mentions the lack of a date window “to preserve purity.”  Where the first L.U.C. 1860 had a white dial with gold accents, this Chronometer wears...

First Look – The Superb Chopard L.U.C 1860 Chronometer, now in Blue Monochrome
Chopard L.U.C 1860 Chronometer now Apr 14, 2026

First Look – The Superb Chopard L.U.C 1860 Chronometer, now in Blue

Chopard marks the 30th anniversary of its first in-house movement produced in the brand’s Fleurier Manufacture. A pivotal moment for Chopard, the calibre 1.96 was released in 1996 and is still regarded as one of the finest ultra-thin micro-rotor movements today. The first watch to feature the calibre was the L.U.C 1860, presented in a […]

Hands On: Chopard L.U.C. Grand Strike SJX Watches
Chopard L.U.C Grand Strike Dec 11, 2025

Hands On: Chopard L.U.C. Grand Strike

The 30th anniversary of the Chopard L.U.C. manufacture was one anniversary among many this year, but it will likely be remembered thanks to the Grand Strike, the most complicated watch in Chopard’s history and its first grande sonnerie. Building on the successful Full Strike minute repeater architecture and making full use of the brand’s patented sapphire gongs, the Grand Strike is a chronometer-certified two-train clock watch with a push-button minute repeater. In this context, the presence of the tourbillon is almost a footnote. Initial thoughts I can count on one hand the number of brands that have created their own grande sonnerie wristwatch. It’s one of the few things in watchmaking that’s proven challenging enough to still be rare, even in the days of computer-aided design (CAD) and advanced manufacturing technology like wire erosion. For this reason, the grande sonnerie has a towering cultural presence among watchmakers and collectors, looming above all other complications. For Chopard, the Grand Strike represents the culmination of 30 years of the L.U.C. manufacture, the brand’s haute horlogerie division. The first impression of the Grand Strike is one of extraordinary depth. There’s not much of a dial, save for the minutes scale etched on the inside of the sapphire crystal, and the small concentric sub-dials for the dual power reserve displays. This depth shrinks the watch visually, and it feels dense and compact despite its rather large 43 mm size and...

Introducing: The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - A 28-Piece Limited-Edition Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar Fratello
Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - Nov 12, 2025

Introducing: The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - A 28-Piece Limited-Edition Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar

It certainly seems like 2025 is the year of anniversaries. Big names are celebrating many centuries of watchmaking, and many brands, young and old, are releasing exceptional commemorative creations. Some are intricate masterpieces that express their maker’s savoir-faire, while others represent an evolution of a historical benchmark creation. The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide is […] Visit Introducing: The Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide  - A 28-Piece Limited-Edition Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar to read the full article.

Bi-Retrograde’s Back: Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide SJX Watches
Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide Celebrating Nov 12, 2025

Bi-Retrograde’s Back: Roger Dubuis Hommage La Placide

Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Roger Dubuis (RD) revisits its earliest triumph with the Hommage La Placide, a 28-piece limited edition that reimagines the brand’s signature bi-retrograde perpetual calendar. Named for the late Dubuis’ childhood Boy Scouts nickname, the Placide celebrates the classical roots of the Geneva-based manufacture while honouring the design codes that first put RD on the map three decades ago. Faithful to the originals yet refined in execution, the Placide reaffirms the brand’s ability to merge mechanical ingenuity with expressive design - a reminder that beneath its modern flamboyance lies genuine horological pedigree. Initial thoughts Roger Dubuis today is best known for its over-the-top, modern design - skeletonised movements, sharp case lines, and a visual language that often borders on the theatrical. It’s a far cry from the brand’s origins three decades ago, when Dubuis himself was focused on classical watchmaking rooted in Genevan tradition. Paying tribute to those early creations, the Placide reimagines the bi-retrograde perpetual calendar that first established the horloger genevois 30 years ago. The bi-retrograde perpetual calendar was first conceived in the late 1980s, when Dubuis collaborated with Jean-Marc Wiederrecht to develop a novel perpetual calendar mechanism featuring twin retrograde indicators for Harry Winston. It was only in 1995, upon founding his own brand, that Dubuis introduced the complication ...

This quartet of Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Quête high complications honour 270 years of astronomic momentum Time+Tide
Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Quête Nov 4, 2025

This quartet of Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Quête high complications honour 270 years of astronomic momentum

Vacheron Constantin releases four ultra-complicated watches as part of its 270th anniversary celebrations, all with astronomical themes.The post This quartet of Vacheron Constantin Les Cabinotiers La Quête high complications honour 270 years of astronomic momentum appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

In-Depth: Rolex Daytona “Le Mans” Movement Cal. 4132 SJX Watches
Rolex Daytona “Le Mans” Movement Oct 20, 2025

In-Depth: Rolex Daytona “Le Mans” Movement Cal. 4132

The cal. 4132 inside the Rolex Daytona “Le Mans” is a rare evolution of one of the most revered chronograph movements in modern watchmaking. Based on the long-running cal. 4130 platform, the new movement was developed specifically for the Daytona “Le Mans” unveiled in 2023 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famed endurance race. While visually similar to the cal. 4131 found in current-production Daytonas, the cal. 4132 incorporates a clever mechanical upgrade that allows it to record up to 24 hours of elapsed time. Given the relatively simple upgrade from a 12-hour to 24-hour counter, the cal. 4132 might seem like a weekend project for a brand with the engineering might of Rolex, but the reality is more nuanced. To achieve this, Rolex engineered a compact differential gear set that doubles the timing capacity without altering the core movement architecture, leaving the movement dimensions unchanged. As with many Rolex innovations, the cal. 4132 reflects the brand’s quiet obsession with functional longevity and serviceability. The latest Daytona movements reveal a degree of decorative finishing unseen in past generations of Rolex movements An already quirky base For over two decades, the Rolex cal. 4130 stood as the benchmark for industrial chronograph movements. Launched in 2000, the cal. 4130 was the first in-house chronograph movement developed by Rolex. The movement was lauded for its compact architecture, low component count, and ease of service – a...

Introducing – Two New Versions of the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 Straw Marquetry Monochrome
Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 Oct 15, 2025

Introducing – Two New Versions of the Chopard L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 Straw Marquetry

Launched in 2021 for the Manufacture’s 25th anniversary, the L.U.C Quattro Spirit 25 was Chopard’s first in-house jumping hour watch, pairing a pure 40mm case with the long-autonomy L.U.C 98 calibre and a Grand Feu enamel dial. That model has since spawned further variants (including rose-gold reference with a gold-based dial graced with green straw […]