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Rolex Perpetual Padellone [Hands-On Live Sep 15, 2026

Introducing: The Rolex Perpetual Padellone [Hands-On, Live Pics, Technical Brief, Competition, & Personal Thoughts]

It's a watch that has been long-awaited: Rolex has just announced the new Perpetual Padellone—a very classic and technically impressive instantaneous annual calendar with moonphase. The new release comes three years after the launch of the 1908, which replaced the discontinued Cellini collection and introduced the Perpetual line. Now, that new collection goes in a more complicated direction. James Stacey is in Milan for the launch—and even got to see the watch in advance—so read on for a section later in this article featuring his hands-on impressions. The new 2026 Rolex Perpetual Padellone.  Let's start with a piece of fun trivia. This is the first Rolex model—to my knowledge—to take its *actual* name from a nickname given by collectors to its historical predecessor. The ref. 8171—which Rolex explicitly cites as the inspiration for the new watch—was nicknamed the Padellone, Italian for "large frying pan," for its wide 38mm flat case and slightly domed dial. So it's appropriate that Rolex would return to Milan—arguably the birthplace of vintage watch collecting—to launch a watch that will likely make a lot of vintage lovers happy. A vintage Rolex ref. 8171 "Padellone." Even if you don't know the history of vintage Rolex or the 8171—which we'll cover in a minute—a new watch from Rolex (especially one launched off-cycle, so to speak, outside Watches & Wonders) is always a big deal. The only recent similar release was the surprise launch of the white go...

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Ming Sep 15, 2026

Auctions: Six Observations From Sotheby's September 18 Hong Kong Sale

Ready or not, auction season is back. I don't know about you, but I wasn't expecting it so soon. While the auction cycle is generally synced up for Geneva and New York sales a bit later in the fall, Sotheby's is doing the earliest big sale of the fall with "Important Watches" in Hong Kong on September 18.  Personally, I'm still working through the best way to handle auction coverage, as the number of watches is often daunting. That challenge gets worse with Hong Kong sales, which we've generally struggled to stay on top of for a number of reasons. One of which, and this is a complaint for all auction houses, is that there are too many lots in Hong Kong sales. This is driven by both the market location (many of these watches were sourced locally—something I know because I know a decent number of these watches) and the forces behind the auction house and its metrics. Sometimes you have to make sellers happy and take what they want to get at other things (like taking random Hermès bags in a watch sale, as we see this time). It can be overwhelming for a buyer, and for you and me as readers. I want to find the interesting, great deals in the mid- and low-range and share them with you, but I also can't ignore the impressive pieces that might shape the broader market. One important note: for Hong Kong sales, I never get to see the watches in person. It's a lot easier for me to stand in front of a case of watches and pick things up by feel, closely evaluate condition and origi...

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Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Serena Williams Sep 15, 2026

Introducing: Supernova Serena Williams Gets Her Own Audemars Piguet Royal Oak

Serena Williams has been playing professional tennis since 1995. In the decades since, she has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, but perhaps more importantly, she has broken through barriers of race, age, and background while upending tennis's traditional dress codes. Clothes, and by extension accessories, have always been part of that story. In 2022, New York Times chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman called Williams "the game-changing tennis player" who used her clothes "as a statement of self and a weapon of change." Williams understood early on that what she wore on court could be another form of expression: sometimes provocative, sometimes playful. At the 2002 US Open, she broke conservative norms in a skin-tight black Puma catsuit, accessorized with a Harry Winston diamond bracelet. Seventeen years later, at the 2019 French Open, she wore a Nike look designed by Virgil Abloh for Off-White printed with the words "Mother, Champion, Queen, Goddess" in French, an especially pointed choice given that, just a year earlier, the tournament had taken issue with the black Nike catsuit she wore on court. Serena Williams at the 2024 Met Gala, wearing an Audemars Piguet Sandgold Royal Oak Flying Tourbillon Openworked . That influence has extended far beyond the baseline. A Vogue cover star, Met Gala co-chairwoman, perennial tennis-court style-setter, and personal friend of Anna Wintour, Williams occupied the increasingly porous space between sport and fashion long before the res...

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IWC Ingenieur 50th Anniversary Limited Sep 15, 2026

Introducing: The IWC Ingenieur 50th Anniversary Limited Editions (Live Pics)

What We Know Today, to mark 50 years of Gérald Genta's Ingenieur SL design, IWC has released two limited-edition modern Ingenieur revival models in stainless steel. Both versions feature the same new dial design in the main 40mm size and a smaller 35mm case. It's a tribute to IWC's slice of Genta history, a throwback to 1976, when Genta's design of the Ingenieur SL, ref. 1832, was first born. The original integrated-bracelet "Jumbo" Ingenieur SL's 40 mm size was ambitious for its time, and sadly the market did not reward it—the release was a commercial failure. IWC notes that it made only 598 pieces between the Ingenieur SL's launch in 1976 and 1983. But today, given the public's general affinity for Genta's iconic integrated-bracelet designs, the fiftieth anniversary of the SL design may be well timed. It references a more obscure dial variant of the Jumbo SL, one with a vertically brushed silver-plated dial rather than the more familiar grid pattern. The exhibition caseback of the 35mm model. In this modern iteration, the specs remain identical to the current 40mm and 35mm models, with the 35mm featuring an exhibition caseback to showcase the Caliber 47110 inside. The 40mm model, with its IWC-manufactured 32111 caliber, has a closed caseback and a soft-iron inner case for increased magnetic-field protection. In a nod to the anniversary, a "50" is printed right below the Ingenieur logo at 6 o'clock, where the "SL" would have been on the original. Each reference is limi...

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Victorinox Maverick Live Pics What Sep 14, 2026

Introducing: Victorinox Maverick (Live Pics)

What We Know Victorinox has refreshed the Maverick in what amounts to the most dramatic reinvention of the line since it was first introduced over two decades ago. The Maverick line has long been a fixture in Victorinox's watch offerings, and the new generation introduced this week reinforces its position as Victorinox's "dressy" take on a dive (or dive-inspired) watch. The new Maverick, available in a handful of colors across quartz and automatic models, largely keeps the same ethos and intent as previous Mavericks, but sheds much (read: nearly all) of the visual identity that has made the Maverick recognizable over the last twenty-odd years. Now measuring 39mm across, the new watches are simpler, smaller, and more focused in their design than the outgoing generation. The watch is available in two basic models — one quartz, powered by a Ronda 715 movement, and the other automatic, powered by a Sellita SW200. The watches are largely similar, but a few subtle differences remain. The first is the bezel (bidirectional on both models). The quartz version uses a polished mineral insert, while the automatic uses a polished ceramic with a fully luminous scale. The markers are also slightly different, and while each version's caseback is decorated with a Swiss Army Knife, the caseback on the automatic is transparent with a wireframe graphic, while that of the quartz is solid with an engraved image. Beyond that, these watches are very similar, so choices come down to movement and...

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Sep 14, 2026

Introducing: Benrus Type 3X (Live Pics)

What We Know With Benrus's revival well underway, 2026 opened with the reintroduction of the Sky Chief, a longtime Hodinkee favorite. Now the brand follows it with something new rather than another reissue: the Type 3X, developed in collaboration with U.S. Special Forces veterans. The watch traces back to the same premise that produced the original Type I and Type II: in the 1970s, the U.S. military wrote a formal MIL-SPEC for a wristwatch, and Benrus built the result. For the Type 3X, Benrus assembled a team of former Tier One special operations veterans to design a modern version of that watch from the ground up, prioritizing function over styling.  The Type 3X comes in two styles: one with a black composite-carbon case and a green mid-case, and another with a silver case and a black mid-case. Both pair a unidirectional rotating titanium dive bezel with an aluminum inner ring, and a single-domed sapphire crystal with a double anti-reflective coating. The black dial carries Old Radium Super-LumiNova on the markers and hands, with a date window aperture at 6 o'clock. Inside is the ETA 2893 automatic movement, delivering a 42-hour power reserve, 250 gauss of anti-magnetic resistance, and a 24-hour quickset GMT hand offering "caller-style" functionality. Water resistance is rated to 20 atm (660 feet). The case closes with a titanium caseback featuring the Benrus logo. The Type 3X comes on a color matching velcro fabric strap with an additional black rubber strap included. I...

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MB&F; Sep 14, 2026

Introducing: The MB&F; SP One Pavée (Live Pics)

What We Know The MB&F; SP One, released in 2025, was unlike any watch the brand had ever designed. And the name—SP stands for "Special Project" —was telling. The watch was neither a zany Horological Machine nor a futuristic twist on more conventional watch design like Legacy Machine. Rather, it was the brand's first-ever take on a dress watch, in very compact proportions and with a movement suspended in the middle of it all. Those who doubted MB&F; could ever make anything close to a dress watch have now been squarely disproven, with the design extremely well received by collectors and with a rather long waitlist today (three years for the platinum variant, and slightly shorter for the one in rose gold). With the original two references in rose gold and platinum, MB&F; now introduces a new, third variation in white gold called the SP One Pavée. The new case metal for the SP One is rather insignificant compared to the main change here: a complete gem-setting makeover. There are a lot of new diamonds in the new variant—255 to be exact.  On the 38mm pebble-shaped case, diamonds grace the midcase, contrasting with the distinctive floating lugs of the watch. Diamonds grace the cap of the crown, as well as the pin buckle of the light, seafoam-colored strap. But that's not all—the inner beveled flange, previously a colorful brushed ring, is completely set in diamonds. The tilted dial, connected to the floating movement via conical gearing, is circularly brushed and treated...

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Tudor Northflag It's been Sep 11, 2026

Hands-On: The Tudor Northflag

It's been a big year for Tudor. The brand is in the midst of a major anniversary celebration, with 2026 marking 100 years since Hans Wilsdorf filed the first paperwork that eventually led to Tudor's creation. Appropriately, that anniversary has been the dominant story this year, and it was reflected in their major novelty for Watches & Wonders 2026: the Tudor Monarch. That watch was, I think, largely a successful launch for the brand, and the supporting releases, though subtle, were meaningful and (in some cases) necessary. Still, for those of us who find ourselves generally drawn to Tudor's more utilitarian offerings, it was easy to feel a little overlooked coming out of Watches & Wonders. That changed last week with the launch of the new Northflag. The new watch is an update on the North Flag from 2015, and is aimed squarely at those looking for a compelling everyday adventure and exploration–ready watch. It does that, but it also brings the same maturity that has begun to permeate the Tudor lineup. But more on that in a minute, because before we talk about the Northflag, I want to talk about the North Flag (I know, vaguely confusing), and to do that, I need to talk about anniversaries. The Tudor North Flag I'm on record in several places as having my doubts about whether this was really the year for Tudor to mark the 100-year milestone. An even cursory look at Tudor's history quickly reveals that, while the Tudor wordmark may have been trademarked in 1926, and while e...

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Patek Philippe 1415 will sell Sep 11, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Pair Of Issued Smiths, A Gübelin 18K Triple Date Moonphase, A Universal Genève Ferrovie dello Stato, And Much More

Happy Friday, folks, and congrats on bustling through another week. Hopefully you're staring down a welcome break of a weekend with rest and good cheer. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Zenith De Luca sold for €4,750, the Carlo Ferrara for €2,816, the Gen 1 Speedmaster X-33 for 2,000 SGD, and the Patek Philippe 1415 will sell this Friday. Strays Photo courtesy of The Saleroom. For those suddenly enthusiastic about vintage Zenith De Lucas that look an awful lot like the Daytona of the same time period, here's an excellent example, but if you'd rather a Zenith with a little more color and flash and water resistance, here's a great-looking vintage Defy. This Gübelin pocket watch is breath-arrestingly lovely, as are both of these (dog leg, non dog leg) 18k Omega Constellations. This Vintage Meister Anker chronograph is a catch-22 watch in that it looks really cool, but it's also got a plated case, and it's powered by an Ebauches Bettlach pin-lever movement, so proceed with caution. On September 18, Millon in Paris will host an auction that's listed as the "Collection Monsieur B," and whoever Monsieur B is, he's got phenomenal taste. Among the offerings are an Omega Chronometer Seamaster 'Sparkle' reference 168.022, a Universal Genève Polerouter Super, an Omega Holy Grail, a Sinn EZM 1, and a Zenith El Primero A386, but there are tons more you should go check out. Finally: Memosails forever. A Pair of Issued Smiths The British Ministry of Defense issued the Smiths W10 ...

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Greubel Forsey Sep 11, 2026

Happenings: Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week Is Back For 2026

If you're based in Southeast Asia, or just have a general hankering to visit Bangkok soon, the capital city of Thailand is preparing to host the second edition of the Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week from September 22nd to September 27th. Hosted by Siam Paragon, one of Thailand's largest luxury shopping malls, the six-day showcase will bring together a large gathering of collectors from across Southeast Asia and beyond, curious newcomers to watchmaking, and industry heavyweights for a major celebration of horology. This year will see over 45 brands participating in the watch week, which marks more than double the brand count from last year's inaugural effort. The show will feature a wide range of brands, from haute horlogerie mainstays like Greubel Forsey, A. Lange & Söhne, and MB&F; to more niche names like David Candaux and Behrens. There's going to be a lot of the big names here, and enough deep-cut brands to keep you entertained. Part of the programming for Bangkok Watch Week will be numerous experiences spread out throughout the week, with workshops, presentations, and more being conducted by many notable names behind many of the brands making an appearance during the show. Unfortunately, I believe many, if not most, of these experiences are already fully booked, so if you're planning to make it to Bangkok, take a look now to see what's still open. Our friends at the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, or the FHH, will introduce its Academy Lounge concept to host worksho...

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Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Dusk Sep 10, 2026

Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Watches From Geneva Watch Days 2026 (And Beyond)

In case you somehow missed it, last week was Geneva Watch Days. While not the absolute busiest week of the year for new watch releases, it's not far off the mark, and 2026 saw dozens of brands converging on Geneva to show off their latest and greatest novelties. We covered a lot of those watches as they dropped, but now that we've had a few days to process what we got to see (some of us in person, the rest vicariously), we thought it would be a good moment to share some of the watches that stood out to us from a week full of new watches. And please forgive us: while we did our best to hold ourselves to Geneva Watch Days proper, as was inevitable, a few ancillary picks made their way into the mix, but I think we can all agree they're still watches worth talking about. Of course, our ragtag team of editors can only cover so much here, so once you've seen all our picks, be sure to drop a line in the comments — we'd love to know which watches from Geneva Watch Days stood out to all of you. Laurent Ferrier Classic Moon Dusk in Yellow Gold (plus the M.A.D.3 Vincent Calabrese) [Ben Clymer] Can I pick two? I have to. Because this year kinda felt like the old days – the two watches I'd actually buy of GWD 2026 are from brands I've loved (and owned) a long, long time - Laurent Ferrier and MB&F;. The first is Laurent Ferrier's new limited run of "Dusk" annual calendar moonphases in yellow gold. As you probably know, I love yellow gold, and this is the first iteration of a lovely w...

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Audemars Piguet Sep 10, 2026

Hands-On: The Pattern Recognition B-Theory Series 1

About a year ago—or maybe two—I remember sitting in an Uber with Ben and some of the Hodinkee team as we drove down the Rue de Lausanne in Geneva, heading to Watches & Wonders. We had just grabbed a quick breakfast when Michael Friedman unexpectedly joined us. Yes, that Michael Friedman. The "AP, Michael Friedman, my friend's cooler" rap lyric guy. The guy who just so happened to have also formerly been a curator at the Willard House & Clock Museum and the National Watch & Clock Museum, Head of Watches at Christie's New York, a client advisor to people like Eric Clapton (during his pièce unique Patek years), and most recently the Head of Complications at Audemars Piguet. Okay, maybe you don't know Michael Friedman. But I knew him well and had some formative early-career experiences bumping into and getting to know him. I also knew he was working on a new brand, but had absolutely zero idea what it was. "It's wild," said Ben—or some approximation of that. "It's not so much a watch as a cuff, with a bunch of diamonds." What could that even mean? I had ideas in my head, but as they spiraled, they got further from the truth. As of a few months ago, we have the answer, and it's not what I had envisioned. The B-Theory Series 1 from Friedman's new brand Pattern Recognition is, as Ben said, far from a watch in most respects, but closer than I expected. Yes, it's jewelry. There are diamonds. And yet it's got the bona fides of technical watchmaking and connections with the pa...

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Rolex Collectors Watch If you've Sep 10, 2026

Recommended Reading: "Bubble Backs" By Masahiro Endo Is An Education On The Original Rolex Collectors' Watch

If you've never collected Rolex Bubblebacks before, you should probably forget nearly everything you know about vintage watches. At least, that's what it feels like you should do when you start wading into the space. Things like reference numbers are much less valuable to remember than movements, case designs, printing details, and a general ability to just remember everything you've seen to get a sense of feel for what is right and what isn't. And trust me, a lot isn't. You could spend decades looking at these watches, but "Bubble Back" by Masahiro Endo, the owner of vintage retailer Private Eyes in Tokyo, is a great reference to jump-start your understanding of an iconic (and currently underappreciated) model. I mentioned this in last week's review of John Nagayama's "96," but the only watch I'd be more afraid to deep-dive into than the Patek ref. 96 is the Rolex "Bubbleback." It's not even an official model, but a nickname for Rolex watches made from 1933 to the mid-1950s with a domed, "bubble-like" caseback. So when you open Endo-san's book, you'll probably immediately be struck by the fact that none of the examples (except the later ref. 6062 and ref. 8171) have reference numbers. According to collectors, that's not the most useful thing for understanding the Bubbleback. Basically, every other detail matters more. We've previously published a story about the bubbleback with a lot of thoughts and tips for understanding these models, courtesy of Ken Jacobs and Justin Gr...

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Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Deep Sep 10, 2026

Photo Report: Watch Spotting At The Hodinkee Happy Hour [August 2026]

Two weeks ago, we managed to fit in one more Hodinkee Happy Hour before summer slips away. We gathered at the Watches of Switzerland store in SoHo, where friends old and new escaped the rain to enjoy an evening of good conversation, food from Upside Pizza, and beer from our local friends at Grotta. Despite the weather, the turnout—for both people and watches—did not disappoint. If you made it out that night, thank you for coming. Please note that the next Hodinkee Happy Hour won't be until October, so please keep an eye on the site and our Instagram for the October RSVPs. Until then, scroll through the photos below for a recap of the night and to see some cool watches. Our Editor-in-Chief, James Stacey, sporting a Doxa Sub Army 200T for Hodinkee Limited Edition t-shirt.  A vintage Movado Triple Calendar. An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Selfwinding with a blue "Grande Tapisserie" dial. A Sinn T50 titanium diving watch and a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with a black dial and contrasting subdials. F.P. Journe Octa Automatique Réserve De Marche. From left to right: a Doxa Sub Army 200T for Hodinkee Limited Edition, a Rolex Daytona Ref. 16520 with a "Patrizzi" dial from 1996, and a Grand Seiko. From top to bottom: a Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Regulator Ref. 5235G, a Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time "Deep Stream," and an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15510 ST Green Dial from 2022. Rolex Zenith Daytona Ref. 16520 "Arabic prototype." From top to bottom: the Rolex Zenith Dayto...

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Sep 9, 2026

Introducing: Apple Announces The Apple Watch Series 12 And Apple Watch Ultra 4 (Live Pics)

Hello from (rather warm) Cupertino, California. Yet another year has flown by, which means once again we continue our more than a decade-long tradition of taking an extremely brief pause from traditional watchmaking to see what's up with the newest editions of the most popular and widely adopted watches in the world. They just happen to be fully digital. And yes, another year of us unpacking what it truly means to be a watch in the comments section. If you're like me and also a tech nerd, you've undoubtedly been following the rumors recently ahead of the launch. It's the first launch event since John Ternus' succession to Tim Cook as Apple's new CEO, and while Ternus stepped into the role a week ago, eyes are undoubtedly peeled to see what the next generation of Apple's designs might entail. But most of the noise was on the rumored foldable iPhone, with very little attention being paid to Apple Watch. Last year's updates were largely subtle changes from a design perspective, mostly around new functionality and small visual improvements. Series 12 — What's New? In short, not much. Those of us (me included) may be disappointed that there isn't a new physical redesign, with the current generation of design language carrying forward and no major changes to speak of. The real changes are under the hood: a new Health Sensing System paired with the S11 chip now takes a heart rate reading every five seconds, all day, and measures HRV up to 24 times more often than before—numbe...

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Frederique Constant Girard-Perregaux MB&F; Sep 9, 2026

The Business of Watches Podcast: A Market Roundup Of Geneva Watch Days Releases With Tim Jeffreys And TanTan Wang

This week on The Business of Watches: a fresh take on the new releases we saw at Geneva Watch Days and what they might mean for the market. Ahead of a special request summer fondue dinner, Tim, TanTan, and Andy discuss what they saw, what they liked and didn't like from the slew of novelties presented during the event.  We go deep into the debut of Gallet, discussing how the entry-level offering from Breitling's House of Brands will stack up against the competition and how it will re-enter the company into the cut-throat $3,000 to $6,000 price category at a time when the Swiss industry is struggling to halt the slide in volumes.  We also talk about Bulgari, Oris, Frederique Constant, Girard-Perregaux, MB&F;, and the latest MAD Editions, and why, when it comes to Doxa, you can't have just one. Plus, what the return of a new Northflag (now one word) heralds for Tudor.  There's plenty of watch business and strategy to discuss, and we hope you enjoy the conversation. Please leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section, and we'll do our best to respond. Want to subscribe so you never miss an episode? This show is being published to the original Hodinkee Podcasts feed, so you can subscribe wherever you find your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or TuneIn. Show Notes 0:30 Tim Jeffreys0:32 TanTan Wang 3:38 Gallet (brand website) 5:28 Introducing: The Gallet Flying Officer (Hodinkee) 5:50 Gallet Revives Vintage Fan Favorites With New "Classics" Multichron...

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Frederique Constant Sep 9, 2026

Introducing: Alpina Catches Rays And Light With New Startimer Pilot Solarmetre And Alpiner Extreme Solarmetre X Route Du Rhum

What We Know Alpina, the value-driven, adventure and outdoor Swiss watch brand, is chasing the sun (and artificial light) with some of its new releases. The brand is now, across more models, utilizing solar quartz movements manufactured by La Joux-Perret, the Swiss movement maker majority-owned by Japan's Citizen Group, which also controls Frederique Constant and Alpina.  Solarmetre quartz movements are now available in both the updated Startimer Pilot and Alpiner Extreme models. Solar quartz is a natural fit for Alpina, bringing more reliability, accuracy, convenience, thinness, and value to its lineup. Both Solarmetre quartz models are priced at $1,495, offering an aggressively priced entry point into the brand with a movement also found in LVMH-owned watch brands, including TAG Heuer.  The AL-140 caliber, solar quartz by La Joux-Perret, runs for up to 10 months in total darkness after a full charge, boosting the grab-and-go appeal.  The shift to solar quartz (both model lines remain available in mechanical automatic versions as well) makes these pieces more practical while shaving millimeters from the case measurements and significant dollars from the price.  Let's start with the solar Pilot Startimer. The new look for the pilot watch model was unveiled at Watches and Wonders this year, and now, amid the slew of releases for Geneva Watch Days, Alpina is giving us the Startimer Pilot Solarmetre. Available in three versions: two steel-cased models and one in sand-colo...

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Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time References Sep 9, 2026

Introducing: Five New Louis Vuitton Tambour Spin Time References

What We Know In January of 2025, I covered Louis Vuitton's major evolution of its distinctive Spin Time series, debuting as the Tambour Taiko Spin Time series in a set of six limited-edition watches, all set in a single "Dolphin Grey" color scheme across several different takes on the complication, from the classic jumping hour to a flying tourbillon and even a world timer. It introduced a cohesive set of new in-house movements to power the complications and marked the first time every element of the Spin Time was produced in-house at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton—cases, dials, movements, and more. It's been a while since we've heard anything about this collection, but this week Louis Vuitton introduced a new set of Tambour Spin Time watches into the brand's permanent collection. The main update to the permanent collection is a few fresh coats of paint, but the set of five references covers quite a bit of the Spin Time concept.  All of these are set in the latest generation of Japanese drum-inspired Tambour case from the brand, with a sloped midcase complemented by screwed-in, sculpted lugs with laser-frosted interiors. On top is a sloped, predominantly sandblasted bezel ring with "LOUIS VUITTON" adorned on its periphery. All five of these new references are set in precious metal cases. Two 39.5mm Tambour Spin Times offer two very different wearing experiences (and price points). The simplest reference comes in the form of the Tambour Spin Time Green in White Gold,...

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Cartier bust-downs are not simply Sep 8, 2026

Talking Watches: With Pusha T -  On Rolex, Rap, And The Luxury Of Time

In a Pusha T verse, every detail is chosen with purpose. Watches have long been a constant in his lyrics–they are part status symbol, part cultural shorthand, and always a reflection of how closely he pays attention. This kind of specificity is central to his writing, and it is also the clearest way into a watch collection that is not only bold in appearance, but governed by a set of standards. He describes himself as a student of culture, and over the years, that knowledge shaped a specific set of rules. Pusha buys through authorized channels, favors factory-set stones, and rejects aftermarket work. His lyrics about ruined Pateks and Cartier bust-downs are not simply jokes; he sees them as a kind of tutorial on what to do and what to avoid. Many of his watches are unapologetically gem-set, but the distinction is not between understated and extravagant. It is between an original idea and an imitation of one. Pusha's collection of Rolexes he brought that day. Then there is the waiting. Pusha named Daytona for what the watch represented to him: the luxury of taking the time required to get something right. The same principle now defines how he collects. Some watches arrived when they could still be bought from a display case. Others took years of patience. The watches on the table connect those two eras, revealing a collector whose access may have changed, but whose standards have not. This is Talking Watches with Pusha T. Rolex Submariner Date Ref. 16618LN With Black Dial...

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Sep 7, 2026

Here Are The Finalists for the 2026 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève

Last week, the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) announced the finalists for the 2026 edition of watchmaking's premier awards ceremony, which will be held in Geneva on November 7. Being a finalist has the potential to be a big deal for any participating brand, but it can be a watershed moment for small first-timers (of which there are a couple this year). It's also a list I've been waiting for with some anxiety. The winners of the 2025 Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève. Photo courtesy GPHG. This year, I'm lucky to be on the jury with 23 other journalists, collectors, and watchmaking industry members, including the jury's first-time president, Wei Koh. Among them are many talented friends and people whom I've gotten to know over my years in the industry, including Michael Tay (Group Managing Director of The Hour Glass in Singapore), Hind Abdul Hamied Seddiqi (CEO of Dubai Watch Week), the talented watchmaker Rémy Cools and incredible automaton maker François Junod, my friend Justin Hast, artist Wes Lang, and a few others.  Without going on too long or being too saccharine about the whole thing, it really is quite cool to be on the jury with such smart and talented members. Nothing is without flaws, and like I'll get to in a moment, there are a lot of brands not competing that I would love to see in the mix. But one of the things that I think about a lot (and which goes unmentioned far too often) is the number of people putting their heart, soul, and tremendous a...

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Audemars Piguet Royal Pop Last year Sep 4, 2026

Inside The Manufacture: A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Swatch x Audemars Piguet Royal Pop

Last year I took a trip to Swatch's Sistem51 factory, and many people seemed to enjoy getting a glimpse of the other side of watchmaking that we typically don't glamorize. Industrialization, in a way very opposite from classic watchmaking, is a different kind of technical art entirely. It's diametrically opposed to the philosophies of construction and finishing that you would expect from a classic watchmaker or brand, but as a result, that visit was one of the most interesting manufacturing sites that I've ever seen. I had no idea that I'd be back so soon, but then again, I certainly would have no idea that a collaboration between Swatch and Audemars Piguet would be around the corner. So a little more than a year later, I found myself back in Biel, Switzerland, right outside of Swatch headquarters, making my way back to the Swatch Museum (still some of the most fun you can spend in a watch museum), the Swatch Drive-Through shop right outside of Swatch headquarters, and finally making the drive back out into the Swiss countryside to go see some Swatch factory sites. Of course, this time, it was in the hopes of seeing how things might have changed with the addition of the Royal Pop as a product on the factory lines. This trip wasn't all just déjà vu, however. In my visit last year to the ETA Sistem51 site in Boncourt, it just so happened that the ETA site in Grenchen, responsible for the production of Swatch's Bioceramic composite, was under renovation. They were in the mi...

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Audemars Piguet 25696PT Huitieme Perpetual Calendar Sep 4, 2026

Bring a Loupe: A Zenith De Luca, A Patek Philippe Beyer-Signed World Timer, A Carlo Ferrara CF1997 Regulator, And Much More

It's been a busy week, Baller, not just with a bunch of new watches being released, but with a phantom island migrating in ways you wouldn't expect an island to, the news that Avocados reverse their sex multiple times a day and, if you're wondering why your car gets so beat up by exposure to rain, no, it's not just that water eventually leads to rust, but that the coating on cars can be destroyed by the electric charge raindrops arrive carrying. Also, physicists may've found dark matter. This is your reminder that no matter how strange you find the world, it's always stranger than that. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Hamilton Cross Country sold for $1,200, the Heuer Titanium Quartz for $340 AUD, the Movado Super Sub Sea for $4,250, the Breitling 810 for $2,750, and the Breitling 815 sells tomorrow. Strays Photo courtesy of Interencheres. RAF Sector clocks were also sometimes known as Operations Room clocks, and this week you've got a trio to choose from—one, two, three—if you're into extremely beautiful and historically important clocks. If you're a horologically-inclined fan of Mos Def and Talib Kweli, here is, I kid you not, a Zenith with the branding "Black, Starr, and Frost" on the dial. For those hankering for an unworn Rolex Platinum President (ref 228236), have at it, and this Audemars Piguet 25696PT Huitieme Perpetual Calendar is such a strange 1990s watch. You can see from the pictures that it's a modular build, given the crown and pushers don't align, an...

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A. Lange & Sohne Sep 4, 2026

Introducing: The A. Lange & Söhne Triple Split Returns (Live Pics)

What We Know A. Lange & Söhne is synonymous with the most elegant approach to maximalist watchmaking. The tiny time-telling cities contained within the brand's cases are hypnotic and baffling. Trust me, it becomes all the more impressive when you visit Glashütte and see the work in action. And the brand's CEO, Wilhelm Schmid, has said that among the complicated watches the brand is known for, their most talented watchmakers would often far rather work on tourbillons and perpetual calendars than the famous Triple Split. It's that complex. It's that impressive. And after five years away, it's back. In 2018, Lange launched the first version of the "upgrade," of sorts, to the brand's Double Split. The watch is essentially a rattrapante (a chronograph that can time two intervals), but with the added ability to "split" the interval of the 30-minute counter and, with the Triple Split, the 12-hour counter. It's an incredibly technical and impressive bit of watchmaking and even more impressive when you hear it's cased in a relatively compact (for its complexity) 43.2mm by 15.6mm case, now in platinum. This is the first time the watch has been made in platinum and the first example since 2021. The dial is 0.925 silver, with a light grey track and main dial and dark grey lower subdials, plus luminous hands and hour markers. Finally, the case is water-resistant to 50 meters. The movement, the manually wound L123.1 caliber, is made of 567 parts, 46 jewels, and has 5 screwed gold chat...

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A. Lange & Sohne Sep 4, 2026

Introducing: The New 37.5mm A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Up/Down Limited Edition (Live Pics)

What We Know Today, alongside a new variation of the technical powerhouse that is the brand's Triple Split chronograph, A. Lange & Söhne introduces a pair of limited-edition 1815 Up/Down references. The new models with blue dials offer not only a new livery but also another compelling proposition for collectors—a smaller case size. The new limited-edition 1815 Up/Down features a return to smaller proportions with a 37.5mm diameter case, smaller than the standard-production 39mm 1815 Up/Down models in the brand's current collection. It isn't the first 1815 Up/Down in 37.5mm; an earlier 1815 Up/Down "Homage to Walter Lange" limited edition took the crown in that regard. But between the first generation's 35.9mm case and the second generation's 39mm case, this diameter right in between is a nice welcome back. Thickness remains unchanged at 8.7 mm. This new blue dial offers eye-catching contrasting subdials, which show off the metallic texture of the base 925 silver dial with snailing underneath the printed scales of the power reserve (AUF/AB, translated to Up/Down) and the small seconds track on the right. Seen on the dial is Lange's signature design traits of the pocket watch-inspired 1815 collection, with a railroad minutes track on the periphery and Arabic hour numerals. Despite the downsizing of the dial, proportions remain generally the same, with none of the hour numerals cut off by the subdials. Offered in white or pink gold, the cases are accompanied by matching go...

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Baltic Aquascaphe GMT MK-II What Sep 3, 2026

Introducing: The Baltic Aquascaphe GMT MK-II

What We Know Last year, we covered Baltic's relaunch of the Aquascaphe, their vintage-leaning traditional-style diver (not to be confused with their dual-crown version). That release came in several colors and two sizes. Now they're relaunching the Aquascaphe GMT as a new Mark II version. While the aesthetic changes are more subtle than on the diver, the changes under the hood are more substantial. The Aquascaphe GMT MK-II has a subtly redesigned case profile (39.5mm by 13.8mm, 316L stainless steel, with a 47mm lug-to-lug), with the most distinguishing feature being the new crown guards that make the case distinctly more modern. The rest of the case has been reworked (it is 0.5mm wider and 0.8mm thicker), with vertical brushing on the lugs and 200m water resistance. The watch still has a luminous 24-click GMT sapphire bidirectional bezel. The caseback engraving (which we've posted a picture of later in the story), on the other hand, is simplified from the globe design on the first version. What used to be three color variants is now four, all with glossy black dials and Super-LumiNova BGW9. One has a blue-and-light-blue bezel with light-blue dial text and a GMT hand. Another is a "Pepsi" style with red accents. The third has a blue-and-green bezel, and the last, the newest, is black and grey with orange accents. The hands and indices are a bit bolder and rounder. Inside the case, the brand has changed to a "flyer" Miyota 9075 GMT movement with a 42-hour power reserve. The ...

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Rolex Sep 3, 2026

Breaking News: Rolex To Sell Four Unique Daytonas At Auction Later This Month To Benefit The Federer Foundation And Re:wild

There was a whisper going around Watches & Wonders this year that Rolex had created a set of Daytonas inspired by each of the four seasons – precious metal, gem-set, and, what none of us could really believe, just one of each in the world. In other words, Rolex had made a unique set of watches. And as most of you likely know, Rolex is not in the business of creating one of anything, really. But they'd done it here, and the story goes that they'd asked each of their retailers to submit names and profiles of those who might be a worthy owner of this box set of "Four Seasons" Daytonas. The price? Roughly CHF 4million. Platinum and lapis! Yellow gold and mookaite and chrysoprase! And despite the few details shared, interest in the set was simply overwhelming. Rumor had it that over 1,000 names were submitted for the multi-million-dollar set before the show ended. The names included some of the most famous people in the world. And yet, Rolex, by their own admission, wasn't quite sure how they would decide who would get it. They'd never expected such interest.  Well as of this morning, now we know. For the first time that I can remember, Rolex will hold a charity auction and sell off these four unique Daytonas to the highest bidder. It will take place on September 28 of this year in London, in conjunction with Phillips auction house. All proceeds will go to two charities helmed by arguably Rolex's most famous and influential testimonies, Roger Federer's Federer Foundation and...

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Breitling House Sep 3, 2026

Introducing: Gallet Multichron Pilot

What We Know Today, amongst a slate of other launches and re-releases, Gallet — now a part of the Breitling "House of Brands" — lifted the curtain on the Gallet Multichron Pilot. The new watch takes the recipe of the original 1969 Multichron Pilot and updates it, and the result is a watch that is recognizable but also, arguably, the most contemporary model in the very fresh Gallet lineup. The new watch does borrow heavily from its namesake, and seeing the two watches next to each other highlights the similarities. The new Multichron Pilot is still a tri-compax chronograph, with a bi-directional twelve-hour bezel, pump pushers, stick hands, and cut-off arrow-shaped markers. By way of comparison, a vintage Gallet Multichron Pilot. Image, courtesy Analog Shift. But there are definite differences too, many of which are concessions to modern taste. For one thing, those cut-off arrow-shaped indices are now lumed instead of polished, but there's also a date — visible through an aperture at 6 o'clock — and while the telemeter remains on the new watch, the tachymeter (which appeared as a second scale on vintage examples) is omitted. The watch is also bigger than vintage Multichrons.  The new watch has been upsized from 38 to 42mm, is 11.3mm thick, and measures 45.59mm lug-to-lug. At that size, the new Multichron Pilot is the largest watch in the new Gallet catalog but is still quite reasonable and a far cry from some of the oversized watches that still seem to populate Bre...

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Breitling Universal Genève Sep 3, 2026

Introducing: The Gallet Flying Officer

What We Know As we walked around Geneva on day one of Geneva Watch Days, we saw signs being put up for Gallet, and I thought how poetic. On the eve of the brand's relaunch, it's certainly an exciting time for fans of the brand. The parent group, House of Brands—Breitling, Universal Genève, and Gallet—already relaunched Universal Genève earlier this year and is rounding out 2026 by bringing back Gallet today, with one of the brand's most enduring models, the Flying Officer, in two variations: the Flying Officer Chronograph 40 and the Flying Officer Automatic 40. Today's reintroduced Flying Officer arrives in four dial colors across two versions, all cased in 40mm steel. Case specs are shared across the range: 20mm lug width, a screwed-in steel caseback, cambered sapphire glareproofed on both sides, and 100 meters of water resistance. The chronograph case is 15.02mm thick with a 47.55mm lug-to-lug; the three-hand case is thinner, at 10.67mm, with a 47.49mm lug-to-lug. Both versions share a bezel with a city ring listing 24 destinations, mixing major international airports with more remote locations. The Flying Officer Chronograph 40 comes in light blue or black, both with tone-on-tone subdials, and runs the Gallet 23, an automatic caliber based on the Sellita SW510. It measures 30mm in diameter and 7.9mm thick, runs at 28,800 vph (4Hz), and offers an approximate 62-hour power reserve. It offers quarter-second chronograph timing with a 30-minute counter. The Flying Offi...

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Sep 3, 2026

Introducing: Gallet Multichron Sport

What We Know Mixed in with the new releases from Gallet today is the Gallet Multichron Sport. The watch, which, instead of modeling itself on any specific Gallet model, draws its inspiration from mid-century Gallet chronographs as a whole, is meant to act as a general-purpose, automotive-inspired, everyday, and "all-terrain" sports chronograph. What does that mean? Well, largely, it just means that the Multichron Sport is exactly what it says it is on the tin. It's a reasonably sized (by modern standards), reasonably priced (again, by modern standards), straightforward, to-the-point, legible, contemporary chronograph. It's a watch that will withstand anything a reasonable buyer throws at it. It's also the only watch in the lineup without a directly corresponding heritage model for comparison. That said, when lined up next to the other new offerings from the new Gallet, it still makes a lot of sense. Practically speaking, the Multichron Sport measures 41 mm across, 13.87mm thick, and 49.20mm lug-to-lug. Like the slightly larger Multichron Pilot and slightly smaller Flying Officer Chronograph, the Multichron Sport is powered by the Gallet 23 chronograph caliber. That movement, based on the Sellita SW510, is a cam-actuated chronograph with a 62-hour power reserve and a date at 6 o'clock. The Multichron Sport is available today in two configurations: a black and silver reverse panda dial with a silver tachymeter ring, and a blue dial with black subdials and a black tachymeter ...

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Breitling offerings Sep 3, 2026

Introducing: Gallet Revives Vintage Fan-Favorites With New "Classics" Multichrons

What We Know When Gallet's relaunch was announced, I sat up in my chair a bit. My second cousin, once removed, has a vintage Gallet Yachting that once belonged to my great uncle, who was an avid sailor. I have fond memories of going out on my Uncle Bob's boat and sailing around the bay of Green Bay every few summers—well, fond when I was piloting and not getting seasick. All Gallet needed to do was not forget the Yachting watches of the past (and, hopefully, do a good job with the legacy), and I would be somewhat happy. Well, they did that, and a lot more. But let's start with another model first. Sitting at the top of the price range for the modern Gallet lineup, yet still below the Breitling offerings with the same movement (a key positioning for the group), are the new Gallet Classics, featuring three Multichron reissues, of sorts. All of them measure 38mm by 12.5mm with 46mm lug-to-lug, and share the same stainless steel case with slightly twisted and faceted lugs.  The cases have stainless steel screw-down casebacks with sapphire displays. Despite that sapphire crystal, the entire package is rated to 100m of water resistance, protecting a Breitling B09 manually wound movement. While a bit thicker than the original Multichrons, the movement, caseback, and reliable water resistance are huge upgrades. You can see that the three watches differ only in dial treatment. At the top of this article is the only version with lume: the Tribute to Multichron 45, with a deep bla...

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