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Chronoswiss, founded in 1983 by the late Gerd R. Lang, has always been associated with regulators. Following the brand’s acquisition by Oliver Ebstein and its relocation from Munich to Lucerne, additional complications, including the ReSec, a retrograde seconds indication, joined the lineup. Its combination of old-school decorative techniques with kinetic displays and some of the […]
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The Captain Cook remains one of Rado’s most recognisable collections and is a name that resonates with enthusiasts and collectors alike. First introduced in 1962 as a compact 37mm diver rated to 200 metres, it marked the brand’s entry into serious tool watches. Since its revival, the Captain Cook line has evolved through various successful […]
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Style, creativity, originality and craftsmanship are often at the core of what we appreciate in watches. From the very lowest end to the very highest end of mechanical watchmaking, I like to think we seek something that connects to our personality in the watches we buy. And where else to find more of that than […]
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Scouring the internet for new car-related content to be featured in our Petrolhead Corner can lead to unexpected surprises. Stories that have hardly ever been told before, manufacturers that are long gone and virtually forgotten about, rare or even unique cars that only a few people know of. While I am a self-proclaimed car nerd, […]
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Rolex is no stranger to niche models, specifically ones that specialise in less-than-mainstream purposes. The Milgauss, for example, was designed for scientists at CERN in the 1950s to withstand magnetic fields up to 1,000 gauss. Outside of this rather limited environment, it didn’t have much consumer appeal until its much later years and final models […]
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As you might know now, after our initial article, Breguet is celebrating its 250th anniversary, and we’ll be seeing a fleet of new models released throughout the year, all made of 18k Breguet gold and paying tribute to some of the most important inventions of its founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet. Initiated by the launch of the […]
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Unlike the tool-focused Superman line, the latest release of French brand Yema, the Granvelle, takes visual and mechanical cues from France’s long-standing horological tradition and is named after the Granvelle Palace in Besançon, the 16th-century Renaissance building that houses the Museum of Time. But while its inspiration is historic, the execution is modern and precise: […]
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The slowing global economy and changes in consumer behaviour are hurting the luxury watch industry. Geneva-based luxury goods group Richemont reported a 4% increase in sales for their 2024/25 year, closing at the end of March at EUR 21,399 million. At EUR 3.8 billion, the profit for the year’s continuing operation is down 1%. This […]
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A couple of years ago, we introduced you to the wonderful work of a self-taught Chinese watchmaker by the name of Logan Kuan Rao. While he wasn’t on our radar until just before that article, he’s actually been practising and perfecting his craft for almost a decade. Making virtually everything by hand and in the […]
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Serica began its journey with a classic field watch, and since its launch in 2019, the young brand has quickly carved out a strong identity with a lineup of retro-inspired, adventure-ready timepieces, spanning field, dive, and GMT models, and something else a bit dressier. Designed with durability, precision, and style in mind, every Serica watch […]
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If you look at the current collection of Omega, you’ll see that almost everything there is based on iconic designs and watches that have left a strong mark on watchmaking. The Seamaster, the Constellation and, of course, the Speedmaster, to name the most important ones. You’ll also see that two of these watches formed part […]
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The watch trade market has become sprawling. Digital channels have been added to single-brand and multi-brand points of sale: specialised platforms, digital media that have evolved towards an additional retail offering (limited and dedicated series), social networks (Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram) flooded with offers of second-hand (and sometimes new) pieces. A jungle characterised by a common […]
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Biatec is a fairly new brand from Slovakia, founded in 2016 by Peter Kožár and designer Miloš Jakubec. Watches in their current portfolio range in price from EUR 1,490 to EUR 1,990, so accessible yet a bit beyond the standard fare (in both quality/design and price). Chronoshop was founded in 2007 by Jakub Sivek as […]
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While Piaget is rightfully heralded as the precursor of ultra-thin calibres, it was also a pioneer of ornamental stone dials in the early 1960s. A decade or so later, under the direction of Yves Piaget, another milestone was reached with the release of the famous gold Polo sports watch in 1979. Its sleek gold integrated […]
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Though still under a decade old, independent watchmaker Ming has already established a solid reputation in the horological world, so much so that it hardly needs an introduction. With its instantly recognisable aesthetic, the brand has released several standout models over the years, including the 19.02 Worldtimer. First introduced in 2023, the 29.01 Worldtimer showcased […]
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After several years of covering this independent Japanese watch brand, you should now be familiar with Kurono Tokyo‘s work. And if not, what matters here is that we’re looking at the accessible side of independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka (also behind the return of Takano), with classic designs and outsourced movements to keep the prices reasonable. […]
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Girard-Perregaux has a rich history and has produced quite a few exceptional timepieces over time. The 1969 Deep Diver Ref. 9108 may not be as complex and elaborate or iconic as some of the brand’s better-known creations (Laureato, Tourbillons or Bridges, both historical and modern), but it left its mark as a rare dive watch […]
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It’s certainly not the first time we’re talking about Naoya Hida & Co., a niche, artisanal watchmaking company from Japan, but it’s always with great pleasure that I write these articles. NH is one of these hidden gems from the Land of the Rising Sun, a rather young company that focuses on high-end, classic designs […]
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While the name Presage has been around since the 1960s, it remains one of these hidden gems that only Japan could enjoy, being one of the numerous JDM-only (Japan Domestic Market) ranges. Things changed in 2016, as Seiko decided to revamp the collection entirely and open it to the world. Since then, this collection has […]
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Czapek embraces the trend for more compact, unisex watch sizes and has clearly understood that the days when diamonds and gemstones were considered exclusively feminine adornments are well behind us. Released in 2024, Czapek’s Promenade collection is, in CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel’s words, “a canvas for creative expression” with beautiful dials that riff on the […]
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Except if you’re a hardcore dive watch enthusiast, ZRC might not immediately ring a bell. And yet, it is a rather important name for divers, particularly in France. An old company that once created a watch for the French Navy and delivered them for a good 35 years, the whole concept was brought back to […]
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Long considered the domain of delicate watches, grandes complications (in the more extensive use of the term, and not the traditional definition of the grande complication – repeater + chrono + calendar) have found their way into collections designed for adventure. The incorporation of complications reflects a broader change in watchmaking, where tradition is no […]
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German watchmaking company Stowa has been around for more than a century, and throughout that time, it became primarily known for two things: pilots’ watches and marine chronometers. These instruments were crucial in the early days of navigating the seas, as they were vital instruments in pinpointing where you were on your journey and where […]
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Collaborations are one of the hottest trends in watchmaking today, as brands, high and low, team up with artists, retailers, collectors – you name it – to create special customised editions. The latest collaboration involves Italian powerhouse Bulgari and Gübelin, the Swiss, family-owned jewellery and watch retailer. The model selected is the Octo Finissimo Skeleton […]
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Swiss watchmaking captures all the attention. The most prestigious brands, trusted by the market, are “Swiss Made”, which acts as an absolute guarantee. The only one to dominate the watch landscape, historically, outside of Switzerland, is the great Japanese classic: Seiko. On closer inspection, however, watch-related know-how has developed outside of Switzerland, particularly in Eastern […]
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Hublot has never shown a reverence for conservative watchmaking. Starting with its explosively named Big Bang collection, Hublot revels in innovative material combinations and loud, audacious designs. However, when it comes to showing off its horological muscles, Hublot’s Masterpiece suite is where you’ll find the most technically complex models. Last year, Hublot inducted another Masterpiece […]
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To function properly, a watch first and foremost needs to tell time. On top of that, there’s a world of complexity and practicality to be discovered. One such complication is the GMT function, preferably of the Flyer kind. But what if you want something more than that? What if you want, let’s say, an alarm […]
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What if I told you this little red and gold car was so good, it won every race it entered in 1968? And what if I told you this car is brand-spanking new? Would you take my word for it, or would you think I have been sniffing too many exhaust fumes? Well, I might […]
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The story of the origins of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore has been told many times, typically casting Stephen Urquhart, then co-CEO of Audemars Piguet, as the visionary mind behind the watch. According to the commonly accepted version, Urquhart’s sharp commercial instincts led him to assign a young designer, Emmanuel Gueit, the task of […]
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The announcement two years ago of the comeback of Daniel Roth under Louis Vuitton’s direction gave us great hopes. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long to see the first result of this anticipated return, which started with a yellow gold Tourbillon Souscription, a faithful tribute to the late-1980s reference C187 Tourbillon watch by Mr […]
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