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Jaeger-LeCoultre Jan 6, 2026

Bad Watch Predictions for 2026

Every year at around this time, watch publications like to make predictions about what we’ll see over the course of the next twelve months. Personally, I really enjoy this type of content. It sets the stage for the year in an interesting way, and it also reveals something about whoever is making the prediction. Because at the end of the day, none of us really know anything. We’re all just throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping some of it will stick.  Here at Worn & Wound we have a truly terrible track record on making predictions about what will come next in the watch industry. If you dig back into our podcast archive and look at our claims, you’ll see that we’ve been very wrong about watches from Tudor, Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and many more brands. Sometimes we’re a bit early – when you make a Pelagos GMT prediction every year, eventually you’re going to be right.  This year, I’m embracing chaos. These predictions are kind of wild and don’t really make any sense. But in the spirit of a world where you can bet on literally anything, I’m giving watch enthusiasts who like long odds something to spin a dream or two on.  Prediction: the tide finally turns on textile straps in a war torn world  Let’s face it, folks: the world is on fire. Watches offer a respite from the insanity for many of us, the same way Sunday night HBO and mom’s meatloaf feel like a warm blanket when things get crazy.  This feels like it might be the time when those lingering ...

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Jan 6, 2026

The Bernhardt Watch Company Introduces the Cipher Diver

I’m not going to lie to you, I love a bit of intrigue. When I was a child, I would write notes to my mother in invisible ink made of lemon juice. When someone tells me to keep a secret (which is always a surprise, given my big mouth), I can hardly contain my excitement. And, even now, I fancy myself a real James Bond type when I hide the Amazon boxes from my husband before he comes home from work.  Luckily for me, Bernhardt Watch Company just announced their Cipher Diver, which sits right at the cross-section of two of my hobbies: watches and subterfuge. Inspired by Thomas Jefferson (and, impressively, made in partnership with Monticello), the watch nods more to the third president’s inventive streak than his political career – including the rotating wheel cipher, a mechanical concept designed to encode messages through a specific alignment of letters across a series of discs. The result is a diver that cleverly allows you to keep a secret message right on your wrist. Beneath the bezel, Bernhardt has included the alphabet printed on UV-reactive ink. By aligning the bezel to a designated hour key and referencing minute markers on the dial, one is able to use the clock’s timekeeping functionality to decode the message. If that’s not some National Treasure type of ingenuity, I don’t know what is. Each diver comes with a UV decoding torch and an initial cipher card, with new encrypted messages released weekly through July 4, 2026 (the 250th anniversary of the Unit...

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Seiko 5T52-7A19 Jan 5, 2026

The Seiko 5T52-7A19: An Ode to the Age of Discovery

I’ve never had many gold-tone watches in my collection, and it’s simply because I don’t have much gold jewelry to match. The benefit to this is that I’ve always been incredibly critical of the gold-tone watches I contemplate adding to my collection, knowing that I only want a few in my watch box overall. I acquired this 5T52-7A19 a couple of months ago after a spur-of-the-moment faceoff between me and the “buy it now” button on eBay.  While I had owned a model from Seiko’s Age of Discovery line many years ago, I had never come into contact with one of the higher-end models from the collection. I’ve remained true to my self-implemented rule for gold-tone watches, meaning that this model will have the honor of forcing my hand to sell off another piece from the watch box. If you’ve been thinking about adding another gold-tone watch to your collection, let me introduce you to a staunch contender. Brief Overview of the Age of Discovery Line and -7A19 Model The Seiko Age of Discovery was introduced sometime between 1990 and 1992 to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ 1492 voyage. Based on the historical time period of the same name, the Age of Discovery series is heavily influenced by the nautical theming associated with the many expeditions of European travelers between the 15th and 17th centuries. Many of the line’s watches feature motifs that harken back to crucial aspects of seafaring travel, sporting iconography such as maps, ...

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Kurono Tokyo Introduces Meteorite Jan 5, 2026

Kurono Tokyo Introduces Meteorite to the Collection with the New Inseki

Kurono Tokyo, Hajime Asaoka’s approachable watch brand, has introduced their first new release of 2026 on the very first workday of the year. Nothing like getting right back into the swing of things. The new piece, part of the brand’s “Special Projects” series, introduces meteorite to the collection for the first time. The Inseki features many of the Kurono hallmarks that have made the brand a favorite among enthusiasts over these last several years, while riding a trend in watchmaking in a rather elegant way that still feels appropriate for the brand.  The centerpiece of the watch is the gray meteorite dial, taken from the Muonionalusta meteorite which fell in what is now Sweden about one million years ago. The small slab of meteorite, with the familiar striations that make the material so interesting, is surrounded by a white lacquered outer ring where you’ll find Asaoka’s custom “Calligra” typeface numerals, which have been painted in high relief. It’s a really spare execution, accented by hand bent, high polish steel hands, a design detail that has become a Kurono signature.  Kurono notes that, as with all meteorite dials, no two are exactly the same. Asaoka, in the press materials for the Inseki, further explains that sometimes the variance in this material results in a piece of meteorite that is not particularly visually interesting. For this release, Asaoka has personally selected each piece of meteorite for inclusion in the Inseki’s run, and t...

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Bulova Waltham Jan 2, 2026

eBay Finds: Vintage Watches from Omega, Bulova, Waltham, and More!

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Omega DeVille  Starting off this week with a beautiful vintage Omega Seamaster DeVille. The DeVille is of course Omega’s dressy version of their iconic Seamaster line. This example has a 34mm wide yellow gold capped case in nice shape, looking unpolished with crisp edges on the super thin lugs. The caseback Hippocampus medallion is nice and clear. The gold dial has a delightful linen texture, with stick markers and stick hands, and a date window at 3 o’clock. The original crown has nice deep grooves, and is signed with the Omega symbol as it should. The case is a front-loading type and there are no movement pictures, but the watch runs per the seller.  View auction here Vintage Bulova with Box and Papers Here is a nice little vintage Bulova, complete with original box and papers. The seller doesn’t state the size, but I’m guessing the steel case is probably 33-34mm wide. The case is sharp, with nice fancy lugs and a relatively broad bezel. The silvery dial has a military style look, with painted lume Arabic numerals and lume filled sword hands. The crown is signed with the Bulova logo. The watch comes on a cool looking steel stretch bracelet that may or not be original...

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Jan 1, 2026

[VIDEO] Year in Review: Our Most Worn Watches of 2025

Every year, we ask members of our team to tell us about their most worn watch of the year. This is a pretty standard piece of watch content fare by now, but there’s a good reason for its popularity and durability. Figuring out what you gravitated to over and over again in the span of the year is meaningful. It can tell us about how you lived your life in that ime span, what was important to you, and, more obviously, simply which watch resonated most with you.   Here are members of the Worn & Wound team discussing their most worn watch of 2025. Be sure to let us know about yours in the comments below. The post [VIDEO] Year in Review: Our Most Worn Watches of 2025 appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Grand Seiko s Dec 31, 2025

Year in Review: Watch of the Year 2025

Our annual Watch of the Year post is here, and as always it’s a celebration of the diversity and strength of the enthusiast community. There’s a little of everything represented here, from the platonic idea of the Seiko diver, to highly experimental and ultra-modern, to emerging microbrands offering incredible value. But it’s not just about the watches themselves – every year has individual watches that are successful in the ways that get them onto lists like these. It’s the way our team assesses them, and gets to the heart of what makes a watch great, or interesting, or challenging.  We hope you enjoy our roundup of our team’s favorite watches of 2025. Let us know yours in the comments below, and Happy New Year!  Christoph McNeill  For my Watch of the Year this year, I of course went with a Seiko. I know, no surprise there, but consistency is a good thing right? What can I say, I absolutely love Seiko. And I’m not just a homer, they really do put out killer stuff year after year. I nearly picked one of the amazing and beautiful Grand Seikos (the SLGW007 ‘birch’ dial), but I’ve written about the Grand Seikos a lot, and as stunning as they are, I’m a dive watch guy at heart and there is one Seiko diver that really blew me away this year. I’m talking about the Seiko Prospex Marinemaster SLA081 Limited Edition “Shinkai” diver. For brevity’s sake I’ll just refer to it as the Shinkai from here on out. The Shinkai diver is modeled after the OG ...

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Casio n During Dec 30, 2025

Year in Review: the Best Things We Bought in 2025

Obviously we love watches at Worn & Wound, but our enthusiasm goes well beyond what we wear on our wrists. We’re also interested in gear, tech, apparel, and gadgets of all kinds, and we never shy away from celebrating all the “stuff” that reflects our interests, large and small. This year, we asked Worn & Wound staff and our contributors to write about the best thing they bought in 2025. Not watch related, just a thing that added something to their lives. We got a huge range of responses that sometimes surprisingly tie back to our shared watch enthusiasm (and, sometimes, are just completely distinct).  As always, we want to know what you think. Let us know in the comments what your best purchase of 2025 was, watch related or not.   Nathan Schultz  My outdoor gear philosophy was formed in my early post-college years which were spent car-less and mortgage-free as I bounced between seasonal jobs that made up for in adventure what they lacked in financial compensation. As an avid outdoor enthusiast then and now, I spent my time (and the little money I had earned) between jobs traveling and hiking, finding myself (happily) living out of a tent on more than one occasion. During this years-long period, I developed what the outdoor community endearingly refers to as a “hiker trash” mentality of minimalism that embraces frills free, budget friendly gear- a mentality formed partially out of necessity, but that also felt genuine to the same frugalness that has largely de...

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Dec 30, 2025

Year in Review: 2025 - The Year I Got Into Keyboards

One day this year, I woke up and thought, “Zach, you know what you need? Another hobby that is expensive, nerdy, and takes up space in your relatively small Brooklyn apartment.” Ok, that’s not true, but it might as well be because the results are the same. This year, without any premeditated intention to do so, I got into the world of custom mechanical keyboards. The true origin of this newfound obsession is a happy accident. For a long time, I had been using a very compact and very crappy Logitech for my home setup. One day, it just began to really annoy me. So, I looked into getting something new, and my searching led me to a brand called NuPhy. Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I picked up the “Air 75 V2” based on many positive reviews. When I got it, I was surprised to find extra keys, a strange tool with bent wires, and a little bag containing what I learned were different types of switches. Before getting to that, though, the feel of the Air 75, a mechanical keyboard with low-profile switches and keys, was the breath of fresh air I didn’t realize I needed. As someone who spends the majority of their waking hours at a computer, I am constantly interacting with a keyboard, and like the crown or clasp of my watch, the better that point of interaction is, the better the overall experience. the Mode sixtyfive in green with GMK CYL Abstract keycaps Back to those extras. After discussing it with Blake Malin, co-founder of Worn & Wound and keyboard enth...

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Dec 29, 2025

The Greatest Horological Masterpieces of All Time: The Great Clock of Westminster AKA ‘Big Ben’ - A Horological Marvel of Its Time

A series of features identifying the most extraordinary mechanical masterpieces in history, blending precision, innovation, and craftsmanship. We all have our favourite timepieces either in our collection or those incredible horological masterpieces that have been invented or created through the ages. This series will showcase examples from the previous centuries up to the present day and look at the importance and impact on modern day timekeeping.  The Great Clock of Westminster, often known simply as Big Ben, is one of the most iconic landmarks in London and a symbol of the United Kingdom’s rich history and architectural brilliance. Housed in the Elizabeth Tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, the clock was completed in 1859 and has since become a celebrated masterpiece of Victorian engineering. Designed by clockmaker Edward John Dent and architect Augustus Pugin, the Great Clock is renowned for its remarkable accuracy and the deep, resonant chime of its massive bell, Big Ben. Over the decades, it has stood as a steadfast guardian of British tradition, witnessing countless historic moments and continuing to captivate visitors from around the world. Preliminary studies for the Big Ben clock tower, Houses of Parliament, Palace of Westminster, London. James Murray, 1840. Image courtesy of RIBA Charles Barry’s design for the Houses of Parliament did not originally include a clock tower. He was asked to include one and his first designs were added in 18...

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Dec 26, 2025

Year in Review: the Changing Shape of Watch Media, and the Center of Watch Culture

It’s the end of the year, which means it’s the one time on the calendar when you the reader will be able to stand a little naval gazing about the state of watch media. Look, it’s my job to reflect on this stuff constantly, but I also know that in practical terms, it’s not really something most watch enthusiasts necessarily want to hear about. When it comes to our readership one thing is overwhelmingly true: it really is about the watches, and the data bears that out. But it’s also impossible to ignore the titanic shift in how all of this works.  Artificial intelligence has fundamentally changed how enthusiasts and collectors interact with watch “stuff” on the internet and social media. Even if you’re not actively using ChatGPT or other services to get your watch related questions answered, it’s happening in the background constantly in ways you may or may not realize. Your search results no longer bring you to websites like ours, but spit out summaries answering your queries that draw from our articles and those of our peers. And the reels and posts (but mostly reels – who’s making static posts these days besides me?) that you see on Instagram are fed to you by an AI fueled algorithm. Is it showing you what you actually want to see? Hard to say.  To that point, a brief aside: have you seen the new feature in Instagram that tells you what your algorithm is feeding you? It’s fascinating(?) but also probably a little useless. Mine says I’m interest...

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Dec 26, 2025

Ruhla: The East German Watch Brand That Went to Space

For decades now, watch collectors have become enamored with the significance, popularity, and (perhaps most importantly) the absurd affordability of Soviet-era watches. There’s the ingenious Vostok Amphibia dive watch; the various Poljot and Strela chronographs vital to the Russian space program; and the minimalist, glossy-white Raketa Big Zero that signified “the end of history.”  What’s lesser known are the timepieces from another part of the Iron Curtain-East Germany, which once encompassed two of the most significant areas of the historic watch industry. Today we associate German watches with the town of Glashütte, where Walter Lange set up a watchmaking school in 1841 and evolved it into one of the great horological houses.  Meanwhile, about 300 kilometers to the west is the town of Ruhla. Like Glashütte, Ruhla was also known for metal mining and a tradition of blacksmithing and metalworking. After World War II, it also happened to fall into the Soviet occupation zone, even though it was as far west as one could get. Perhaps it was always fated for this.  Image via Ostalgie-Ruhla: Watches of the GDR Both sides faced the evolution of pocket watches to wristwatches, on opposite sides of the World Wars. After 1945, the watch factories in Glashütte and Ruhla were reorganized into publicly-owned enterprises-having endured reparations back to Moscow (to jump-start the USSR’s own watch industry) and the general devastation of the war. Glashütte was a mor...

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Zenith G.F.J.  Dec 25, 2025

Year in Review: the “Sleeper” Watches of 2025

How does one define a “sleeper” watch? We put together a guide a few years ago and basically came to the conclusion that a sleeper watch is one that is great but not obvious about it. A better framing might be that these are “if you know, you know” watches. They all have some attribute that makes them incredibly special but it’s not always readily apparent or widely understood.  Honestly, I love a sleeper and always have. I think it’s a natural focus for a collector, and as you see more and more watches, it paradoxically becomes more difficult to identify the sleepers, because nothing really “sleeps” when you’re highly engaged in a hobby like this.  Zenith G.F.J.  The Zenith G.F.J. is a sleeper because it’s so specific and so hard to see, it’s just not really out there all that much in the broader watch media landscape. But man, it’s great. It’s a tribute of sorts to Zenith’s history as true pioneers in chronometry, but the appeal for this watch to me is purely aesthetic. It’s a study in blue, with multiple tones in multiple materials and finishes. From a distance, it’s nice looking enough, but you really have to examine it close up, with a loupe, to get a sense of the contrasts and how special the use of lapis lazuli is in particular.  And then there’s the bracelet. The G.F.J. is rendered in platinum, and the case is fantastic, but on the full platinum bracelet (which effectively doubles the price of the watch) it really makes an impr...

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Maurice Lacroix Dec 25, 2025

Introducing the Latest Collaboration Between Maurice Lacroix and Label Noir

While not my style, I can see the appeal of a skeleton-style watch–it’s admittedly engrossing to watch the internals of your timepiece tick away, and an exhibition caseback can only show so much when it’s plastered to your wrist. So, I am not the target audience for watches like the new Maurice Lacroix Label Noir Aikon Manufacture Skeleton, but if you are, I’ll do my best to give you all the juicy details.  Founded in Zurich in 1975, Swiss watch brand Maurice Lacroix is known for stylistically brash and boundary-pushing watches; even their tamer models tend to feature bright colors or adventurous materials, and they have quite a few creative skeleton pieces in their catalogue, particularly in their Aikon line. The new Aikon Manufacture Skeleton, in collaboration with Geneva-based Label Noir, pushes that ethos ever-forward. Measuring in at a large-and-loud 45mm in diameter and 12mm in height, the black DLC-plated stainless steel case bears dual-segments at every other hour, framing the sapphire skeleton dial. A screw-down crown ensures 100 meters of water resistance, and two provided straps shake up the aesthetic profile of the watch: the gray leather strap gives it a much more subdued look, while the turquoise rubber alternative lends it a much louder persona.  Translucent black varnish on the sapphire dial gives the watch an almost smoky look at the edges, and creates a highlight point of clarity in the middle of the dial, where the turquoise-plated hands meet. ...

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Seiko NH34 have made including Dec 24, 2025

Year in Review: the Best Travel Watches of 2025

Travel watches have been on the absolute rise in recent years. Where dive watches were once the default option for a first sports watch, GMTs, dual times, and world timers have been making a credible play for wrist time with enthusiasts of all strata. There are practical reasons for this - movements like the Miyota 9075 and Seiko NH34 have made including a GMT complication in a watch more affordable than ever - but I think practical reasons only scratch the surface of this precipitous rise. To tell the whole story, you have to look for the romantic. There’s an inherent appeal in travel watches. They’re optimistic and remind us to stay interested in the world even when we’re stuck at home, or work, or in the myopia of day-to-day life, when the little things around us stop us from looking further. I think this appeal was only reinforced by a mandatory two-year stay inside, at home, and I don’t think it’s by chance that our collective release back into the world post-COVID coincided with the rise of the travel watch. I mean, sure, in a world where our phones automatically adjust to new time zones, and most people’s preferred travel watch is an Apple Watch, mechanical travel watches (or, really, analog - there are some pretty stellar quartz offerings to be had, you don’t need to look further than the Timex Q Continental GMT for evidence of that) may be more talismanic than necessary, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. So, with all that ...

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Richard Mille or Jacob & Co Dec 23, 2025

Year in Review: the Best “Money No Object” Watches of 2025

I’m long on record saying the mark of a genuine enthusiast is being able to get just as excited about a $100 Timex or G-Shock as about a $100,000 Rolex or Patek. I still think there’s something to that. Still, I also recognize that summing it up so patly, though convenient, ignores a huge amount of the nuance that undeniably exists in the watch space. It also ignores some of the fundamental impacts of price, including, crucially, attainability. After all, there are very few enthusiast pursuits (or, really, pursuits of any kind) where price and pursuit can be wholly siloed, and watches are not some rare example where we can afford to be price agnostic - at least, not most of us. Still, once in a while, it can be fun to just say screw it and enjoy watches for what they can be at their most extreme. Which brings us to the topic of today’s 2025 round-up, “F**k You Money” watches. The concept of a “F**k You Money” watch can be a bit nebulous. Unlike dive watches or chronographs, say, which either are or are not what they say they are, there’s no real set definition for what qualifies as “F**k You Money,” but like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart and pornography, I may not be able to specifically articulate what qualifies as a F**k You Money watch, but I know it when I see it. gérald genta Geneva Minute Repeater You thought I was gonna start with some crazy Richard Mille or Jacob & Co., didn’t you? Well, this probably isn’t going to be that kind of...

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Casio n I’ve had Dec 23, 2025

Year in Review: the Benefits of a Mobile Desk in a Travel Filled 2025

I was recently looking back at the year with my husband and roughly calculated that I had been away from home on business two out of the last twelve months. Considering I have a full-time job and have hardly missed a deadline, this seems somewhat implausible. But, in reviewing my Google Calendar, it seems to be true: New York a handful of times, Germany twice, Mexico, New Orleans, Boston, Philadelphia…I can go on, but you get the idea. For me, I have maintained a love-hate relationship with travel. I love bragging about it on social media; but I hate having to work while away from my cozy little writing studio I keep in a nearby town. It’s stressful for me, having gotten into a routine of total silence and minimal distractions, to be filing an article from a hotel room with spotty Wifi or one too close to the elevator. And while it may seem glamorous to be tapping away about fashion week while waiting to board a plane, I can assure you I’ve been nearly brought to tears by my neighbor next to me watching a TikTok video without headphones – a level of hell that even Dante couldn’t have fathomed, if you ask me. But that’s the thing when you travel for work: you actually have to work while you’re traveling. And this is especially so for those in creative jobs, where missed deadlines, unanswered emails, and rushed articles can ultimately have an impact on your paycheck. On more than one occasion, I’ve had to buy WiFi on a flight (not expensed, mind you) to file ...

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Dec 22, 2025

Year in Review: the Best New Brands of 2025

It’s hard to launch a watch brand. And yet, every year, new brands appear. It’s honestly tough to keep up sometimes, and when looking back at 2025, there seemed to be a flurry of new brands competing for our attention at all levels. It’s a truly crowded market, and in spite of the conventional wisdom that we’re moving towards consolidation, the reality on the ground for us is that there’s a surplus of good watches from new players out there to consider. More, in fact, than we can even cover. This is a selection of brands that broke through the noise in one way or another and impressed us in 2025, a difficult task when your inbox is overflowing with press releases and notifications of new stuff to check out. I’m quite certain I missed plenty of good stuff that will only resurface in 2026 when these brands will just be “new to me” and not simply “new,” but that’s an inescapable aspect of covering this industry – there’s simply never an end to the creativity and ingenuity of people drawn to the watch world.  Anemoic  This first brand immediately forces us to define our terms. Did Anemoic “debut” in 2025? It was the year that founder Magnus Swann began discussing the brand with members of the media and collectors, but they don’t actually have a watch to sell, and may never. It’s a design project from a member of the Studio Underd0g team, and it looks incredibly promising, but is also the type of thing that could vanish into the ether.  The ...

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Dec 22, 2025

Inside Micro Praha 2025: First impressions of the DUG collection and our new partnership

The post Inside Micro Praha 2025: First impressions of the DUG collection and our new partnership appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Dec 20, 2025

T-Minus Zero: The Final Call For The Holiday Flash Sale

The post T-Minus Zero: The Final Call For The Holiday Flash Sale appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Girard-Perregaux   Next up Dec 19, 2025

eBay Finds: Two Classic Seiko Dive Watches, a Stunning Vintage Movado, and the Strangest Timex We’ve Ever Seen

eBay Finds is back! This bi-monthly installment will feature a selection of watches currently listed on eBay that have caught the eye of editor Christoph McNeil (@vintagediver). If you come across any hidden gems on the ‘Bay drop us a note at info@wornandwound.com for potential inclusion. Vintage Seiko 6309-7049  Got some great stuff for you this week, starting off with this classic and iconic vintage Seiko 6309-7049. Small rant here, the seller calls it a “turtle”, and I know lots of others do too, but damn I hate that nickname. Anyway, horrible nickname notwithstanding, the 6309 is a brilliant diver that really shouldn’t need any introduction. This example is really nice, and looks all original with a touch of honest wear. The steel case looks unpolished with the original brushed and polished finishes and sharp edges. The black dial looks great with nicely aged lume. The bezel insert is original with some light wear and a little fading that gives it a touch of that lovely ghost bezel look. Movement is clean and runs well per the seller. Great original example of a highly desirable vintage Seiko diver. View auction here Vintage 1950s Girard-Perregaux  Next up is a sweet vintage Girard-Perregaux sport/dress watch. The 31mm steel case is excellent, unpolished with crisp edges and nice polished finish. It features fancy horned style lugs that really pop. The original cream dial is a beauty, with a quite pleasant, even patina to it. It has applied steel markers and ...

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Citizen Going off-grid doesn’t have Dec 19, 2025

The Going Off-Grid Gift Guide with Citizen

Going off-grid doesn’t have to mean disappearing completely. Sometimes it’s simply choosing tools that don’t demand attention, like watches that run accurately, clearly, and indefinitely, so you can step away from screens, notifications, and the constant pull of “what’s next.” Very few watch brands create products with a high degree of different technologies, each designed to help you need to connect less, not more. Whether it’s Eco-Drive or Atomic Timekeeping, the Citizen watches below are built to operate independently, allowing you to unplug with confidence and focus on being present, making them a perfect gift for someone who deserves a break. We’ve paired each watch with gear that extends this idea, stuff that’s supportive, thoughtful, and intentionally uncomplicated. The post The Going Off-Grid Gift Guide with Citizen appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Cartier Crash but Dec 19, 2025

Interview: Sylvain Berneron on Building a Brand, and Rethinking Modern Watchmaking

Every few years, a new independent hits the scene with something that hits just the right notes to get all the factions of the watch world vibrating at the same frequency. However, no recent newcomer has managed to unite the watch echo chamber the way Swiss independent Berneron has.  When Berneron unveiled their debut offering, the Mirage, in 2023, it was universally lauded as the most intriguing and refreshing new watch seen in ages. The Mirage was a legitimately unique take on upscale watchmaking, with a striking aesthetic and design narrative as unexpected as its asymmetrical shape and wildly ambitious bespoke movement. The Mirage’s styling was initially met with comparisons to the Cartier Crash, but the reality is its melted case shape was an elegant solution for housing the watch’s impressive mechanics–a case shrink-wrapped around a new caliber that was designed from scratch, free from the rules of traditional movement design.  The Mirage was a helluva of a breakout hit; it had mystique, it was technically impressive, and it was different without resorting to arbitrary design choices. The Mirage’s success would be difficult to replicate, but with the Quantième, Berneron has both side-steped the sophomore slump and cemented the reputation of its founder and Creative Director Sylvain Berneron as a true visionary and a generational talent.  The Quantième applies Berneron’s virtuosic technicality to a watch that embraces a more traditional look than the Mir...

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Dec 18, 2025

Year in Review: the Best Watches Under $5,000 of 2025

I will be the first to admit that selecting the top watches of the year under, over, or between certain price points is an arbitrary exercise and perhaps not all that useful. Still, it’s the end of the year, and the end of year is all about list making (and reflecting on the last 12 months, making goals for the future – but mostly it’s about lists). Figuring out where the “value” is in the current watch market is a challenge, so setting the top price for the “Best Watches Under…” article does actually kind of mean something this year. One of the predominant story lines on our blog, in Instagram and YouTube comments, and at Windup Watch Fairs and other other meetups all year long has been price sensitivity. Specifically, that watches are far too expensive, and we’ve entered a period where you’re now expected to pay more, but receive less.  That narrative makes a certain amount of sense when you examine specific sectors of the industry. But I think there are still pockets of great value and excellent design if you look for them and have a somewhat adventurous sensibility. As I looked back at some of my favorite releases of the year that represent what I think of as genuine value, it felt like the $4,000-$5,000 range was the sweet spot, with some great options well below that as well, and this list reflects that trend for the most part.  I’ve tried to stick primarily to smaller makers, indies and microbrands, for the purposes of this particular list, b...

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Dec 18, 2025

Tactical, Mechanical, And Ready For The Field

The post Tactical, Mechanical, And Ready For The Field appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Dec 18, 2025

Topo Designs Global Briefcase Review: A Versatile 3-Way Work Bag That Switches Between Backpack and Messenger

When I’m planning to leave the house for a full day – whether I’m headed to work or someplace else – I’m a chronic overpacker. To me, there’s peace of mind in knowing I have an extra charger, granola bar, or jacket with me, especially when returning home isn’t easy. Traveling to the office adds an additional layer of expectation when considering a bag, as I bring multiple laptops and a lunch with me most days.  I’ve gone back and forth on whether I’m Team Messenger Bag or Team Backpack when it comes to my corporate 9 to 5. I like the significant storage options that a backpack offers and the stability and comfort it provides when walking long distances. Yet messenger bags fit my usual style in a better way, and I like that I can access the main compartments while on the go (not possible with a backpack). I was really intrigued by the Global Briefcase  ($149) from Topo Designs as it meant I didn’t have to commit to one camp or the other. I was curious if the brand could do both modalities equally well. My needs in a work bag are very different from my needs in an outdoor bag. The Topo Designs Rover Trail Pack I reviewed in May held all of my gear in a stacked, vertical fashion. I didn’t need to access anything particularly urgently, which meant I loaded the bag from the top down. This sort of set-up isn’t ideal for my work needs though, when I prefer all of my items to have their own space. To test out this bag, I used both carry styles over a few ...

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Seiko Astron SSH151 Dec 17, 2025

[VIDEO] The Seiko Astron SSH151, an Award-Winning Tech-Forward Timepiece

Seiko launched the Astron in 1969, changing not just the brand’s trajectory but the way watches were made. The first commercially available quartz wristwatch, it arrived in solid gold and cost ¥450,000, about $1,250 at the time, or roughly $10,000 in 2025. Though “vintage” to modern eyes, its design was surprisingly luxurious and quietly radical, blending traditional finishing with industrial design cues in a way only Seiko could achieve. The exterior, however, was not the main story. The caliber 35SQ inside is what rewrote horology. With a quartz oscillator vibrating at 8,192 Hz, it delivered accuracy far beyond the mechanical watches of the day. It was not only a proof-of-concept that pushed horology into the 20th century, it also proved that Seiko was willing to innovate in an industry steeped in tradition.   The post [VIDEO] The Seiko Astron SSH151, an Award-Winning Tech-Forward Timepiece appeared first on Worn & Wound.

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Casio nal blog post or Dec 17, 2025

The Lord Elgin “Chevron” Direct Read 7775 Jump Hour: Mid-Century Watch Design at Its Peak

Never has there been a more attention-grabbing timepiece in my watch box than the Lord Elgin Direct Read 7775, commonly nicknamed the Chevron by enthusiasts. Every collector has a watch (or two, or three, or four, or five, or…) they’ve always wanted to add to their collection but can’t, for reasons like price, availability, or both. The Chevron has been near the top of my list for many years. When it was released to the public in 1957, it cost customers $79.50, the equivalent of roughly $917.67 in 2025. While fortunately not fetching that price on the market currently, a rough condition example can still set a collector back hundreds of dollars. The disheartening state of my wallet has made acquiring one infeasible and, even more so, impractical. However, when I saw a Chevron in good condition pop up on eBay for a solid price a few months ago, a good friend of mine and I worked out a deal to acquire it and finally add one to my collection (thanks again, Mike!). Now, with an example of my own, I can rest assured knowing that my years of yearning were not in vain–this watch is truly a joy to own.  History and Rundown on the Direct Reading Line When my love for the Chevron model first began, very little information regarding the watch’s history was available online. Outside of the occasional blog post or auction listing, there were no published articles or deep dives available (or at least easily locatable). Research conducted for this article was sparked when I ca...

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Dec 17, 2025

James Lamb Introduces the Linea Editions, with Hand Engraved Titanium Dials and a New Argentium Silver Case

A few years ago (almost two years to the day, in fact) I picked up my James Lamb Origin Series. It’s a watch I had become kind of obsessed with in the months leading up to my purchase, and I’m happy to say that two years into ownership, long after the supposed honeymoon period would have been due to end, I’m still every bit as excited about it as I was on the day it arrived. There are a number of reasons for which we might connect to any particular watch: the aesthetics, the way it wears physically, the way it makes you feel when you wear it, and certainly the philosophy of the maker or brand behind it. I found the Origin Series watches to not only be incredibly beautiful, but the idea that these were handmade objects, pieced together in the traditional way by true artisans was something that always excited me.  Because of the handmade nature of Lamb’s work, that work is sometimes a little slow. He doesn’t participate in the traditional new watch release cycle that so much of the industry is beholden to. So I, along with many other admirers of his work, have been patiently waiting for whatever it is that would come next. Recently, we got our answer in the new Linea Edition. The Linea represents a fairly dramatic uptick in ambition for Lamb – this is not an iteration what we’ve already seen in the Origin Series, but something a little bit bolder. Still, it’s very recognizable as a “James Lamb” and adheres to the same underlying ideas that made those fir...

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Dec 16, 2025

Year in Review: the Best Dive Watches of 2025

When I started writing about watches for a living, it seemed like every watch was a dive watch. I’m only slightly exaggerating. Six years ago, we were entering the height of vintage dive watch reissue fever, and things have only begun to slow down on that front in a noticeable way in the last year, or thereabouts. So when it came time to look at the year in divers and pick the five best, surveying the landscape really drove home a few important points. First, dive watches are no longer the center of watch culture. I’m not exactly sure what is (but I have some thoughts, and we’ll get to them in a later article), but divers simply do not dominate the new release calendar or the thoughts and wishes of enthusiasts the way they did a few short years ago.  The other realization I had in compiling this list is that the players in the dive watch landscape are shifting. Sometimes subtly and sometimes dramatically. The brands represented here (and, more apt, not represented) tell a big part of the story in dive watches in 2025.  This year end list (and others you’ll see in these pages leading up to the end of 2025) is not meant to be exhaustive or definitive, but is more of a personal reflection on how I saw the year in a particular category. Don’t worry, you’ll get other perspectives soon from other members of our team. I specifically wanted to write about divers because, well, I’m not really a dive watch guy, and I thought it might be interesting and a fun challeng...

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