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Worn & Wound · Page 8

Watches & Wonders: Oris’ 24-Year-Old Product Design Engineer Just Reworked a Classic - This is the Sleek New Artelier Complication Worn & Wound
Oris 24-Year-Old Product Design Apr 15, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Oris’ 24-Year-Old Product Design Engineer Just Reworked a Classic - This is the Sleek New Artelier Complication

Oris first introduced its Artelier Complication in 1991 alongside the Caliber 581, which notably featured a moonphase module developed in-house by the brand. The release marked another significant moment for the maison in its commitment to manufacture movements following the quartz crisis. The model’s presence ultimately faded but received new life in 2017 with an updated design that featured a more modern, cleaner style with slimmer, tapered lugs, and a redesigned bezel. At Watches & Wonders, we get the next evolution of the Artelier Complication.  The newest incarnation gives us another redesign from the 2017 edition while keeping the focus on highlighting the romantic moonphase. This updated take on the Artelier Complication comes from 24-year-old Lena Huwiler, Oris’s new Product Design Engineer. Huwiler has been able to achieve the perfect balance between honoring the model’s place in the history of the brand and propelling it forward with a design that will resonate with her generation. An old soul at heart, Huwiler admits she does not just find inspiration online but still appreciates architecture, crafts, and interior design. She clearly brings the duality of these sensibilities into her design for the new Artelier Complication. Here, Huwiler has given an Oris classic a modern, urban profile and reworked the moonphase display designed by and for the next generation of watch collectors. The major update here is in the complication and how it is presented thank...

Watches & Wonders: My Favorite Ingenieurs from IWC’s 2026 Releases Worn & Wound
IWC s 2026 Releases IWC Apr 15, 2026

Watches & Wonders: My Favorite Ingenieurs from IWC’s 2026 Releases

IWC is not a brand that quickly moves on from a release. Rather, any new watch is also the launch of a platform that will, for several years at least, see new models in terms of colors, sizes, materials, and complications. In doing so, their catalog is vast yet focused, as each line is thematic yet deeply explored. Since relaunching in 2023, the Genta-derived, integrated bracelet, luxury tool watch that is the Ingenieur has steadily expanded to now cover three sizes, multiple materials, many colors, and one complication, totaling 12 SKUs (before Watches & Wonders releases). For 2026, the expansion continues with several new references, including a tourbillon, and two models that kind of blew me away. I had the fortune of getting to spend some time with IWC’s 2026 novelties before the big show, and while several are striking (I mean, that full Ceralume perpetual is one of the most bonkers watches I’ve seen in a while), the two that I have kept thinking about are the Ingenieur automatic in green ceramic, and the full titanium perpetual. Starting with the former, IWC is no stranger to ceramic. In fact, they debuted the first ceramic watch in 1986. While many brands have adopted the material since, IWC’s earthy palette of green, khaki, and blue retains a certain understated charm. The 42mm Ingenieur has existed in black ceramic for at least a year now. While sleek, stealthy, and a logical edition, it wasn’t all too surprising. The full green ceramic, however, is a bit....

Watches & Wonders: TAG Heuer Reinvents (a part of) the Chronograph with the Monaco Evergraph Worn & Wound
TAG Heuer Reinvents Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: TAG Heuer Reinvents (a part of) the Chronograph with the Monaco Evergraph

When I think of Heuer, or TAG, or TAG Heuer, for that matter, I think of chronographs. You probably do too. Carreras, Monacos, Autavias, Monzas, Veronas, Montreals, etc… All iconic models, their pursuit of the stop-watch-in-a-wrist-watch goes far beyond just that of aesthetics. Famously, in 1969, they were among the first three brands to introduce an automatic chronograph with the Caliber 11. Then, in the 2010s, they pushed chronograph innovation to its limits with high-concept, high-frequency calibers like the Mikrograph, Mikrotimer, and Mikrogirder. In the last few years, TAG has focused more on the commercial side, honing in on a contemporary design language with the glass box Carreras, as well as a workhorse caliber of their own, the 80-hour, column-wheel, automatic TH20. 2026, however, marks a return to more innovative, if high-end times. Earlier this year, they introduced the six-figure Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph, a 36,000bph rattrapante made in collaboration with Vaucher, under the category of “avant-garde horlogerie.” A curious development that was perhaps undermined by having such a daunting price, it did serve as an amuse-bouche to their big Watches & Wonders novelty: the Monaco Evergraph, which includes at least one first in watchmaking. There is a lot to unpack with the Evergraph, but the movement is a good place to start. Inside is a new caliber called the TH80-00. An integrated chronometer-certified automatic chronograph with 47-jewels, it featur...

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

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

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

Watches & Wonders: Bremont Races to the Moon with the Space-Themed Supernova Chronograph Worn & Wound
Bremont Races Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Bremont Races to the Moon with the Space-Themed Supernova Chronograph

Because of the Artemis II launch earlier this month, the moon is all the rage again. That’s why the timing for Bremont’s Supernova Chronograph feels so auspicious: not only because it was designed with the stars in mind, but because it might actually go to the moon itself.  To promote the Supernova-which is an entirely new family, and not just a single release-Bremont is partnering with the aerospace company Astrolab, which is planning to send a FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) rover to the moon’s surface. In a future spacefaring reality, the Flexible Logistics & Exploration (FLEX) rover can traverse lunar and Martian terrain, delivering cargo with a 30-kg payload. That’s more than enough room to fit a Supernova, which will net Bremont as the first watch permanently placed on the moon’s surface. The Supernova Chronograph ticks the boxes of a terrestrial sports watch: with 100-meter water resistance, stainless-steel construction, and an integrated bracelet and optional rubber strap, it carries a bold presence that seems much tougher than the current lineup. The primarily brushed case, measuring 41mm and featuring smaller polished contrasts, is cushion-shaped, harkening to the midcentury enthusiasm for space exploration. The black bezel is made from ceramic and cut into ten sides.  The Supernova’s dial features contrasting triangular arrows and a geometrically aligned waffle pattern. On the main dial they’re both black, but in the subdials the triang...

Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko Introduces the SBGY043 “Iwao Blue” Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Introduces Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko Introduces the SBGY043 “Iwao Blue”

At Watches & Wonders 2026, Grand Seiko’s newest addition to the Elegance Collection brings together the things it does best. Namely, intricately textured dials with a nod to Japanese artistry, and its flagship Caliber 9R Spring Drive.  Engraved to resemble a weathered rock face, the SBGY043’s striking dial suggests the appearance of a mountain at dusk: Grand Seiko calls this pattern iwao, which translates to rock or crag. Depending on the angle it’s viewed from behind its domed sapphire crystal, different facets take on intermingling light and dark tones of blue, purple, and black. Its color is inspired by the tradition of katsuiro dyeing, a centuries-old technique and reportedly a favorite among the samurai class, which produces a deep indigo hue. Set against bright silver markers and hands - no blued seconds hand here, which is almost its own Grand Seiko tradition - it makes for an especially understated contrast.  This Iwao Blue version runs on the Caliber 9R31, a manual-wind Spring Drive movement with a 72-hour power reserve and visible through a clear caseback. The case is among the slimmest in the Elegance Collection, with standard zaratsu polishing and soft, rounded lugs. A nine-row stainless steel bracelet is the only option, which reflects the craggy-faced dial’s aura of ruggedness.  Grand Seiko enthusiasts, of which there are many, might remember this dial from 2021 - albeit in a sharp-angled Heritage case and with a Caliber 9R65 Spring Drive mov...

Watches & Wonders: Hermes Doubles Down on the H08 with the Addition of a Skeletonized “Squelette” Version Worn & Wound
Hermes Doubles Down Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Hermes Doubles Down on the H08 with the Addition of a Skeletonized “Squelette” Version

I vividly remember when Hermes first launched the H08 five years ago. It marked yet another moment of the brand solidifying its place beyond its roots in fashion and firmly into the horological landscape. Prior to the H08, we had seen more classic, refined, and dare I say quintessentially Hermes collections from the Maison like the Kelly, inspired by the padlock from the famous handbag; the Arceau, drawing from the iconic horse motif; and the Cape Cod, a traditional rectangular design. In 2012, Hermes had a defining moment for its watches with the debut of its first in-house caliber. Still, the H08 marked a new moment of the brand doing something markedly different – decidedly modern and yet distinctly Hermes.   In the years since its initial introduction, the H08 has continued to be a success and as such, the Maison has doubled down on the collection, following up with a slew of iterations on the original H08 lineup, which was pretty impressive in its own right, consisting of five variations. We have seen the addition of complications like a chronograph, new sizes ranging from the original 39mm up to 45mm, as well as new styles and colors. Today, at this year’s Watches and Wonders, Hermes offers up the next evolution with the H08 Squelette, the Maison’s interpretation of a skeletonized model. We have seen this openworked style in the brand’s other staple collections, like the Arceau and the Slim d’Hermes, so this seems like a natural next step for the H08 line....

Watches & Wonders: Roger Dubuis Debuts an All-New Perpetual Calendar Caliber Alongside a Sporty Version of its Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar Worn & Wound
Patek Philippe Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Roger Dubuis Debuts an All-New Perpetual Calendar Caliber Alongside a Sporty Version of its Excalibur Biretrograde Calendar

Roger Dubuis’ latest releases at Watches and Wonders are steeped in the brand’s history. For the occasion, the maison introduces two complicated pieces – a perpetual calendar and day-date calendar – each in the brand’s patented biretrograde display. Prior to founding his namesake maison, Mr. Roger Dubuis was a prolific watchmaker for several brands, from Patek Philippe to Longines. One such project came in 1989 when he and fellow watchmaker Jean-Marc Wiederrecht collaboratively pioneered and patented their famous biretrograde display, which reworked the traditional concept and made it more streamlined. This approach eased assembly and improved the stability and readability of the hands on the ecliptic retrograde counters. Soon after, the pair engineered a double retrograde perpetual calendar module, which was notably used in a timepiece for Harry Winston. A year after the brand’s official founding, Roger Dubuis introduced its own biretrograde display timepiece and later the perpetual calendar complication in its iconic Sympathie and Homage collections. Today, we see the next evolution of these concepts highlighted in a rather modestly sized 40mm version of its Excalibur line. The Excalibur Biretrograde Perpetual Calendar is notably powered by an entirely new movement: the RD850. Here, the maison builds upon the work set forth four decades ago with a self-winding caliber built from 435 components in-house at Roger Dubuis’ Geneva manufacture. A key functional i...

Watches & Wonders: Oris Reintroduces the Star, a True 1960s Throwback Worn & Wound
Oris Reintroduces Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Oris Reintroduces the Star, a True 1960s Throwback

One of the most interesting things to observe in recent years among brands that have been around for decades is how they handle reissuing vintage watches from their back catalog. Often, we see releases that seem to have been conceived in a boardroom by bean counters, with a lot of concessions to the original design made for modern consumers. This usually means making watches larger than they need to be, and using newer, higher performance materials when the old fashioned ones would have been just fine. So it’s a real treat when a brand releases a “new” old watch that is about as close to the original as possible.  That’s the vibe we’re getting from the new Oris Star Edition, a mostly faithful interpretation of one of the more important watches in the brand’s history, dating back to the 1960s. The original Star was the brand’s first watch with an in-house lever escapement, something that was only possible thanks to the overturning of the Swiss Watch Statute, a law originally introduced in the 1930s to counter anti competition measures taken by watch manufacturers during the years of the Great Depression. An unintended consequence of the statute was that it limited brands like Oris to using pin-lever escapements. The law was eventually repealed with the help of Rolf Portman, a lawyer employed by Oris and tasked with fighting the statute. Portman is now Oris’ Honorary Chairman.  Here we have a watch that is uncommonly true to the character of its vintage ins...

Watches & Wonders: the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Annual Calendar Returns with a New Case Size and Caliber Worn & Wound
A. Lange & Sohne Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Annual Calendar Returns with a New Case Size and Caliber

A. Lange & Söhne had one of my, and many others’, favorite releases at Watches & Wonders 2025. It wasn’t a super complication and had no bells-and-whistles. Rather, it was simple and small. The 34mm 1815 three-handers in white or rose gold exemplified confident, understated luxury like no other watches at the fair. For 2026, Lange has brought back a watch that had been out of production with a new movement and in a new, smaller size, following suit from last year’s release. Unlike the 1815s, these feature one of the less common complications in the Lange catalog: the annual calendar. The Saxonia Annual Calendar was a very cool watch. It combined its eponymous complication with Lange’s signature outsized date and was powered by a since-retired “Sax-0-Mat” three-quarter-rotor automatic movement. These funky movements were featured in the Langematik watches and represented Lange’s first foray into automatic calibers. In addition to a distinctive look, they featured a hidden complication: zero-reset seconds, meaning that when the crown was pulled out, the seconds hand would jump to zero. In 2011, the Sax-O-Mats began to be replaced by central rotor calibers with up to 72 hours of power reserve, an increase from 46 hours, but the zero-reset seconds disappeared. Though comprising many different calibers, most of Lange’s currently in-production automatics have a central rotor. I am unsure when the previous generation of the Saxonia Annual Calendar went out of pro...

Watches & Wonders: Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces the Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux Steel in Mineral Blue Worn & Wound
Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Parmigiani Fleurier Introduces the Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux Steel in Mineral Blue

Last year, Parmigiani Fleurier had one of the strongest showings of any brand at Watches & Wonders, led by a pair of absolutely gorgeous, traditionally styled perpetual calendars. This is a brand that for me has been somewhat hard to get into, personally. While the quality of the watches themselves is never in question, I don’t always identify with the design choices, and think occasionally they lean a little too subtle for their own good. That’s why last year’s Toric Quantieme Perpetual was such a surprise. It’s not the kind of watch that usually lands in my wheelhouse, but I found that it was executed so perfectly that I just couldn’t ignore it.  This year’s big novelty for Parmigiani at Watches & Wonders takes an entirely different approach, but follows a pair of recent creations that have been much admired flagships for this current generation of the brand. The Tonda PF Chronograph Mystérieux follows the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante and the Tonda PF Minute Rattrapante with a new complication that is hidden until called upon by the wearer, and in doing so have created a chronograph that is impossibly minimalist at first blush, with no obvious indications that it is, in fact, a chronograph.  That, of course, may or may not be appealing to you if you’re a chronograph fan. Part of the appeal of these watches for many is in how a chronograph naturally segments the dial and presents a variety of hopefully useful information in a cluster. The Chronograph Mystéri...

Watches & Wonders: Moser and Reebok Have Brought the Pump to the Streamliner Worn & Wound
H. Moser has partnered Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Moser and Reebok Have Brought the Pump to the Streamliner

This one is for elder millennials and Gen-X only. In perhaps the most surprising collaboration we’ve seen in a while, H. Moser has partnered with Reebok to bring us the Streamliner Pump, a limited edition of 500 pieces total across two variants, that combines the familiar, Art Deco inspired shape of Moser’s integrated bracelet sports watch with one of the most iconic sneaker designs of my childhood.  For the non-sneakerheads or readers who are simply too young to remember, the Pump was a Reebok sneaker that became a cultural phenomenon in the early 1990s. The gimmick was that with the “pump” of a large orange button on the top of the shoe’s tongue, the wearer could inflate and regulate a fitting cushion in the lower part of the tongue to obtain a better and more secure fit. It was an answer of sorts to Nike’s “Air” technology, but more tactile and focused on the user experience. It was also tailor made for splashy marketing campaigns with big celebrity endorsements (Dee Brown and Shaquille O’Neal are the NBA stars that immediately come to mind as Pump wearers), and I can vividly remember desperately wanting Pumps of my own at an age where I honestly thought I for sure would have a career in professional basketball. Moser has captured at least some of that nostalgia with this new release. For the Streamliner Pump, Moser has added an anodized aluminum pusher to the case at the 8:00 position, the “pump” as it were. Press it, and the pusher transmits ene...

Watches & Wonders: Tudor Surprises with the Oddly Appealing Monarch Worn & Wound
Tudor Surprises Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Tudor Surprises with the Oddly Appealing Monarch

Tudor is at its best when they surprise. Sure, there have been some controversial pieces over the years, like the North Flag and P01 (though I’d argue they were both very successful as attention grabbers), but watches like the BB54, BB58 925, and even FXD took us off guard when they first dropped. This year, Tudor has followed suit with the Monarch, a watch that took us off guard in the press release but impressed in person. Before getting to the watch, it was made clear to us that although this year marks 100 years of the brand, they aren’t throwing a big celebration for themselves, nor did they release a watch specifically dedicated to the centennial anniversary. The Monarch, which is a spiritual recreation or tribute to an early 20th-century Tudor model, is meant to acknowledge said birthday. So, basically, don’t call it an anniversary watch, just an anniversary-like watch. Ok, with that out of the way, let’s take a look at this surprisingly cool new model. Measuring 39mm in diameter, 11.9mm thick, and, I’m estimating, as this dimension was not provided, in the neighborhood of 48mm lug-to-lug, so basically BB58 sized, the Monarch, despite some vintage cues, looked and felt pleasantly modern on the wrist. The case, made of stainless steel, was quite different from others in the Tudor lineup. It had hooded, aggressively chamfered lugs, with a sharply faceted drop-off. There were also flat segments on either side of the case, emphasizing a geometric overall shape...

Watches & Wonders: Tudor Introduces the Black Bay 54 Blue Worn & Wound
Tudor Introduces Apr 14, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Tudor Introduces the Black Bay 54 Blue

Tudor continues to expand their Black Bay 54 collection at this year’s Watches & Wonders with the Black Bay 54 “Blue”. Since the launch of the original Black Bay 54, the diver has settled into a role as a favorite among enthusiasts for its slender, compact proportions. The original release was a straightforward black dialed, black bezel affair, and last summer saw the surprise launch of the “Lagoon Blue” reference that re-characterized the watch as a fun, more jewelry oriented diver than we would have expected. A diver with a blue dial and bezel is frankly something expected in a dive watch lineup these days, so this release is not so much a surprise, but it’s interesting to see how Tudor executes on a dive watch standard.  In terms of specs, there are no big surprises here, and this edition of the 54 follows those that have come before. The case in stainless steel measures 37mm in diameter and has water resistance to 200 meters. It runs on the same MT5400 movement, which is COSC-certified and has a silicon balance spring and 70-hour power reserve. It’s available on both a rivet style three link bracelet or a rubber strap.  The blue dial is very, very blue. Tudor refers to it as “sapphire blue” and in the bright lights of their booth at Palexpo the sunray finishing and almost purple-ish hues are quite prominent on the dial. It’s very saturated, and I think even in less intense lighting it will have a lot of presence. If you compare it to other blue wa...

Watches & Wonders: Hands-On with IWC’s Pilot Venturer Vertical Drive, a New Kind of Space Watch Worn & Wound
IWC s Pilot Venturer Vertical Apr 13, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Hands-On with IWC’s Pilot Venturer Vertical Drive, a New Kind of Space Watch

Space is having a huge moment right now, and if you’re at all like me, you’ve been transported to a time in your youth when you were soaking up anything space exploration related as much as the sun. Well, IWC is going to keep space at the forefront of everyone’s mind here at Watches & Wonders as they’ve just released their Pilot’s Venturer Vertical Drive, their first watch engineered and certified for spaceflight.  I actually got to see this watch back in February while I was out in Los Angeles with IWC at Vast’s headquarters. Vast is the company building what is set to become the first commercial space station, Haven-1. And that context matters, because this isn’t just a “space-inspired” watch. The Venturer Vertical Drive was designed for actual use in orbit, and it’s already been certified for flight in partnership with Vast.  Historically, space watches have basically just been modified aviation watches, but IWC took a different approach here. Instead of adapting something that already existed, they started from a much simpler question: what does a watch actually need to do in space? The answer led to a few decisions that feel genuinely new, starting with the most obvious one - there’s no crown. From an outsider’s perspective, this feels almost like a flex (and it kinda is). But the way that IWC CEO Chris Grainger-Herr explained it during our live presentation was that in a zero-gravity environment, as astronauts are moving through tight spac...

Watches & Wonders: the Nomos Tangente neomatik 38 Update Brings the Date Ring and the Midas Touch to a Smaller Size Worn & Wound
Nomos Tangente neomatik 38 Update Apr 13, 2026

Watches & Wonders: the Nomos Tangente neomatik 38 Update Brings the Date Ring and the Midas Touch to a Smaller Size

In the Nomos Glashütte lineup, the Tangente is one that brings it all: the allure of 18-karat gold, sizes that range from 33 to 42mm, a unique and subtle date ring, even a few models rated to 1,000 feet of water resistance.  Now the most popular features merge into one aptly-named release: the Tangente neomatik 38 Update, making its debut at this year’s Watches & Wonders. It begins with the mid-sized case that measures 38.5 millimeters, hitting the sweet spot of popularity and balanced proportions. And it’s now available in 18-karat gold, alongside the stainless steel seen on most Tangente models.  “By introducing Tangente Update in gold,” says Nomos CEO Uwe Ahrendt, “we are also responding to a frequently heard request for modern dress watches, crafted from precious metal.”    The most important feature in this new model is adapting the date ring into a smaller format. The date ring, which Nomos calls Update, circles the edge of the dial with oval windows marking the days of the month, indicating the current date with two red markers on either side.  Previously, the date ring was formerly only available in a 41mm size, or in an unusual two-date system that debuted in 2024. What’s under the skin and behind that 18-karat gold case is the neomatik caliber DUW 6101: an automatic-wind movement with up to 42 hours of power reserve that now gets the same date ring system adapted into a smaller size (just 7.4mm in height, a squeak below the 7.8mm size of the ...

Watches & Wonders: Zenith Expands the Chronomaster Sport Line with New Skeleton References, Plus a Two-Tone Version with MOP Dial, and a New Micro-Adjustable Clasp Worn & Wound
Zenith Expands Apr 13, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Zenith Expands the Chronomaster Sport Line with New Skeleton References, Plus a Two-Tone Version with MOP Dial, and a New Micro-Adjustable Clasp

Zenith has released five new references under the Chronomaster Sport umbrella, most notably with four skeletonized versions of the design, as well as a dressier two-tone option. To understand the new skeletonized editions, it’s probably best to start at the beginning. When Zenith introduced the El Primero in 1969, it launched what is widely regarded as the world’s first automatic, integrated high-frequency chronograph caliber, a movement that has remained central to the brand’s identity ever since. The Chronomaster collection has long carried that legacy forward, and with this new series of skeletonized watches, Zenith brings that movement further to the forefront. All of the skeleton models run on the El Primero 3600SK, the openworked version of Zenith’s high-frequency automatic chronograph. Like the standard El Primero 3600, it beats at 5 Hz, which allows the central chronograph hand to complete one full rotation every 10 seconds and display 1/10th of a second directly off the bezel. The movement also offers a 60-hour power reserve, while the open dial and caseback give a clear view of the column wheel, horizontal clutch, and star-shaped rotor. All come in the now familiar 41mm Chronomaster Sport case. In regards to the design of the Chronomaster Sport Skeleton models, the biggest visual shift comes from the opened-up dial. The collection includes two stainless steel versions: one with a black ceramic bezel and the signature grey, anthracite, and blue tri-color c...

Watches & Wonders: Bulgari Launches an Octo Finissimo in 37mm Worn & Wound
Bulgari Launches Apr 13, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Bulgari Launches an Octo Finissimo in 37mm

The Bulgari Octo Finissimo is a certifiably unique watch that you can identify on someone’s wrist from across a room. Part of this is because of its exotic integrated design, and the other part is that they are kind of huge, despite being very thin. That contrast has always been part of the appeal, but also part of the problem. For years, the Octo Finissimo has represented an avant-garde take on modern watch design. Thin, minimal, architectural, and kind of brutal, it exists as a distant relative of a Genta-era idea, but pushed into something more experimental. It has also built its reputation on technical achievement, frequently contending for the world’s thinnest watch, and holding that title more than once over the last decade. But this year, Bulgari isn’t focused on thinness. Instead, they’ve turned their attention to something far more practical: wearability. For the first time since the line launched in 2014, Bulgari has introduced a smaller “consumer” model, bringing the Octo Finissimo down to 37mm. On paper, that might not sound like much. In practice, it changes everything. The standard 40mm models were always a bit deceptive. While 40mm is not particularly large for a round watch, the Octo Finissimo is anything but round. These watches are essentially flat squares with wide integrated lugs, creating a large corner-to-corner span and a cuff-like presence on the wrist. The result is a watch that wears significantly larger than its width suggests. It’s...

Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko Finally Gives Us a Medium Sized Dive Watch, and it Includes a Spring Drive Powered U.F.A. Movement Worn & Wound
Grand Seiko Finally Gives Us Apr 13, 2026

Watches & Wonders: Grand Seiko Finally Gives Us a Medium Sized Dive Watch, and it Includes a Spring Drive Powered U.F.A. Movement

If you were take a poll of Grand Seiko enthusiasts and collectors to ask them what they thought was missing from the brand’s catalog, I have a feeling a significant portion of respondents would tell you the same thing: a great dive watch. Grand Seiko has, of course, been making divers for years, and a lot of them have been objectively outstanding and well liked by certain pockets of the Grand Seiko community. But they’ve never had a diver that’s really caught fire in the way that something like the Snowflake has – there’s no icon in their dive watch range. I think most would agree that this is at least in part because to this point the brand’s dive watches have always been on the chunky side, and not really a viable competitor to the Submariners and Seamasters of the world in terms of their wearability.  Grand Seiko seeks to change that at Watches & Wonders this year, with the rather ambitious release of the new Spring Drive U.F.A. Ushio 300 Diver. This new 40.8mm High-Intensity Titanium dive watch uses a new Spring Drive movement featuring the same tech as last year’s 9RB2 Spring Drive caliber, which boasts an accuracy rate of plus or minus 20 seconds per year.  There are really two notable things about this watch. First, there’s the movement, Caliber 9RB1, which has the same U.F.A (Ultra Fine Accuracy) designation as the 9RB2 introduced last year. The 20 second annual accuracy rate is, according to Grand Seiko, the most accurate wristwatch movement powe...

Windup Watch Fair San Francisco 2026 Returns to the Waterfront Worn & Wound
Frederique Constant Apr 11, 2026

Windup Watch Fair San Francisco 2026 Returns to the Waterfront

If there’s a more beautiful place to spend a weekend surrounded by watches, we haven’t found it. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco returns… and yes, it’s still the one with all the views. We’re talking sweeping sightlines of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz sitting quietly in the distance, salt air rolling through Fort Mason and, if last year was any indication, the very real possibility of whales breaching right off the pier while you’re mid-conversation about your next watch. Windup Watch Fair San Francisco Friday, May 1 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 Gateway Pavilion at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture San Francisco, CA Free and open to everyone. No registration necessary. Inside Gateway Pavilion, you’ll find our Lead Sponsor brands who you know and love: Bremont, Brew, Christopher Ward, Frederique Constant, and Oris. We are so grateful for their ongoing support of Windup and the whole enthusiast community. Each Lead Sponsor will be sharing and debuting watches that are well worth seeing in person. Alongside their new releases, go hands-on with over 80 brands’ products from around the world and experience their craftsmanship firsthand. Here’s a list of just some of the other amazing brands attending this year’s Windup Watch Fair San Francisco: This year, the EDC Expo returns, presented by GiantMouse. Everyone at GiantMouse have been staunch supporters of the Windup Watch Fairs for years and we’re honored that they’ve stepped up this year to really cha...

eBay Finds: A Vintage Omega Constellation, Some Funky Vintage Seikos, and a Hamilton in Great Condition Worn & Wound
Hamilton Apr 10, 2026

eBay Finds: A Vintage Omega Constellation, Some Funky Vintage Seikos, and a Hamilton in Great Condition

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. Omega Constellation  First up this week is a nice vintage Omega Constellation. Now, this isn’t the more well known pie-pan version, but it’s still a stunning piece made with the same attention to detail. This is a later 1960s version, with a large “C” style case that is in excellent condition. Nice crisp edges with the original brushed and polished finish. The caseback observatory medallion is not an added gold piece, but rather engraved directly into the steel back. The crown is signed and looks correct. The dial has a beautiful cross-hatch linen texture to it, with thin stick markers and stick hands. There is a day/date window at three o’clock. Dial looks clean and original. The watch comes on the original brick link bracelet, although one of the links is broken and it will need repair. No movement picture but the watch runs per the seller.  View auction here Seiko JDM Sport Diver   Here’s a great Seiko diver that is a modern re-issue of a vintage model. In the late 1990s Seiko did a series of Sport Diver re-issues with modern specs and movements. These are a great way to have that vintage vibe but not have to worry about babying the watch. This one has a tonneau shaped...

Hands-On: the Monta Noble 40 Worn & Wound
Monta Apr 10, 2026

Hands-On: the Monta Noble 40

I’ve been doing this long enough that by now I probably should have reviewed a Monta. For whatever reason, I just haven’t had the chance. It’s kind of like living in Cooperstown and never going to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Inexplicable.  Of course, I’ve handled plenty of Montas over the years. They’ve been a presence at Windup Watch Fairs, and I’ve known many, many collectors who have owned Monta watches of various stripes, and I’ve tried them on and taken the requisite wrist shots at meetups and events through the years. This time around, with the release of the new Monta Noble 40, I was finally able to spend some real time with a Monta. Like all Monta watches it’s technically excellent, but the updates make it feel a little less special than its predecessor.  The Noble, along with the Triumph, is the most stripped down watch in the Monta collection. It’s not a big burly tool watch, and it doesn’t have a complication beyond the date at 6:00. It’s a bit of a cliche, but you could say that it boils down Monta to its essence, which is a really solid, value oriented, everyday watch with impeccable finishing for the price. I’ll probably keep coming back to the finishing, because it’s really the strength of all Monta watches that I’ve had a chance to handle, and that’s been the case consistently since the brand was founded. They just have a very good idea of what they’re after in terms of how their cases and bracelets should look and feel, and...

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: Announcing Our Return to the 2026 Ride to Conquer Cancer Worn & Wound
Apr 9, 2026

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: Announcing Our Return to the 2026 Ride to Conquer Cancer

Last year, for the first time, Worn & Wound supported and participated in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a two-day, 200+ kilometer cycling event through Southern Ontario, Canada, which raises funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre-one of the world’s leading cancer research institutions. the watch community demonstrated incredible generosity. Several Worn & Wound team members joined team “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”, and we raised over $51,000 for cancer research. It was a powerful example of what this community can achieve when we rally behind a vital cause. Today, I’m proud to announce that our team is officially returning for the 2026 Ride to Conquer Cancer. Returning riders include myself, Matt Smith-Johnson, Atom Moore, and Brea Taylor-Munro. We are also pleased to welcome a new member to the team: Craig Tough. Craig joins us as we aim to surpass last year’s fundraising total and increase our impact on cancer research. Our 2026 Partners Last year set a high bar for fundraising, but this year we’re aiming to do event better. We’re raising funds in three ways – corporate donations, individual donations, and collaborative products (more on that in a bit). We’re grateful for the support of several industry partners who are helping us reach our goals this year. They are: Each of these partners has generously contributed to our initiative, forming a strong foundation for the rest of our fundraising campaign. Limited Edition Collaborations To support ou...

Why This Watch: the Seiko SBTE003 Worn & Wound
Seiko SBTE003 Today Apr 9, 2026

Why This Watch: the Seiko SBTE003

Today, a new series debuts on Worn & Wound. “Why This Watch?” focuses on a member of the watch enthusiast community and digs into their decision making process for why they’ve collected a particular watch. We all have reasons, justifications, and sometimes even purpose behind our collecting decisions, and this series aims to identify them through watches that might be a little unusual, off the beaten path, or special in some way to the owner.  We start the series with Steve Faiello, a longtime Worn & Wound reader and watch enthusiast, who recently picked up a special Seiko with a seriously underrated multi-function “dancing hands” movement that displays its current function directly on the dial (at 3:00, where you’d normally see the day display on almost any other Seiko) and is easily manipulated by the user. You can see Steve’s collection on Instagram here. What did you buy?  A Seiko SBTE003 with a 6M26-8050 quartz movement. Why this watch, specifically?  To me, watches are tools first and foremost. They have to be comfortable, legible, and accurate. I’ve always been fascinated by watches with complications, but I usually don’t like the cluttered dials, thicker cases, and finicky movements of complicated watches, so I haven’t owned many. The 6M26 movement hides a chronograph, timer, alarm, and annual calendar in a reasonably sized and fairly easy to use package thanks to the magic of quartz. Seiko offered this movement (and its relatives) in a varie...

Sinn Introduces the 544 and 544 RS Ahead of their First Watches & Wonders Worn & Wound
Audemars Piguet technically independent Apr 8, 2026

Sinn Introduces the 544 and 544 RS Ahead of their First Watches & Wonders

Sinn makes their Watches & Wonders debut this year. It’s kind of a big deal, or should be, in our community, and honestly it’s not being talked about enough. Watches & Wonders is the premier trade show in our industry, but unlike Basel World (where Sinn was well represented before that show’s demise) it’s not a full representation of the watch industry. It’s selective, and focused primarily on luxury brands that are part of large luxury groups, and primarily Swiss luxury brands at that. This year’s show expands in a meaningful way with the addition not just of Sinn, but of Credor (a Japanese brand) and Audemars Piguet (technically independent, and inarguably one of the most important brands in our industry commercially). But Sinn feels like ours, they are an enthusiast staple through and through.  Sinn has announced a small series of novelties ahead of Watches & Wonders, and we’ll be bringing you coverage of all of them after we get some hands-on time with the watches next week. But today we’ll focus just for a moment on what is likely the most straightforward, tool oriented release of the bunch, and maybe of the entire Watches & Wonders event this year, the 544 and 544 RS. I’m not a huge fan of the “Go Anywhere, Do Anything” tag that often gets lumped in with watches like this, but that, I think, is truly what we are looking at here. The 544 is a completely new offering from the brand, but collectors will likely notice that the case seems derived fr...

Review: the G-SHOCK DW-5600MNC with FIDLOCK Clasp Worn & Wound
Casio has embraced Apr 8, 2026

Review: the G-SHOCK DW-5600MNC with FIDLOCK Clasp

G-SHOCK enthusiasts everywhere will be happy to hear that Casio has embraced a DW-5600 mod that has been popular for years – and it’s slated to hit international markets in the very near future. The new G-SHOCK DW-5600MNC series sees our favorite square swapping out its classic resin strap for a comfortable cloth option with a magnetic twist. For this update, G-SHOCK has partnered with FIDLOCK, a company known for its easy-to-operate fasteners featuring neodymium magnets, to give a boost to the original DW-5600 strap – typically considered by some owners to be a weak point when it comes to all-day wear. FIDLOCK’s technology has found a home in EDC and modding communities, with its most popular contributions outfitting backpacks, water bottle mounts, and even bike helmets.  The marriage of these two brands intends to provide users a new type of wearing experience that melds all-day comfort with the practicality we know and love. However, the chasm that exists between the lofty ambition of this release and the end product is one that could damage even the toughest of G-SHOCKs. I spent a week getting hands-on with the new DW-5600MNC series and attempting to understand the point of this questionable update. Before I begin, it’s worth noting for context that G-SHOCK appears in my personal collection more than any other brand. Its tactical aesthetic might be an acquired taste to some, but it’s one I gravitate to readily. When I want a watch I don’t have to think a...

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