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Dress Watches · Page 21

Hands On: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34 mm SJX Watches
May 6, 2025

Hands On: A. Lange & Söhne 1815 34 mm

A. Lange & Söhne delivered one of its most impressive complications at Watches & Wonders 2025, but it was the brand’s entry level novelty that was the talk of the town. The 1815 34 mm won many admirers, and for good reason; it’s attractive, comfortable, well-made, and priced right – an increasingly rare combination. Available in either 18k white or pink gold, the new 1815 is a regular production model but features a galvanic blue dial most often associated with the brand’s limited editions. It joins the Saxonia Thin as Lange’s entry-level offering; both are priced comparably but look and feel very different. Initial thoughts Small watches are back, and the 1815 design works perfectly in the 34 mm size due to its bold numerals, which help it maintain a strong presence on the wrist. The case size now goes without saying, but it’s worth mentioning the 6.4 mm thickness, which places it among the brand’s thinnest watches. This sizing is effortlessly comfortable, and the abundance of gold, sterling silver, and German silver give it reassuring heft. Like most Lange dials, the stepped blue dial of the 1815 is made from sterling silver that’s been given a galvanic finish. This particular shade of blue is often used for limited editions like the 25th anniversary Datograph and 30th anniversary Lange 1, which makes it feel extra special. Longtime fans of the brand will recall this dial harks back to the first-generation 1815 that was available with a similar dial (and...

Cartier Tank Alternatives For Every Budget Teddy Baldassarre
May 5, 2025

Cartier Tank Alternatives For Every Budget

Inarguably, the Cartier Tank in its many iterations is one of the most significant, easily recognizable, and, ultimately, iconic watches of all time. One can easily spot its quintessential mixing of a rectangular case and simple, legible dial design (most commonly, with Roman numerals, thin sword hands, and the signature Cartier script), out in the wild. It’s a watch that was unisex before unisex was a marketing buzzword across the industry, and since it went into serial production in 1919 has been executed in as many sizes, colors, and materials as one could dream up. Most would agree that the Tank still retains the title of the ultimate rectangular watch in the larger cultural consciousness.  While all of the above is true, we are gathered here today not only to wax poetic on the subject of Cartier’s illustrious Tank, but to dive into a somewhat controversial subject - more wallet-friendly alternatives to the Tank. I will go bravely forth into what might be looked upon as a horological faux-pas. Still, given that I am personally subjected to the plight of needing to be different, have a natural hesitation towards what is most popular, and am not afraid to stick to a budget when necessary, I think I am uniquely fit for the task. Additionally, I am of the mind that imitation is the ultimate form of flattery, so you can also feel free to read this as a love letter to the Cartier Tank.  Down below, I’ve rounded up some contemporary alternatives to the Cartier Tank ...

In-Depth: Hidden Innovation in the Urwerk UR-150 “Scorpion” SJX Watches
May 2, 2025

In-Depth: Hidden Innovation in the Urwerk UR-150 “Scorpion”

Urwerk is universally known for its unique approach to time-telling, usually marrying the classic concept of wandering hours with avant-garde styling and reinvented mechanics. The brand’s signature brand of watchmaking is exemplified by the UR-150 “Scorpion”, which demonstrates the brand’s ability to reinvent the wheel in displaying the time. The UR-150 is a time-only watch, showing just the hours and minutes, but with a technical execution that is sophisticated and elaborate. Nicknamed “Scorpion” due to its crisp retrograde hour hand that brings to mind the desert creature’s swift sting, the UR-150 features a central carousel that creeps slowly over the course of one hour, only for the hour hand to snap back and reset with a lively action at the top of each hour. The concept of satellite and retrograde hours is not new to Urwerk – in fact the idea dates back to the Opus V – but in the UR-150 the mechanics underlying the time display have been refined, upgraded, and elaborated upon. Dissecting the time display module of the UR-150 is a fascinating process that speaks to the talent of the watchmakers and constructors at Urwerk who conceived these radical time displays. The mechanics are inventive, especially in the interconnected nature of the various sub-assemblies ranging from the retrograde to the satellite discs. The construction also incorporates finer engineering details like main shaft that supports two concentric but independent axes of the carrier...

Thoughts On The Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G Fratello
Apr 30, 2025

Thoughts On The Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G

In true Watches and Wonders tradition, Patek Philippe graced us with a string of new introductions. The Genevan brand unveiled 14 new wrist watches and a unique desk clock this year. Among them, there are always standouts. The big release for this year was not a highly complicated timepiece or a new addition to the […] Visit Thoughts On The Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G to read the full article.

Breguet Turns to Tradition with the Classique Souscription SJX Watches
Apr 25, 2025

Breguet Turns to Tradition with the Classique Souscription

The opening salvo in Breguet’s 250th anniversary has just been revealed: the Classique Souscription 2025BH. Although typically Breguet in style, the watch is a novel combination of elements, at least by the conventions of Breguet, a traditionally staid brand. Presented in a case of the new design made of a gold alloy of a new formula, it’s a wristwatch inspired by the one-handed souscription pocket watches of the 18th and 19th centuries. The fired enamel dial replicates that of the pocket watch, while inside is the VS00, a calibre that is descended from the movement of the La Tradition. Initial thoughts As storied a brand as it is, Breguet certainly has a lot to live up to for its 250th anniversary. I expect more to come from Breguet in the coming months, but the Classique Souscription is a strong start, though a little pricey. It’s essentially an elaborately executed time-only watch, precisely the sort of watch that is popular now when made by independent watchmakers, but big brands face more scepticism with such timepieces. The VS00 Though it might seem typical Breguet on its face, the Classique Souscription is an unusual proposition; it’s inspired by various elements from across Breguet’s history, some several centuries apart. The dial and movement are inspired by a 19th century pocket watch, while the case comes much later. But everything works well and the whole manages to look like a Breguet. Traditionalists might mourn the departure from familiar elements ...

Hands On: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon SJX Watches
Apr 25, 2025

Hands On: Bulgari Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon

Bulgari made its debut at Watches & Wonders this year, having previously exhibited outside the fair. It was a fitting occasion to launch the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon, the thinnest tourbillon watch ever at just 1.85 mm thick. Housed in the brand’s signature matte grey titanium case and limited to just 20 pieces, the Ultra Tourbillon is paired with an equally thin and silky titanium bracelet. Bulgari is deeply invested in its leadership in ultra-thin watchmaking, and the Ultra Tourbillon shows the brand is willing to do whatever it takes to own as many records in this field as possible. Initial thoughts Despite its record-breaking slimness, there was surprisingly little buzz about the Ultra at Watches & Wonders. This may be due to record fatigue, since the previous record was set just last year by the Piaget AUC Tourbillon. It could also be due to the diminishing returns of these types of records, which are now being broken by almost imperceptible margins. On its exterior, the Ultra Tourbillon is quite similar the 1.7 mm-thick Octo Finissimo Ultra introduced last year. It features a 40 mm case made from a combination of titanium and tungsten carbide, and is impressively open-worked, revealing just about every wheel and pinion on the dial side of the watch. But this watch is all about the headline figure of its 1.85 mm thickness, which endows the Ultra Tourbillon with a delicate, almost weightless feel. The case in profile. Image – Bulgari Like all ultra-thin recor...

The 19 Thinnest Watches in the World in 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Apr 24, 2025

The 19 Thinnest Watches in the World in 2026

There have always been thin watches, and always watchmakers who have dedicated their craft to reduce the essentials of timekeeping, as well as other additional complications, into as slimmed down and wearable a package as humanly (and horologically) possible. Lately, however, as 21st century technological developments impact watchmaking as they have every other industry, it seems there are more exceptionally thin watches than ever before -some of them aimed at a customer simply seeking an elegantly understated and luxuriously lightweight timepiece for regular wear, others almost defiantly unobtainable to all but a few, but intended to boldly shatter records for both thinness and complexity. We offer some of both types in our roundup of ultra-thin watches below (which we're defining as 10mm thick or under, based on average watch sizes), in ascending order of case thickness, starting from the top with the current category record holders.   Under 2mm Richard Mille RM UP-01 Ferrari (1.75mm) In the world of high horology, Richard Mille has been pushing the envelope in the areas of materials, technologies, and (let’s face it) prices for quite some time. In 2022, the brand probably best known for making the watch that tennis champ Rafael Nadal wears to play in Grand Slams entered a new partnership with Ferrari, and the result was, to many watch enthusiasts’ surprise, the current record-holder for world’s thinnest watch. The RM UP-01 Ferrari is an almost unimaginable 1.7...

Introducing: The Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 - Initiating The Brand’s 250th-Anniversary Celebrations Fratello
Apr 24, 2025

Introducing: The Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 - Initiating The Brand’s 250th-Anniversary Celebrations

Abraham-Louis Breguet was probably the first watchmaker to launch a watch with the help of a Kickstarter campaign. Okay, well, not exactly, but in 1797, he made his 61mm Souscription pocket watch available for order with a 25% down payment. That way, the relatively simple watch with only one hand and a white enamel dial […] Visit Introducing: The Breguet Classique Souscription 2025 - Initiating The Brand’s 250th-Anniversary Celebrations to read the full article.

Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar 270th Anniversary SJX Watches
Apr 22, 2025

Hands On: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar 270th Anniversary

Vacheron Constantin is marking its 270th anniversary with the record-setting, most-complicated-watch-ever, the Solaria Ultra Grand Complication. Fortunately, the celebratory line-up also includes the more affordable: one step down in the collection is the Traditionnelle Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar 270th Anniversary. Less complicated than the Solaria, but still one of the top-of-the-line anniversary offerings, the Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar is an entirely new model, rather than an existing model dressed in anniversary livery. The Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar combines the self-winding cal. 2160 with a perpetual calendar mechanism, while both the dial and movement get the 270th anniversary-exclusive treatment. Initial thoughts The Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar is a fairly large but thin watch, with a clean, traditional design with tasteful elaboration. Formal on its face, the watch gets more interesting up close with the anniversary decor on the dial and movement. Overall, the look and feel is elegant; essentially the type of watch that Vacheron Constantin (VC) does well. The execution is high quality and typical of an established, industrial-artisanal brand. The tourbillon bridge and cage stand out as being especially finely finished. Notably, the guilloche on the dial is done the traditional way, on a hand-operated straight-line engine – which is necessary for a watch of this price – while on the entry-level anniversary models the same pattern is achieved via stam...

The Nine Most Affordable Omega Watches For Men In 2026 Teddy Baldassarre
Apr 21, 2025

The Nine Most Affordable Omega Watches For Men In 2026

The continuing white-hot popularity of the “MoonSwatch” models - a collaborative project between mass-market Swatch and luxury-market Omega - has likely sparked the interest of a whole new generation of young watch enthusiasts, not only in the iconic Speedmaster Professional but in the Omega brand overall. If you’re among the cohort that just might be ready to own an honest-to-goodness Omega rather than a Swatch-made replica (albeit a really cool one), the good news is that getting in on the ground floor of one of the world’s most collectible watch brands is not as high as one might expect - at least considering the accolades it receives from knowledgeable and well-heeled watch connoisseurs. In this latest installment of our “Price of Admission” series, we seek out the most attainable, entry-level pieces in every Omega collection.  CONSTELLATION: The contemporary Constellation family traces its design lineage to two distinctly different vintage ancestors - the cult-classic original model from the 1950s (which introduced the iconoclastic “pie pan” dial) and the influential revamp in the 1980s (which contributed the engraved, scalloped bezel and parallel “claws” on the case sides). The Constellation, which falls somewhere between everyday dress watch and retro conversation piece, is available in several sizes and with several different movements: a 36mm steel model on a bracelet, with the quartz Caliber 4564, can be yours for just $3,000. The 41m...

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001 SJX Watches
Apr 21, 2025

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001

Patek Philippe came to Watches & Wonders 2025 with a deep bench of strong new releases, but for fans of the classic Calatrava, the standout was without question the Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001. It’s an easy watch to love, with good proportions, a hefty 38 mm platinum case, a lively “salmon” dial, and is powered by the brand’s latest generation movement. Though the brand was arguably overshadowed this year by its suburban Geneva neighbors Rolex and Vacheron Constantin, at lower and higher ends of the price spectrum, respectively, Patek Philippe demonstrated its ability to deliver in every category, from simple dress and sport watches to mid and high complications. Initial thoughts In February 2017 I was asked what I wished to see from Baselworld that year. I said I’d like to see a successor to the ref. 5196 with a case-filling movement and a large balance. Eight years later, Patek Philippe delivered more or less exactly what I imagined, keeping the proportions and details of the classic Calatrava with a more advanced movement than the outdated cal. 215 that was used at the time. So in a sense, this watch was made for me.  But I had not anticipated a “salmon” dial. Officially labelled “rose-gilt opaline” by Patek Philippe, such dials have become popular among collectors, and are now a staple across the Patek Philippe collection. Naturally, a vivid colour like this helps an otherwise simple watch stand out, but personally I look forward to more toned down iter...