2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the Oyster Perpetual, the game-changing waterproof watch that altered the course of Rolex’s history. Put to the test by British swimmer Mercedes Gleitze as she swam across the English Channel with a gold Oyster on her wrist in 1927, the hermetic Oyster case was further upgraded with a self-winding […]
Although the most current form of the Longines Hydroconquest has only been around since March of this year, it comes up in a lot of conversations. Since its release, it has found considerable relevance with the value-focused audience, managing to strike a balance that is becoming increasingly rare – strong enthusiast value from a major brand at a competitive sub-luxury price point. In a space that used to be dominated by Omega (and more recently, Tudor), Longines has stepped up with an offerin
Astronomical watches are part of Ulysse Nardin‘s identity, and Dr Ludwig Oechslin, like no other, shaped this chapter of the manufacture’s history. Shortly after entrepreneur Rolf Schnyder acquired the brand in 1983, he challenged the Swiss astronomer, mathematician and watchmaker to create a wristwatch capable of displaying the movements of celestial bodies. The result was […]
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Chopard came out of Watches and Wonders this year swinging by simply introducing a new colored dial in the L.U.C. 1860, and perhaps it was a great indicator that sometimes, a show-stealer need not be a new mechanical innovation, but rather a refinement of an already great watch. But I would be remiss not to also talk about another release I loved seeing from the brand this year—also really just a new colorway in a limited run of 250 pieces—that I think has not gotten nearly enough love. The Ch
The Citizen Tsuyosa is one of the strongest contenders in the affordable automatic sports watch segment. Launched in 2022, the collection has steadily expanded with new sizes, colours and specifications, most recently gaining a more adventurous personality with the 100m water-resistant Tsuyosa Shore, equipped with a rotating bezel. Now, Citizen combines the sporty design of […]
Recent financial statements by industry institutions and groups have been on the positive side, with what seems to be a comeback of growth, after a couple of rather difficult years for the watch industry. Indeed, Richemont reported sales up by 20% for its first quarter of 2026, the Swatch Group indicated sales up 8.5% in […]
There’s a new indie watch brand on the scene. It seems that we’re telling this story every week. Sometimes, or should I say rather often, these new ventures are coming with pretty fascinating inaugural watches. So is the case of Atelier Pieters, a company founded by couple Maarten and Jessica Pieters. Two watchmakers, one workshop, […]
It's the last week of July, so that means it's time for another Hodinkee Happy Hour! This installment will be held at Watches of Switzerland on Green St in SoHo. Space will be limited, and we may have something new and limited to show you, so please RSVP below if you'd like to join for a couple of hours of excellent local beer, pizza, and a whole lot of watches. Our Editor-in-Chief, James Stacey, will be there, along with members of the Hodinkee team. Whether you've been to several of our even
Parmigiani Fleurier marks its thirty years of independent watchmaking with a platinum trilogy of mechanically sophisticated models that offer on-demand complications. Reflecting the collection’s spirit of understated elegance, the complications appear almost magically when required and then disappear to restore the dial’s visual purity. Crafted from head to toe in luxurious 950 platinum, the trilogy […]
In our first addendum to our Reference Points video and story on Patek Philippe split-second wristwatches, we looked at Patek Philippe split-second pocket watches and the brand's relationship with its supplier, Victorin Piguet. Switzerland has (and continues to have) the most robust supplier marketplace for everything from complex movements to dials and cases. In the warmer months of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, it was easy enough to just send someone on a short journey to the Vallé
Just last week, we published a Reference Points video on the Patek Philippe split-seconds wristwatch. The complication itself—a.k.a. the rattrapante—is incredibly important in the brand's history, forming the backbone for some of its greatest and most coveted watches of all time. However, you can't talk about the history of the split without understanding Patek's pocket watches. It's a story that eventually led to one of the brand's most meaningful relationships with a supplier that helped it
For several years, Union Glashütte has celebrated its partnership with the Sachsen Classic historic rally through annual limited editions based on the retro-styled Noramis Chronograph. For the 23rd edition of the Sachsen Classic, taking place on 14 and 15 August 2026, the German manufacture shifts the spotlight to the Averin Chronograph, whose angular, assertive square […]
Think back to a time without electricity or street lights, and you immediately understand the concept of a minute repeater, or any other kind of chiming watch for that matter. Breaking the silence of the dead of night must have been an almost magical experience back then. Even today, a carefully crafted system of hammers […]
The Prague Astronomical Clock in the Czech Republic is the oldest mechanical tracker of celestial events that remains operational today. Introduced in 1410, it displays the relative positions of the sun, moon and zodiac, although Richard of Wallingford’s clock from 1330 was able to track the sun throughout the year to predict moon phases and […]
Every summer, the classic car world flocks to Monterey, California, for what is known as the Monterey Car Week. Over ten days, attendees will have the chance to spend time among the rarest and most special cars ever created, with races, rallies, car shows and the prestigious Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance all taking place during […]
Leica’s relationship with mechanical watches is still relatively young (even though some watches have existed during the 1990s), yet it has a solid foundation, as we explained in our article here, and in an interview with Dr Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Leica Camera AG, who has been a key player in […]
In 2024, German brand Hanhart went beyond its traditional pilot’s watches with the Aquasphere, a dive watch that combined robust specifications with the brand’s distinctive design. The new Aquasphere Matte Black, fundamentally unchanged, brings a darker, more restrained execution that emphasises functionality over flair. It swaps the original blue colourway with a black and white […]
Happy Friday, everyone, and I hope you're all staying busy during summer's dog days, perhaps seeing The Odyssey or reading about Milsubs (please note I'm including that not because I have any dog in that fight, just found it interesting). Scorekeeping last week's picks: the Hermès Caleche sold, the Angelus chronograph passed, the Rolex GMT Master II SARU remains available, as does the Bulova White Princ. The Goldberger collection auctions tomorrow.StraysPhoto courtesy Weiss Auctions.If you're
Lebois & Co, an old name revived by Tom van Wijlick, a Dutch native, has steadily built a collection of classically styled, vintage-character watches. Last year’s Heritage Small Seconds introduced a compact dress watch series inspired by the brand’s mid-century archives. Now, two new references are launching the Heritage Atelier collection: the Small Seconds Clous […]