After the now-cult-classic MIH Watch of 2005, an overtly minimalist Annual Calendar Chronograph developed by Ludwig Oechslin and Paul Gerber, and the Gaïa Watch series launched in 2019, the 2024 edition continues the museum’s approach to watchmaking. Indeed, before launching his own brand, Ochs und Junior, Oechslin was the curator of the Musée International d’Horologerie […]
On 17 February 2026, the Chinese New Year kicks off with the Year of the Fire Horse, the seventh animal in the Chinese Zodiac and a symbol of power, speed and confidence. Echoing the attributes of the zodiac animal, Oris has equipped this 43mm stainless steel model with its powerful calibre 113, an advanced hand-wound […]
Back in 2022, Vacheron Constantin signaled a move that would return three years later to cap off the brand's 270th Anniversary, the ref. 4305T/000G-H135. Most people overlooked the 36.5mm pink gold Traditionnelle, despite its more traditionally vintage-sized ultra-thin perpetual calendar, because the pink mother-of-pearl dial and brilliant-cut diamonds signaled it as a ladies' watch. And for all the potential a release like this had, I'm so used to brands missing the opportunity to push bounda
The best brands in the world create—and invite you into—their world. I was drawn to this idea first through fashion, long before I ever thought seriously about watches. Whether through large-scale ad campaigns or simply by encouraging you to play the long game by following them on Instagram, the strongest brands can draw you in quietly. Being part of something is inherently human, and the finest brands do this exceptionally well, often without being obvious about it. There are louder, more exp
Seiko has influenced and continues to shape modern horology as only a few watchmakers could. From its origins in 1881, when Kintaro Hattori opened a small shop in Tokyo, to becoming a global powerhouse in precision timekeeping, Seiko’s history is a register of constant innovation. Over the decades, the brand has delivered some of watchmaking’s […]
Kurono Tokyo, the accessible brand of independent watchmaker Hajime Asaoka, had quite a run last year, with a lot of impressive new models, most dedicated to celebrating its founder’s 60th anniversary. This includes the handsome Grand Jubilee Calendar Salmon, the Ice Blue 2025 Jubilee Sensu EOL, or the 34mm Star Dial watches. And yet, the […]
One of Johannes Dürrstein’s objectives when he founded Glashütter Uhrenfabrik Union in 1893 was to produce high-quality watches at affordable prices to cater to a broader range of customers. His philosophy of keeping movements simple and cutting down on superlative frills made Dürrstein an early champion of “affordable luxury.” Following the company’s demise in the […]
What We KnowAt the tail end of 2025, Albishorn launched a new dial variation of the brand's manually-wound "imaginary vintage" Type 10 chronograph. The beige dial with black Super-LumiNova accents (and a bronze crown) builds on a design language we've covered (three times last year, in fact), so if you want more information about the brand, click here. Essentially, this is an imaginary precursor to the famous Type 20. The stainless steel case, with a mix of brushed surfaces and polished chamfe
As 2025 closes and 2026 stands before us, we will be presenting a handful of essays from the Editorial team at Hodinkee over the coming days. Some will look back at a dynamic, unpredictable, and action-packed year in watches, while others will look forward to what feels like a crucial year for the idea of watch enthusiasm. As Hodinkee's Editor-In-Chief, I figure I can go first, and I will fight my own nature in the hopes of being not overly long-winded.The Rolex Datejust I picked up to celebra
Among the small constellation of Finnish independent watchmakers, Antti Rönkkö occupies his own mythic orbit. His timepieces, from the Steel Labyrinth to the Minotaur, the Väinämöinen and the Jatulis series, are inspired by ancient myth and crafted in what he calls Finnish silence: a meditative space where time, legend, and mechanics become one. His latest […]
What can we say… The watch industry is predictable. And like many industries linked to the production of luxury items, filled with icons of the past, watch brands love to celebrate milestones and anniversaries. Being emotionally driven products, playing on nostalgia has long proven an efficient strategy for watch brands. And don’t get us wrong, […]
Let’s be honest, virtually no one who buys a Rolex Submariner or any 300m dive watch actually dives below 50 metres. In fact, the majority of dive watch owners today rarely, if ever, engage in diving. Most serious scuba divers use wrist computers, so traditional dive watches are often fashion statements as watch enthusiasts like […]
Like in watches, I look forward to news on pretty much a daily basis when it comes to cars. My timelines on any of the social media platforms are dominated by a mix of brands, collectors and enthusiasts, media outlets, industry insiders and anything in between on three topics: watches (duh!), cars (duh again!) and […]
New year, new resolution, new price rises… Some things never change. This article shouldn’t come as a surprise. For some years now, on the first days of the year, we publish the complete list of updated prices for Rolex. Indeed, new year means new price policies and new price lists for watch brands, and the […]
The week before Christmas, as families and businesses alike host parties and toast to holiday cheer, Oliver Smith Jeweler of Scottsdale, Arizona, gears up for a different sort of festivity. For the past 20 years, the destination watch and jewelry retailer has been hosting Cars & Cigars, an awe-inspiring spectacle of motorized enthusiasm. Drawing from the broad car collector community around Scottsdale, 100 classic and collectible cars were arranged in front of the long-standing store. I at
We walk past public clocks every day — on street corners, above doorways, and high on towers — often without noticing them. Yet these clocks once played a central role in organizing city life, offering shared reference points in a place shaped by schedules, movement, and collective rhythms.At the January 2026 lecture of the Horological Society of New York (HSNY), artist and educator Suzanne Dirks asks a deceptively simple question: Do public clocks still organize how we move through New York C
Breguet closed out the year with a watch that could be considered the most innovative release of last year. If widely industrialized, Breguet's new magnetic escapement—launched in the Expérimentale 1—could become one of the most impactful innovations to come to mechanical watchmaking in decades. Until an eventual industrialization, the Expérimentale 1 remains a fascinating novelty, capping off the brand's 250th anniversary and reflecting many of Abraham-Louis Breguet's personal passions and in
Independent Finnish master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen is regarded as one of the best in his field. Working from his atelier in Motiers, which he founded in 2002, Voutilainen is known for his high-end watches with in-house movements and hand-guilloché dials. His latest watch, the 216TMZ Worldtime, features a movement with a direct-impulse double escapement, first […]
While many brands bowed to the prevailing trends of 2025 with downsized case sizes, expressive dial colours, a newfound taste for shaped watches, and a deluge of stone dials, the art of high-end horology was, thankfully, not forsaken. A particularly prolific year, we’ve seen some impressive horological innovations from wafer-thin or high-speed tourbillons to an […]
In 2025, the indie watchmaking scene reached new heights, once again demonstrating that innovation and artistry continue to flourish outside the big groups, captivating us with daring mechanics, refined finishes, and pure creative freedom. Whether you’re looking for the best indie watches of 2025 or want to see how far independent brands can push modern […]