Regarded as one of the grails in watchmaking, and an extremely challenging one to master as well, the Perpetual Calendar is a complication that always grabs headlines, it seems. This year, we’ve seen an abundance of them, from seasoned Maisons to high-end indies, and everything in between. With so much to choose from, pinpointing the […]
For 2025, A. Lange & Söhne introduces a new, warm expression of the Lange 1 Daymatic, the automatic and practical version of one of the brand’s most emblematic timepieces, and a model that’s been discontinued in its classic versions. Revealed on December 7th, a date that marks both Ferdinand Adolph Lange’s founding of the Glashütte […]
What We KnowIt's been a while since we've heard anything about the Lange 1 Daymatic. Originally launched in 2010, the Lange 1 Daymatic offered a very interesting twist on A. Lange & Söhne's Lange 1. Flipping the asymmetrical layout, replacing the power reserve markings with a retrograde day-of-the-week display, and incorporating a self-winding movement somehow made what was already an inside-baseball watch even more interesting. While this offered a neat option within Lange's offerings, pr
A mechanical watch is a true work of miniature engineering, regardless of the expense. A sub-€300 Seiko 5 Sports has the same basic mechanical elements and wonder as a four-figure IWC, and is just a bit less detailed and accurate day-to-day. Almost self-sufficient and independent of electricity, a mechanical watch simply needs to be wound […]
In a bit of brisk early morning bidding at Phillips New York Watch Auction XIII, Francis Ford Coppola's personal F.P. Journe FFC prototype hammered at a final price of $10.755 million after premiums. The sale of this prototype, one of two in this configuration with the black hand and steel bridges, breaks the record for the most expensive F.P. Journe wristwatch previously set at Phillips Geneva in 2024 at $8.3 million. The previous record-holder was F.P. Journe's second wristwatch ever made—th
It’s almost that time of the year again, when the bravest of the brave flock to Saudi Arabia for the annual Dakar Rally adventure. Held almost every year since 1979, it originated as a point-to-point off-road event from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal. While the rally faced issues in the mid-200s that forced the organisation […]
François-Paul Journe, a talented watchmaker and the founder of the brand F.P. Journe, is mostly known for his Tourbillon Remontoire d’Egalité – it was his first watch – and his take on the resonance phenomenon. We can also mention the Octa, his automatic watch introduced in 2001, and, of course, the fantastic Chronomètre Bleu. But […]
The annual Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, often referred to as the Oscar’s of the watchmaking world, is nearly upon us. Some of the biggest names in watchmaking will compete on November 9th in ...
This past October, during the UBS House of Craft event in NYC, we were thrilled to welcome Tony Fadell for an intimate (and standing-room-only) conversation on stage with Ben. Tony is a legendary figure in the tech world: he worked on 18 generations of the iPod and led that division, and he was a key contributor to the design of the iPhone, spending a decade working directly with Steve Jobs on the device we all now carry in our pockets. He's also a serious watch guy, both as a collector and as
Dubai Watch Week is a remarkable platform for engaging with influential figures, and this year’s edition offered us the chance to sit down with two of Leica’s key leaders. Together, we explored the past, present, and future of one of Germany’s most storied manufacturers – an icon in photography renowned for its precision engineering, craftsmanship, […]
On December 7 in Bienne, Switzerland, the second outing of a small charity auction will take place. It's called the Charity Watch Sale, and it's being run in support of Terre des hommes, the leading Swiss NGO supporting children around the world. The charity event was created by Bienne local Alexander Grouet, and the concept is simple: watch collectors can donate watches they like but don't wear, converting them into funds that go directly to the organization while receiving a tax deduction fo
What We KnowAnnounced this morning and following the format of the lume-dialed and shark-themed Sub 300 limited edition from this time last year, Doxa has once again teamed up with Topper Fine Jewelers for a glowing limited edition: the 250T "Great White" Topper Edition. Limited to just 100 units, this collaboration offers a similar and distinctive style (along with a few notable tweaks), all wrapped around Doxa's 2025 hit, the Sub 250T GMT. We (I) covered the basics of the 250T GMT when it ca
After years of restoring antique timepieces, the Sandoz Family Foundation encouraged Michel Parmigiani to create his own brand. With a Proustian reverence for the past, Michel Parmigiani’s restoration experience instilled in him a profound admiration for the art of traditional watchmaking and has been the cornerstone of his watchmaking adventure. In 1996, the doors of […]
In this special guest submission, contributor Paul Engel offers a deep and detailed consideration of the Patek Philippe Ref. 1526 Perpetual Calendar. Spanning the model's history, cultural impact, series description, fine details, and collectability, Paul's in-depth article begs the question – why is the 1526 an often overlooked classic from Patek Philippe?The Patek Philippe Reference 1526 Perpetual Calendar WristwatchAs a longtime collector of vintage watches—especially Patek Philippe—my coll
The art, craft, and business of Swiss watchmaking is getting the 60 Minutes treatment. The celebrated and long-running CBS News magazine show will cast its sharp lens on some of the biggest names and brands in the Swiss watch industry in a segment running on Sunday. Veteran correspondent Jon Wertheim travelled to Switzerland and the Vallée de Joux to profile watchmakers, industry artisans, and creative executives, including Philippe Dufour and Max Büsser, as well as storied brands Patek Philip
Hermès unveiled its Slim d’Hermès 10 years ago, a collection that showcases the brand’s keen appreciation for refined contemporary design with a distinctive twist. The perpetual calendar that was part of the original Slim d’Hermès range returns today in a luxurious rose gold case paired with a delectable chocolate-brown dial and the signature design elements […]
There’s more to the dive watch category than your classic, 300m steel model with a rotating bezel. Some brands have long decided to pack dive watches with features that actually make sense underwater (and I’m not talking about a perpetual calendar here). So is the watch that we’ll be looking at today. As its name […]
Done Watches was founded by Thierry Clottu, who was born and raised in Neuchâtel, at the heart of Switzerland’s watchmaking region. Clottu brings extensive industry experience, having worked in product management for brands such as TAG Heuer, Perrelet, Leroy and Candino. After years spent contributing to the development of these brands, he launched his own […]
Following its Jurassic Watch editions, a series inspired by Spielberg’s cult dinosaur movie, Awake has just released the second chapter in its Tribute to the Seventh Art series, The Deadly Watch. This time, we’re looking at a bold limited edition, based on the classic Son Mai platform and inspired by equally-cult Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. […]
Well, folks, 2025 is almost over. It's been a wild one for the watch market, with twists and turns in tariffs certainly having their impact, even at (or maybe especially at) auction houses. Did you know that it doesn't matter how old a watch is or where it's being shipped from; if you bought a watch (vintage or new) at auction under the 39% tariffs and had it shipped to the U.S., you were in for a world of hurt. This also impacted sourcing for New York auctions, which round out the calendar st