Last month, Girard-Perregaux announced its latest involvement in the Formula 1 scene with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team. We knew a collaborative watch would soon follow, and the moment has unfolded. Here, we get the debut duo of watches in the new Laureato Williams Edition lineup.

If you’ve been reading my take on timepieces for a while, you know I’m a longtime fan of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato. In the vast world of integrated bracelet sport watches, I’ve always found it to be one of the most refined and easily dressed up while remaining subtle and effortless enough for daily wear. With these new interpretations of the iconic design for the Atlassian Williams F1 Team, we get some of the sportiest takes on the model, proving the Laureato offers a versatile canvas that can truly embody both the “luxurious” and “sporty” sides of the luxury sport watch.

As the brand’s flagship line, the Laureato has long served as the foundation for Girard-Perregaux’s collaborations and has taken many sizes, styles, and shapes over the years. However, the choice of this particular collection for the debut models in partnership with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team runs deeper. The Laureato was born in 1975, and the Atlassian Williams F1 Team was born just two years later in 1977, giving the duo roughly 50 years of shared history and evolution.

Girard-Perregaux brings us two iterations for its inaugural line honoring the partnership: a chronograph alongside a classic time and date version. The addition of the racing-inspired complication in one of the variants certainly ups the ante on the “sport” element, but I really think the use of color plays the biggest role in making this pair some of the sportiest Laureato models within the flagship collection.

Here, the vibrant blue of the Atlassian Williams F1 Team and its 2026 racing car, the Williams FW48, really makes the trademark Clous de Paris textured dial finish pop and gives the model a more laidback and casual feel. The sporty vibe continues with little splashes of red on the central seconds hand and the minute track as well as a discrete Williams’ “W” at 12 o’clock. Still, the model retains the design language of the Laureato that’s been present since its inception: the octagonal bezel, integrated bracelet, slim profile, and alternation of polished and satin finishes that bring out the nuances of its architecture.

Both the chronograph and time and date references are built in stainless steel from case to bracelet and offer oversized proportions of 42mm, leaning into the larger and more modern range within the Laureato family. The models are each powered by automatic manufacture movements, with the chronograph version housing the GP3300 caliber. and the straightforward time and date variant housing the GP1800 caliber. Both movements are visible through a sapphire caseback that’s finished with a metalized “Williams Est. 1977” logo, adding a final nod to the team’s heritage.

The Laureato 42mm Williams Edition and the Laureato Chronograph 42mm Williams Edition are available now with the time and date version carrying a price tag of $16,000 and the chronograph version carrying a price tag of $20,900. For more information, head over directly to Girard-Perregaux.

On the surface, the new Grand Seiko SBGW325 ‘Arabic Blue’ Limited Edition is almost aggressively normal. This is a 37mm dress watch that is part of a well established line for the Japanese brand with a tried and true 9S64 manually wound movement. Grand Seiko has made a bunch of these over the years in an endless series of dial variants, often in limited editions made for specific regions, tied to ADs, or to highlight different aspects of Japanese culture. So why does the SBGW325 feel almost confrontational in its boldness? The answer lies right there in the name of the watch. It is so incredibly rare for Grand Seiko to use Arabic numerals on their watch dials, that a watch built around them feels like it’s from another planet, or an alternate reality. 

For that reason, I think the SBGW325 is probably destined to be some kind of cult classic. This isn’t a judgment based on the success of the visual design of the watch (though I do quite like it), but more a comment on how the Grand Seiko community will seize on this reference as a special thing and hang to it, probably for years. Mark my words: there will be collectors who miss out on this watch, and forlornly make “WTB” posts on Reddit and elsewhere in search of one well into the 2030s. Let’s see if I’m right. 

You can set your reminders on your smart phone to DM me in October 2033 to check my work. For now, let’s take a closer look at the SBGW325, which becomes available through Grand Seiko channels next month. This is actually an anniversary piece, marking 25 years of the SBGW003, the original version of this now classic Grand Seiko silhouette, which also featured Arabic numerals. The SBGW003 had a silvered dial with gold tone numerals, but here Grand Seiko has changed up the arrangement to feature a much cooler indigo blue dial with silver numerals. This combination feels much more contemporary, and follows a Grand Seiko tradition of using deep blues for special anniversary pieces. 

The secret weapon here though is the case. It measures in at 37.3mm in diameter, 11.7mm tall, and 44.3mm lug to lug. It’s incredibly well proportioned and feels like a great universal size, particularly for a watch in this genre, which is technically “dress” but I think can easily be worn casually if you’re willing to experiment with straps. Back in 2022, Zach Weiss and I spent some time discussing why we love this particular case so much. 

The numeral design works too, I think. We’re seeing lots of Breguet style Arabic numerals these days, and these are kind of the antithesis, with sharper lines that feel more mechanical somehow. It’s such a different and unusual approach for Grand Seiko, I almost don’t even know how to process it. It’s not that Arabics are completely absent from the catalog, but for a watch to center them in this way is a little unusual. If there’s a drawback, it’s likely that the numerals themselves are not going to be as elaborately finished as the hour indices that you’d see there otherwise, which is always one of the real pleasures of owning a Grand Seiko, and being able to see the attention to detail on those markers under magnification. But as a graphic choice, I like the look of this dial a lot. 

The SBGW325 ‘Arabic Blue’ Limited Edition carries a retail price of $5,800. It’s a 600 piece limited edition, and available next month. Grand Seiko

Moser has long been a brand who’s unafraid to experiment and test boundaries, creating many designs that have elicited conversation or even debate. Now, the brand is making waves with a new digital timepiece. Here, a skeletonized dial reveals an architecture that combines digital technology with traditional watchmaking in the new Limited Edition Streamliner Off-Grid.

Moser first experimented with a hybrid analog/digital timepiece last year with the Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition. The model features a sober black dial evoking the same vibe as the brand’s trademark Vantablack, but instead of the innovative coating, this black backdrop reveals a digital display at 6 o’clock. Appearing to hover above is the classic analog component in Moser’s typical blue fume. The model was released as a part of the brand’s collaboration with Alpine Motorsports and marked a world first as a timepiece engineered specifically for the needs of a Formula 1 crew, helping them communicate faster, shave off those crucial fractions of a second, and overall streamline operations (pun intended) through the capabilities of the digital display. Now, we get the next evolution of this hybrid style design.

While Moser is certainly no stranger to rather out-there designs, the brand does have its own distinct design language, and even with this digital timepiece, we still see those stylistic signatures come through. At the base is, once again, the brand’s iconic Streamliner case with its pleasingly curved square or cushion shape. This time, it is rendered in larger oversized proportions clocking in at 42.6mm and executed in stainless steel with a PVD treatment in two colors. With those sleek lines as the framework, you have a bifurcated dial layout with a greater emphasis on the segmentation between the analog and digital than what we saw in the Streamliner Alpine Mechanics Edition.

Similarly, the analog portion is oriented at 12 o’clock. Here, Moser’s use of color and texture extends through its widely used fume finish in either red paired with a black PVD case or black paired with a blue PVD case and with the brand’s logo in transparent lacquer. Rather than the Vantablack-esque backdrop, Moser has opted for a skeletonized dial in the new Limited Edition Streamliner Off-Grid. This not only gives a glimpse at the movement but also more notably highlights the digital component. Rather than the digital features emerging from a black abyss, a rectangular display sits prominently at 6 o’clock.

So, why the name Off-Grid? Unlike the most popular digital design, the smartwatch, this model does not bombard you with an avalanche of notifications. There’s no race to optimal performance or obsession with data. The digital component of the Limited Edition Streamliner Off-Grid simply features a selection of functions designed to enhance the experience of the timepiece. Thanks to three push buttons at 2, 3, and 4 o’clock, the model offers a slew of functions including standard hours and minutes, a GMT complication with a country selector for all time zones, a split-seconds chronograph displaying 1/100th of a second, a perpetual calendar, a perpetual moonphase that updates every hour, sunrise and sunset times calculated to an accuracy of one minute and 30 seconds, a vibrating alarm, and a timer. In addition, there’s an “OFF-GRID” push-button at 9 o’clock for travel mode offering quick country selection and a dictionary of 10 useful words in 21 different languages. Powering the model is the caliber D10 developed with SEQUENT for H. Moser & Cie.

The new Streamliner Off-Grid is available today as a limited edition of 1000 pieces in each colorway, with each carrying a price tag of $4,900. For more information, head over directly to Moser.

Christopher Ward introduced the C63 Sealander in 2021 as a go-anywhere, do-anything watch. It was meant to be the brand’s contemporary, bread-and-butter line: a less specialized variation of the C60 Trident diver that had long been its core, while avoiding vintage pastiche. The Sealander was simple, easy to digest, and versatile.

It was also, somewhat, a return to Christopher Ward’s original bang-for-your-buck ethos. When the C63 launched with a $695 three-hand automatic, it was a statement about the brand’s values, not just value. The GMT, meanwhile, started at $950 on a strap. Both offered a lot of Swiss-made mechanical watch for the money.

the Sealander in 2021

Fast-forward five years, and I don’t know if any watch brand has changed quite as much as Christopher Ward. The Bel Canto arrived in 2022 and totally reframed how the company was perceived. The Twelve followed in 2023 and raised the standard of its core watches. Then came the Twelve X, which put its in-house movements and finishing capability in the spotlight, and finally the Loco, which proved the Bel Canto was not a one-off. Christopher Ward was redefining what value could mean in the context of avant-garde independent watches.

As such, the brand that launched the C63 in 2021 is very different from the one releasing its replacement in 2026. It is bigger, has a much larger customer base, enjoys far greater awareness, and, frankly, has a better reputation. The new Sealander reflects that transformation, right down to the price. The three-hand automatic now starts at $1,150 on a strap, while the GMT starts at $1,395.

That is a substantial increase, so what has changed? Both very little and almost everything. The basic formula remains familiar, but the cases have been reproportioned, the dials and hands have been refined, and the bracelets introduce one of the most intuitive tool-free sizing systems I have used. The result is among the best, if not the best, Swiss-made mechanical watches under $2,000 if what you are looking for value. But that does come at a cost: personality.

The first change is conceptual. The Sealanders are no longer couched under the Trident line. That might seem insignificant, especially because the most obvious evidence is simply the removal of the signature trident counterweight from the seconds hand. But it marks the Sealander as a line unto itself, something also made explicit by the new “Sealander” logo on the dials.

I have seen some blowback about this because people like the trident, but distancing the Sealander from a family of dive watches makes sense. It lets both lines breathe and grow independently, and it makes the Sealander’s cleaner, more versatile character easier to understand on its own terms. But it also highlights one drawback of their approach to the Sealanders: they removed quirkier elements to create safer, but less unique, watches.

Case

At a glance, the cases still look like the familiar Light-catcher design. In reality, they are entirely new and reproportioned. The easiest change to spot is that the midcase now extends beyond the bezel, making the wide polished bevel running along it more pronounced. That bevel catches the light more clearly and gives the case stronger definition without changing the overall visual language.

The three-hand models have also lost their crown guards, further distancing them from the original Trident-based design. This leaves the GMTs looking a little sportier by comparison. The GMT bezel has also been updated, with lines replacing dots in the index and a slightly more aggressive, angular typeface. The crowns are now subtly tapered, a small change that contributes to a more refined overall appearance.

None of these revisions radically alter the Sealander. Instead, they make the familiar form cleaner and more resolved. This is a recurring theme throughout the new collection: Christopher Ward has removed or softened small details while improving execution.

Dials

The dials follow the same strategy. They look very similar to those of the previous generation, yet nearly every element has been reconsidered. The date windows now have applied frames, the numerals around the outer edge have switched places with the dots beside them, and the dial surfaces are lacquered for a glossy sheen.

The GMTs have undergone a more substantial makeover. The numerals and dots on the outer index are gone entirely, and the hour markers now extend toward the edge. Removing those elements also lets Christopher Ward tone down the contrasting colors of the previous generation, creating a cleaner, if more conservative, look.

The applied markers have been completely redesigned and now taper gently toward the center of the dial. More impressively, they feature chamfers that cut through not only the metal, but the lume fill as well. I have never seen that before, and it looks impressive even under a loupe.

In fact, I recommend taking a loupe to these dials if you get the chance. They are exceptionally crisp. The polishing on the applied markers is immaculate, the glossy surfaces are even and spot-free, and the printing is sharp. Even the twin-flag logo, which consists of five tiny vertically brushed pieces, looks excellent up close.

The hands have been refined too. The minute hand, previously a straight sword, now pulls inward ever so slightly. Like the tapered crowns and hour markers, it adds a touch of elegance. On the previous Sealanders, both the hour and minute hands extended slightly past the center. They now stop at the pinion, which is less distinctive but cleaner. More importantly, the old hands were polished with brushed stripes running down their centers. That treatment always bothered me on the hour hand because it looked a bit messy and could even appear off-center. The new hands are faceted and fully polished. Again, they are a little less distinctive for better execution.

There are five dial colors at launch: white, black, sky blue, pistachio green, and pink. The lacquered white dial is very clean and crisp, accented with black printing, blackened metal appliques, and matching hands. It’s a touch aggressive and thoroughly modern. I didn’t have the white GMT, but I can imagine it looks excellen as well.

The Sky Blue is soft and pale. It is a nice blue, though a bit too gentle for my taste; I would prefer a navy or cobalt, something more classic. They did match the date disk to the dial, however, which is a nice touch. Pistachio is an apt name for the pale, creamy green they chose, and it also has a matched date disk. I am generally a fan of green dials, but this one does not quite click for me.

The color is pleasant, but not exciting, and the GMT hand doesn’t contrast enough. It feels almost noncommittal, as though it does not really want to be a GMT. The blue, green, and pink (not reviewed) were an odd choice for launch. They feel like seasonal, trendy versions of these colors, not core varieties. Unlike the black and white, I could see one getting tired of them.

The black GMT is exactly what you would expect: a gloss-black dial with polished silver indices and hands, save for the orange GMT hand, drawing on the classic Explorer II formula. These are different enough not to be homage watches, but the inspiration is clear. Regardless, the gloss black just looks so clean.

A New Standard for Bracelets

The most immediately useful improvement is not on the dial or case. It is the iLink system fitted to both of Christopher Ward’s bracelet options. Bad name, great system. While Christopher Ward is not the only brand offering a tool-free bracelet, this is possibly the best implementation I have experienced.

The removable links have an easy-to-identify button on one side. Push it, and the cap pops off. You can then pull the link out from the opposite side. Repeat as many times as needed, then snap the bracelet back together. It takes seconds.

The system is fast, easy, repeatable, and requires no special equipment. No tiny screws, pins, or collars to lose, no need to visit a watchmaker, and very little risk of scratching the bracelet. It is simple enough for someone with no experience handling watches. That’s how it should be.

Each Sealander comes with a choice of five strap and bracelet options, including the Bader and Consort bracelets. The Bader is a fully brushed three-link design with the classic, sporty Oyster look. Its fold-over locking clasp includes a built-in micro-adjust system that offers about 5.5mm of adjustment.

The five-link Consort is the dressier choice, mixing brushed and polished surfaces. Its shorter links also make it more flexible than the Bader. A hidden butterfly clasp keeps the appearance clean, while the links on either side of the clasp can expand to provide roughly 4mm of additional room when both are open.

Crucially, the iLink system works with both bracelets. I cannot tell you how many bracelets I have sized in my life, but I can tell you how many times I have enjoyed doing it: once, with these. Seriously, other brands should take note. A new bar has been set.

Movements

The Sealander collection is divided into two main categories: three-hand automatics and GMTs. The automatics come in 36mm and 39mm cases, while the GMTs come in 36mm, 39mm, and 42mm.

The three-hand models use the new Sellita SW200-2 Power Plus, which offers a 65-hour power reserve. The movements are lightly decorated and fitted with custom rotors. The expanded reserve is a meaningful everyday improvement over the previous generation, especially for a watch designed to be worn in rotation.

The GMTs continue to use the Sellita SW330-2. It is a caller GMT movement, meaning the 24-hour hand is independently adjustable rather than the local hour hand. It uses the same caliber as the prior generation and remains a good, reliable choice with a 56-hour power reserve.

Wearability

With five dial colors, three sizes, two movements, and five strap or bracelet options, there are many possible Sealanders at launch. I reviewed four watches covering both movements, all three case sizes, and four of the colors.

The 36mm automatic measures 42mm lug to lug and 11mm thick, with a 20mm lug width. I like a 36mm watch, especially one with 20mm lugs, because that combination has a classic, sporty Explorer feel, and this nails it. It doesn’t feel small or like it is trying to be vintage. Instead, it feels compact and solid. The Light-catcher case also does its job, breaking up the 11mm height so the watch reads thinner on the wrist.

The 39mm automatic measures 39mm by 45mm by 11.1mm. The 36mm to 39mm range is ideal for my 6.75-inch wrist, so both automatics wear very well. The 39mm model definitely feels and reads larger, but it remains an easy everyday watch.

Moving to the GMTs changes the visual equation. Their fixed 24-hour bezels reduce the dial opening, which significantly affects how the watches look and wear. The 39mm GMT measures 39mm by 44.7mm by 11.6mm, with 20mm lugs. Its footprint is almost identical to the 39mm automatic, although it is slightly thicker and feels a little more substantial because of its crown guards. On the wrist, however, it reads smaller than the 39mm automatic. It’s a sturdy, slightly muscular watch, and I quite like it.

The 42mm GMT is the outlier, measuring 42mm by 48.3mm by 11.7mm, with 22mm lugs. The wider lugs accentuate the step up from the 39mm, and this is unquestionably a big watch. I didn’t expect to like it because of its size, but it ended up being my favorite in the group.

The bezel visually compresses the watch and balances its larger dimensions, since the dial opening is only 34mm. The bracelet also tapers dramatically, from 22mm at the lugs to 16.5mm at the clasp, which lightens both its appearance and feel. The watch doesn’t wear small, but its proportions work, at least on my 6.75-inch wrist.

Perhaps I would choose the 39mm GMT if it also had the black dial, but during my time with the collection, the 42mm was the watch I most wanted to put on and the one I most enjoyed seeing on my wrist. Go figure.

Conclusion

So, what do I actually think about the new Christopher Ward Sealanders, and how do I say this without sounding like a jerk? I think they are some of the nicest versions of tame watches I have seen. They present no challenge whatsoever. I might even call them safe, and perhaps a touch boring, but in the best way possible.

Christopher Ward has answered the question, “What if I just want a damn good watch?” This is a versatile, everyday, jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none sort of watch. It does everything it needs to do and does it well, but it has no specialty. It focuses on quality of life and execution. It is the watch you can grab when you don’t know what you want to wear.

More importantly, Christopher Ward made watches that are hard not to like. Little about them could offend, but little is especially memorable too. The company did not set out to create a cult hit. That is what the Bel Canto and Loco are for. It wanted to create a watch that was easy to understand and, therefore, easy to sell.

That makes sense for the company Christopher Ward has become. It has grown tremendously over the last five years and now needs to appeal to a broader audience, including customers who sometimes just want a damn good watch. To that end, it removed some of the Sealander’s quirks: the trident counterweight, the elongated hands, and some of the contrasting colors. It also softened the design through repeated tapering, making the watches easier on the eyes.

What I respect is that Christopher Ward did all of that without cheapening the Sealander. Quite the opposite. The quality is improved throughout, especially on the dial, and the iLink system is genuinely impressive even if it is not an outward-facing feature. These watches do not merely compete with similarly priced offerings from big-group brands. Their exterior execution feels comparable to watches costing twice as much, perhaps even more. Longines, watch your ass.

There is, however, one bitter pill to swallow. These are no longer the budget-friendly Swiss-made watches they were when the original C63 launched. They remain very reasonably priced for what they are, but they have moved upmarket to meet a new customer. The days of Christopher Ward offering sub-$1,000 Swiss-made mechanical watches appear to be in the rearview mirror. Times change, I guess.

Christopher Ward still represents real value, but it is no longer primarily in the “my first watch” segment it once occupied. It is an accessible-luxury brand now, one the young collector I once was would have had to eventually step up to.

I will pour one out for the C5 Malverns and the C8 and C10 pilot watches we once reviewed, but I also take some comfort in knowing the price bracket Christopher Ward has left behind is not empty. In fact, more compelling sub-$1,000 brands than ever before exist, and I would rather see Christopher Ward take on the Swiss luxury brands that once dismissed it as not a threat. Christopher Ward

J. Press’ Vintage Watches

New York Fashion Week wrapped this week, and I was lucky enough to attend a few shows, most notably J. Press, which is now under Jack Carlson’s leaderhsip. From my front-row seat, there was plenty to take in, from the Fall-Winter 2026 collection and the debut of J. Press womenswear to John Slattery from Mad Men sitting across the runway from me. But once the show started, I was more focused on the models’ wrists than anything else.

For the show, Jack Carlson worked with Eric Wind and Wind Vintage, who brought a collection of 50 vintage watches to New York for Carlson to choose from. Pieces from Rolex, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Heuer, Universal Genève, Tudor, and Dunhill found their way onto the runway, selected and paired with looks throughout the collection. Now showing his second season, Carlson’s vision for the brand is coming into focus, where his knack for worldbuilding and getting the fine details perfected continue to shine through.

Insta360 Luna Pro

I’m going to be 35 years old in two weeks and, I have to tell you, thank God I’m not any younger. I grew up at the perfect time for being online. While I’m not a digital native, I’d say I’m a digital green card holder. I’ve been online long enough to understand the lingo, but I didn’t grow up completely immersed in the culture.

Had I been, I definitely would have had a YouTube channel. And an embarrassing one at that. I would have sung on there (à la Millie Bobby Brown), tried my hand at A Day in My Life vlogs, and I can’t imagine what I would have posted while pursuing a poetry degree. I probably would have even done makeup tutorials — I shudder at the thought.

Luckily, vloggers today know that everything they put online will inevitably stick around forever, making them, for lack of a better word, media trained. So if I were ten years younger and perhaps just as fame-hungry as I am today, I’d be adding the Insta360 Luna Pro to my Christmas list this year.

Released earlier this month, the Luna Pro is a new gimbal camera co-engineered with Leica, pairing a Leica Summicron lens with a 1-inch 8K sensor. It can shoot 8K Dolby Vision video, 4K vertical video, and 4K slow motion at up to 120fps, while three-axis stabilization and AI-powered tracking help keep the subject in frame. There’s also a detachable two-inch OLED touchscreen, 47GB of built-in storage, and up to four hours of battery life.

The Luna Pro is available now in Cosmic Black and Stellar White, with the standard bundle starting at $599.99.

Nashville International Airport Renamed in Honor of Dolly Parton

If my memory of a sixth-grade standardized test serves me, Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, was named after Dolly Parton. Rather crudely, this was because the cell used to create Dolly came from the mammary gland of a Finn Dorset sheep, and one of the researchers suggested Parton’s name because of the obvious association.

And while that’s a funny little bit of trivia, I’m very happy to hear that the late Dolly Parton may soon receive an honor much closer to home. The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority voted unanimously to begin the process of renaming Nashville International Airport in her honor. The 6-0 vote follows a resolution from Nashville’s Metro Council requesting the name Dolly Parton International Airport, though the final name has not yet been determined, and with a few more bureaucratic hurdles to get through before the change is officially made.

In any case, I, for one, can’t wait to see what merch the local Hudson News is going to carry. 

From the Archives: Bremont’s New Direction

With Zach Kazan’s review of Bremont’s new 35mm Terra Nova Jumping Hour watches published this week, we went back to his 2025 conversation with CEO Davide Cerrato. At the time, Bremont was still working through the response to its 2024 rebrand, which brought new ownership, a new logo, and the introduction of the Terra Nova collection. Cerrato acknowledged that the launch had gone poorly with both the media and parts of the watch community, while arguing that collectors needed more time with the watches and a fuller view of the collection before judging where Bremont was headed.

A year later, Zach’s review shows how much the Terra Nova line has developed. He called the new Jumping Hour models the best watches Bremont has made since the rebrand, with the smaller cases making the aperture layouts feel more proportional and giving the montre à guichet version more of the vintage character the design had been aiming for. He also notes that the collection, viewed together now, feels far more coherent than it did at launch. Maybe Cerrato really did just need us to trust the process.

Next Weekend is Lancaster Watch Weekend

If you happen to be around and are itchin’ for a horse and buggy ride, or perhaps a game of stick-and-hoop is more your speed, bring the whole family over to Lancaster next weekend for Lancaster Watch Weekend. Returning for its second year from September 25 through 27, the three-day event brings together collectors, watchmakers, and brands across Lancaster County, which has a surprisingly deep history in American watchmaking. Hamilton was founded in Lancaster in 1892 and produced watches there for decades, helping establish the region as an important part of American watchmaking history (and a place where you can pick up really good Amish-made donuts, too).

The weekend includes an RGM open house, Horology 101 classes from the Horological Society of New York, a RedBar gathering, and the Lancaster Watch Fair at the NAWCC Museum on Sunday. This year’s fair includes Czapek, Grand Seiko, Bell & Ross, J.N. Shapiro, Seiko, Vortic, Weiss, RGM, and others, with demonstrations from RGM and Jean Rousseau also on the schedule. Some workshops and tours require advance registration, and a few are already full, so be sure to check the schedule before making the trip.

Think about where we are in watchmaking in 2026. You could argue, pretty reasonably I think, that the problem of chronometry has basically been solved. We have access to mechanical watches that are accurate to seconds per month, and quartz watches that are accurate to seconds per year. There are advancements around the edges (Grand Seiko’s new U.F.A. movement comes to mind, the most accurate watch powered by a mainspring, accurate to 20 seconds per year), but it’s hard to imagine an advancement in timekeeping at this point that would actually be meaningful in our daily lives. For movement geeks, sure, shaving off seconds here and there will always be a fun new development, but for many we’ve reached a point of diminishing returns, where all that really matters are bragging rights by the brands (and those matter a lot – big marketing campaigns are built around them). 

So where do the advancements come from in the years ahead? Many people with a lot more experience in this industry than me have discussed materials science as the next big step for watch brands, and we’ve certainly seen a lot of alternative materials used in cases and movements over the last few years. Once you go beyond the traditional steel, titanium, and precious metals that watch cases are normally made from, you open yourself up to manufacturing and creative options that are typically encountered across other industries, like the aerospace sector and medical manufacturing. 

The UK based brand Apiar has carved out a niche for themselves making small innovations in the realm of 3D printing, which is a Brave New World in watch manufacturing if there ever was one. We’re still in the early days of 3D printing in watches, but have already been witness to some genuinely interesting ideas hitting the community. What’s most appealing to me personally about these 3D printed creations is the way they meet at the intersection of creative design and total utility, with geometries that are not possible with traditional manufacturing methods that also happen to be beautiful and, perhaps, quantifiably superior in terms of their strength and robustness. 

Apiar’s latest, the Carbon1.0 OG is what the brand calls their first sports watch, although I wouldn’t say that their previous efforts were especially not sporty. According to the brand, the Carbon1.0 OG is the first commercially available watch to take advantage of new Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing technologies. The case combines a 3D printed carbon-fibre outer case with a Grade 23 inner titanium case for a watch that is meant to be extremely lightweight but also robust and strong. 

Similar to other 3D printing processes, CBAM manufacturing creates a carbon-fibre based structure layer by layer with extremely thin sheets of the woven material. Layers are printed and stacked together and bonded by extreme heat, held together with the aid of polymer powder that melts into the carbon material at high temperatures. The result is a watch case with an uncommonly solid strength to weight ratio, made entirely without the constraints of traditional molds and tooling used in watch manufacturing. 

The outer case surrounds a titanium inner case that holds the movement, dial, and other components. Because of the flexible geometries that can be used in 3D printing without sacrificing strength, the inner case is visible through skeletonized portions of the CBAM-made frame, which is sleek and has an avant-garde quality to its design, but retains the unmistakable lines of a traditional sports watch. 

The dial has a brick-like motif and is made from CNC-machined aluminum. It’s anodized in black, to match the dark and stealthy look of the case. Apiar says they chose to create a dial with these “broken” lines to echo the non-continuous carbon strands that are used to create the CBAM case. 

Powering the watch is a La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement with 68 hours of power reserve. The case measures 40.5mm in diameter and is 9.2mm thick. It has 50 meters of water resistance. 

The Carbon1.0 OG can be purchased in two configurations. A standard configuration priced at $1,800, and an “Additive Upgrade” configuration priced at $2,080 which includes a British made Alcantara strap with a 3D printed titanium buckle and the brand’s (incredibly cool) “Impossible” nylon travel case. 

More information can be found at the Apiar website here. 

More commonly found in the sky than the field, Stowa watches are well known for their lineup of

classic Pilot’s watches. They’ve branched out a bit over the years, but the Pilot lineup is what comes to mind for me most often when thinking about the brand. Today, we’re taking a look at their modern take on the field watch, aptly named the Fieldwatch Terra. The Terra comes in at 38mm, features a PVD coated steel case, and an impressive spec sheet that makes for an excellent watch to complement your EDC. Let’s take a closer look.

Case

Measuring in at a very comfortable 38mm wide by 46.9mm lug-to-lug, the Terra complements my 6.75” wrist nicely. The compact proportions are balanced out by the relatively large, wide open, and highly legible dial. Now that I’m thinking about it a little bit more, the watch probably wears bigger than the measurements imply, and that’s due to the slim outer bezel and large dial. More on that later.

The case itself is crafted from stainless steel and then treated with a dark grey PVD coating. PVD stands for physical vapor deposition — it’s a technique that turns a solid material (the coating) into a vapor, and then condenses it onto the target material inside a vacuum. It’s a complex procedure that’s not totally uncommon in the world of watches and EDC gear, but you can’t argue with the results. Instead of something like paint or even Cerakote, the PVD coating is harder, more durable, and more corrosion resistant. It also makes the case look pretty darn cool, sporting a dark matte finish.

One of the details about the case I appreciate is the curved crown guards. They’re unobtrusive and match the curves of the case nicely, all while adding an extra level of protection to the crown during activities without jabbing you too hard in the wrist. Another thing I like about the shape of the case is how the ends of the lugs angle in towards the case. It’s a good look, that when combined with the crown guards, takes the standard field watch formula and sets it apart a bit.

During everyday wear, you’ll appreciate the 11.5mm thickness to keep the watch well out of the way. A huge, double AR coated sapphire lens tops the dial. It’s nearly invisible thanks to the double coating, making legibility a top priority. The textured screw-down crown is easy to manipulate to change the time and ensures the 200m of water resistance that the watch supports. It’s nice to see an outdoorsy field watch that can stand up to any activity, whether in or out of the water.

Dial + Hands

For a 38mm watch, the dial sure does make an impression. It’s large, legible, and features some interesting architecture and texture to set it apart. Clearly drawing from their storied history of creating pilot’s watches, the inspiration is clear. The green dial features a subtle texture all over, with a small sector-style ring that houses the 13-24 hour markings. A stubby hour hand (styled somewhere between a sword and a syringe) stays within this inner ring, similar to how the Type B pilot’s watches do. The result is a little off balance, but you can’t really argue with the legibility factor.

Moving toward the outside of the dial, you’ll find a comparatively long minute hand that points to the hour indices. Each index is marked with a plot of red lume, with hash marks in between. An arrow-tipped seconds hand rotates around the dial, sporting a red accent to coordinate with the dial.

When the lights go out, you’re in for a surprise. Instead of your standard lume, the Terra uses both white and red SuperLuminova for the indices, minute marks, inner hour ring, and hands. The mix of white and red is really interesting. I love a good application of multi-colored lume and the Stowa knocked this one out of the park. I did find that in testing, the lume didn’t glow all that long, but I enjoyed the show while it lasted.

The contrast is great, with the forest green providing a handsome background for the rest of the dial markings. I also liked how Stowa opted for just a simple logo at 12 that’s nested within the hour track. There is no text on the dial, making for a refreshingly clean appearance. The words “no-nonsense” come to mind. The Terra is interesting, while at the same time never over does it.

Movement

Inside the Terra, you’ll find an automatic winding Sellita SW 200 movement. Sellita are known for their quality Swiss-made movements. This one features 26 jewels, beats at  28,800bph, and features a 38 hour power reserve when fully wound. If you’re looking to get a watch with a Swiss-made movement at a reasonable price, there’s a pretty good chance that there’s a Sellita inside. Given the price of the Terra, the Sellita makes a lot of sense as a more premium choice while retaining that sub-$1000 price tag.

Strap + Wearability

I was immediately intrigued by the stock strap on the Terra. It’s crafted from a super soft, stretchy

elastic nylon weave. The strap reminded me of Apple’s “Nylon Braided Loop”. While I don’t wear an Apple Watch regularly, I’ve always appreciated the attention they give to comfort. It’s no surprise that this lookalike on the Stowa is super comfortable. The first thing that comes to mind is pajamas for the wrist. The soft weave, perfect amount of stretch, and coordinating deep green color complement the Terra nicely. The material itself is pretty thick, and in order to accommodate a wider range of wrists, there’s a slide buckle integrated into the strap. While it’s always great to accommodate as many people as possible, the buckle combined with this thick fabric results in a pretty significant bump under your wrist, with the thick fabric stacking up as many as three times in a single place. It’s not a dealbreaker, but I prefer the underside of my straps to be as svelte as possible so they go unnoticed when I’m sitting at a desk typing.

In terms of wearability, all watches are pretty much wearable. But do they wear well? That’s the question. I think the answer here is yes. The comfortable strap, reasonably sized case, and 11.5mm thickness result in a watch I could easily see myself wearing all the time. Since the overall design leans outdoorsy, I can see this being an ideal camping, hiking, fishing, and general everyday watch.

Conclusion

Stowa’s new Terra Fieldwatch (stylized as such) is a solid addition to their lineup. They cater to everyone, whether your preference falls towards dressy, rugged, and everything in between. I like that the brand manages to hit a wide range of styles while retaining their own design DNA and a relatively affordable price tag, with most of their lineup coming in right around $1000. If you’ve been looking for a rugged, go anywhere, do anything EDC watch, the Fieldwatch Terra is certainly worth taking a look. Let us know what you think in the comments!

Watch collaborations have saturated the market in recent years, but when I heard Jeff Koons was getting involved in designing a model, my ears perked up. His Celebration series featuring his Balloon Dog sculptures makes up one of the most memorable works of art to emerge in my lifetime as a child of the 90s. I wasn’t surprised this would be the source of inspiration for the watches he’d create. 

The artist and self-proclaimed weirdo in me has always appreciated the daring and disruptive nature of Koons’ creations, but to the masses, they’ve been polarizing. It was clear that his approach to design wouldn’t be the right fit for just any watch brand – it would need to be with a maker who was equally daring, disruptive, and perhaps even polarizing itself. Enter Hublot, who has long received scrutiny for its audacious models that buck Swiss tradition. “I remember maybe about 15 years ago, I was at an event for the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and I had a conversation with Bernard Arnault,” Koons recalls. “He said, ‘you know, Jeff, you should make a watch,’ but we never did. Years later, our sons became friends, and Frederic said to my son Sean, ‘your dad should make a watch – Hublot has a lot of interest in partnering with him.’ And I was really excited about this idea of working with new materials and working with time.” All that said, the goal has never been a shock factor – it’s about authenticity – Koons’ identity as an artist and Hublot’s ethos as a brand. “I’m an intuitive artist,” affirms Koons, “If somebody just tries to make something outrageous, disjointed in some way, or clashing in some way, it doesn’t succeed. It has to be natural. It has to come from curiosity, from an interest in everything.” With these guiding principles, the duo collaborated over the course of two years on translating Koons’ works and design language into the constraints of a wristwatch, and ultimately, the Balloon Dog-inspired timepieces took shape.

Many of Koons’ creations are monumental in size, with the largest Balloon Dog sculptures towering 10 feet. So, scaling down to the millimeter while retaining the essence of Koons’ artistic expression was no small feat. “Plato would always say that the first thing you deal with in art is scale,” explains Koons, “and what I loved about working on a timepiece is that we’re really dealing with scale. A watch is really a fascinating object,” Koons continues, “It scales down or gives definition to this very vast concept of the universe we call time through concrete principles of mathematics and engineering. Without timepieces, we wouldn’t have this understanding.”

Co-creating his first watch wasn’t the first time Koons felt a connection to timepieces. Like almost each and every one of us, Koons had several very specific memories of watches in his life. “My grandfather – my mother’s father, always wore a pocket watch, and I remember being fascinated by it,” shares Koons. “Then as a child, my first watch was a Timex, and over the years, I’ve been gifted watches on different occasions that are very special to me. But probably my most significant memory is from a conversation with Ileana Sonnabend, a dealer of mine until she passed away,” Koons continues. “She said, ‘Jeff, look at clocks, look at timepieces because they use different allegories that are very interesting, and they will give you a new understanding of time.’ So, when I would go to museums, I’d always be looking for exhibits dealing with timepieces, or I would go to clock museums, and I tried to embed these observations into this collaboration.” Each of these parts – Koons’ sculptures, his own relationship to time, his artistic philosophy – combined with Hublot’s ethos, expertise in material play, and technical watchmaking prowess has culminated in a piece of wearable art: the Classic Fusion Balloon Dog. 

This trio of bold 42mm watches transforms the traditional sleek architecture of the Classic Fusion into a playful design with inflated geometries, soft domed surfaces, and convex lines to create the illusion of a watch shaped by air pressure. To elicit this sensation of volume and tension, multiple elements have been reshaped, from the sapphire crystal and titanium screw heads to the convex “puffy” dial construction and sculptural case architecture. Every surface is reworked to preserve the impression of internal pressure, extending through the smooth, padded metallic leather strap. As a nod to both the dog and the balloon, signature details include a balloon-inspired crown in rubber-molded aluminum, a flexible decorative “balloon tail” at 10:30, a Balloon Dog-shaped seconds hand counterweight, and inflated Super-LumiNova indexes and hands.Koons has often explored the relationship between the art and the observer through his works, namely his Gazing Ball series. Each sculpture in the collection is anchored by a blue glass ball that reflects the artwork, the room, and the observer all at once – meaning you don’t just look at the art, you become part of it. This series went on to inspire a second and even more exclusive collaboration with Hublot, called the MP-14 Origin in which the watchmaker’s first automatic central tourbillon is housed beneath a transparent blue sapphire dome reminiscent of the one from Koons’ sculptures. Now, the connection between the art and the observer – or in this case, wearer – deepens and becomes even more intimate as the “sculpture” is worn on the body. “You know, art is really something that happens within us – art is really when we experience the essence of our own potential,” Koons asserts, “When you’re looking at a painting or a sculpture, a piece of clothing or a watch, it’s what you envision for your own future and what you can be in the future for the next generation. I know I expanded my parameters as an individual and as an artist for works I’ll make in the future by being involved in the creation of these timepieces.”

The Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons trio is available today in three colors – red, blue, and silver – with each being limited to 200 pieces and priced at $25,000. In addition, the MP-14 Origin by Jeff Koons is even more exclusive, produced in a run of just 20 pieces and priced at a whopping $488,000. For more information, head over directly to Hublot.

Watches and Wonders 2027 is still months away, but the specifics of the event are beginning to come into clearer focus. News broke this morning that the roster of brands has grown once again, and now numbers 75 in total. It had previously been announced that Breitling (along with their House of Brands cohorts Universal Geneve and Gallet) would be joining the fair, and this morning’s news sees several additional brands joining them that sit across a variety of price points and segments of the industry (including a brand that has attended its fair share of Windup Watch Fairs). 

The headline grabbers in terms of participation are likely Berneron and Porsche Design. Porsche Design has grown considerably in recent years with an aggressive release schedule iterating on their iconic Chronograph 1 design. Berneron is arguably the hottest independent brand at the moment, and has been the subject of much discussion just in the last weeks following the public sale of a Mirage for over $500,000 on Loupe This (the retail price sits around CHF 51,000). 

While those two brands likely have the highest profiles of the newcomers to Watches & Wonders, there are several others that I think are interesting from an enthusiast and business point of view. Kerbedanz, a Swiss brand that for much of its 15 year history has made custom watches exclusively for private clients, has been making a concerted effort to get their name into the minds of watch lovers this year, exhibiting at Geneva Watch Days just a few weeks ago. It was my first exposure to the brand, and was one of the genuine surprises of my week in Switzerland. These are very expensive, high end watches with a bold and immediately identifiable design language, and they’ll have a larger platform at Watches and Wonders next year than at any time in their short history. 

Also joining the show in 2027 is a Worn and Wound favorite: Fortis. Fortis is a Swiss brand primarily known for their production of tool watches. They are a true enthusiast focused brand, and will surely serve as some much needed counter programming at what remains a very luxury oriented show. Still, Fortis itself, like many other small indies, has gone upmarket in recent years with more ambitious (and expensive) projects, so the move to Watches & Wonders makes a certain amount of logical sense. 

In addition to those brands and the aforementioned House of Brands lineup, the new tenants at the Palexpo for 2027 include: Akhor, Alain Silberstein, Breva Geneve, Damiani, Singer Reimagined, and Stollenwurm. 

Watches and Wonders will be held from April 5 through April 11, 2027. More information can be found on their website here.

In 2014, the Foundation Haute Horlogerie (FHH) introduced the FHH Academy, a series of courses that span the fundamentals of watchmaking to culture and heritage as well as more advanced technical curriculums, catering to both industry professionals and enthusiasts. One of the most unique aspects of the program is that it’s offered entirely online in 11 different languages, resulting in participants across 20 countries worldwide. While accessibility has been at the FHH Academy’s core, there are also select courses offered in-person at the FHH headquarters in Geneva as an extension of the platform. Now, the academy is expanding once again as the FHH announces a new partnership with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

The GIA is globally acknowledged as the foremost authority in gemology and a leader in the gem and jewelry sector. Since its founding in 1931, the organization has set the standard, educating more than 200,000 professionals worldwide across its seven campuses throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. With its longstanding commitment to education and the dissemination of specialist knowledge within the luxury jewelry industry along with its global reputation and reach, the GIA presented itself as an incredible partner to expand its offerings into the world of horology and for the FHH to expand its in-person training. The partnership marks the first time the GIA has worked with an external entity and allowed trainers outside the institute to teach on its campuses.

Over the past several years, we have seen the FHH making more and more efforts to develop its presence in the US market – one of the largest and most influential markets in the watch industry. Beyond its participation in local events, the FHH will take things a step further with this new partnership whose pilot program will take place at the GIA’s flagship campus in Carlsbad, California. In addition to reaching enthusiasts and industry professionals in the States, the FHH will also be able to tap into a new audience within the jewelry industry, connecting with burgeoning professionals pursuing careers at auction houses and luxury retail who want to extend their knowledge in an adjacent field.

“This collaboration is certainly going to be an experiment,” shares Pascal Ravessoud, the Vice President of the FHH. “But we love to think differently and experiment with new things. We started close to home, participating in watch events in Geneva and then globally,” he continues. “Now, we are looking for more opportunities to reach new people outside of the watch industry and out of our comfort zone. The watch industry is such a small world, and we are always trying to make it bigger – to increase the appreciation for watches and the interest in watchmaking. We hope this partnership will be another way to do that.”

Through the new collaboration, the GIA will begin offering FHH Academy programs to its students beginning in early 2027 with the Watch Advisor, the academy’s first level of

Certification, alongside open sessions with dedicated tutors. To stay up to date on the latest information as the offerings unfold, you can head directly over to the FHH.