There is a certain gravitas that comes with any association to spacefaring or even the organizations involved with it. Let's go beyond the obvious example of my grail watch, the Omega Speedmaster, and look to how Bulova has made a killing with the Lunar Pilot due to astronaut Dave Scott (Apollo 15) using his Bulova after his main watch (the Speedy) broke during a moonwalk. Nubeo, who is no stranger to science fiction and collaborations, has made a bold yet surprisingly unders

The unboxing experience is an underrated, yet incredibly important aspect of getting a brand new watch. That being said, I know from firsthand experience with my own microbrand that creating a super unique or customized packaging can very quickly raise your costs, which in turn forces you to raise the cost on the customer. However, there are a few brands that manage to create something unique, regardless, and that's definitely the case for Walker & Crown, Farr + Swit, and

Pégoud is introducing the Onduleur, a six-piece collection inspired by the adventurous spirit of the brand's namesake. The Onduleur is designed as a modern pilot’s instrument, combining a 43mm faceted stainless-steel case. Two crowns flank the case, with the second operating a rotating inner ring that provides a quick reference for a second time zone. Interestingly, this crown faces upwards instead of sidways, making it seem like a plane turbine.

After seeing Jonny's Clocktower, I realized that Area Nostalgia was the brand of none other than Kieron of Top Tier Ticker, one of the best youtubers in the industry. The new Mantel collection launched yesterday with three distinct models - the Bloodmoon, Midnight, and Moonglow. While the main part of the 20mm dial is the same plain white (or not so plain, more on that later), Kieron has layered a brushed metal ring featuring Roman numeral hour markers to add some dynamism.

As watch enthusiasts, it’s great to stay updated, but realistically, there’s only so many watches we can track. So, I have made the ultimate sacrifice… and taken it upon myself to research some truly awesome brands, and condense it into one article. I know, I’m a saint! All jokes aside, it was great to put together this list, and I enjoyed talking with over a dozen brand owners.

While enthusiasts debate what defines a watchmaker and the importance of making the movement, we often forget about another important factor with any watch: the dial. This is the area in which Makiya Tokei Founder, Adriel Rahisana, focuses all of his passion, creativity, and energy. But what is it about the dials of Makiya, and what differentiates them from any other?

Walker & Crown’s debut collection, the Revival series which is an Ode to 80s culture, has four unique models - the Electric Lagoon, the Memphis Beat, the Clerk, and the Laser Drift. Each comes in a sizeable, colorful box, which also includes a color-matched Saffiano leather strap, and an honest-to-goodness cassette tape. This cassette tape’s design matches the respective watch, and it even comes with a track list.

No watch is perfect, but I genuinely think that Nectere have succeeded in creating a watch that functions as both a conversation starter, and a damn good timepiece, too. I will be writing a full review about this later on, but I felt compelled to write this release article simply from how much I loved wearing this watch.

Prior to getting this watch, I would probably have told my non-enthusiast friends to get an Orient Bambino, a Seiko Presage, or even a Hamilton Jazzmaster for their daily watch at the office. Now that I’ve had the Vandaag Baas for around a month, I can’t in good conscience recommend those other watches without also recommending this as the top choice. With its sub-1000 EUR price, classic design, and unique date window, this may just be the perfect watch for daily life.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Australian watchmaking. Maybe it’s because Australia has always felt like a second home, albeit one that is quite far away. I’ve been lucky enough to visit a couple of times over the years, and every trip leaves me wanting to come back. In fact, we have another trip planned for 2027. That connection is part of the reason Bausele has always fascinated me. Unlike many microbrands that rarely rely on provenance, Bausele is proudly Australian

My favorite watch - by far - has been the Vario Versa - Year of the Horse. I have reviewed this watch on both this blog, as well as my Youtube channel, and it remains my most-worn watch of the year. It's a beautiful and brilliant watch, and it's one that I thought would easily win as my favorite watch of 2026. Imagine my surprise when that watch was replaced by the Vario Versa Automatic.

Walking through the aisles that afternoon, I enjoyed the familiar mixture of temptation and restraint. Wonderful King Seikos. Beautiful early Grand Seikos. Exceptional Longines, Universal Genève and Omega chronographs. Every few minutes another watch demanded attention. After nearly an hour, I had almost convinced myself that this year's visit would end like all the others. Then, almost hidden among considerably more expensive pieces, I saw it. A Citizen Chronometer.

We are over halfway through the year, and while many - including the rest of the editorial team - were somewhat underwhelmed by the recent Watches & Wonders, it doesn't mean that there weren't some good watches released this year. The following is our favorite watches of 2026, which includes new releases, new additions to our collection, or in some cases, watches we don't even have in our possession... yet.

Nubeo, as a brand, is no stranger to strange or cutting-edge, science fiction inspired designs (see the Missile Command Limited Edition Release recently), but they somehow continue to surprise me with each new release. Their latest collection, the Ulysses, is no exception, and it might just be my favorite watch from them yet.

There are some watches, which are built with multiple meanings in mind. These watches, in their description, try to keep it as vague as possible, so that it can appeal to as many people as possible. The newest limited edition release from Spinnaker does not care about trying to keep things general, and non-specific. As its name and design suggests, the Spinnaker Croft Dolphin Project was made to raise awareness about marine conservation prior to the upcoming World Whale & Dol

Spinnaker has been a crowd favorite - particularly in the past two years - for their robust divers at affordable price points. During a time when Seiko, who was once the Budget Diver King, has seemingly raised prices across the board outside of their Seiko 5 collection, Spinnaker seems committed to filling this vacuum with their own watches.

For a few years now, I have had the privilege of meeting the owners of different brands, thanks to my job working for a Japanese microbrand. I have also had a hand in creating several different watches - whether it was a contribution to the design, the concept, the media push, or even the choice of strap. So, I have intimate knowledge of all the trials and tribulations that go into making even a single watch, but because I don't own the company, I am fortunate not to bear all

Most microbrands tend to compete over price - i.e. offering incredible prices for watches below what these mainstream brands would typically offer. Other microbrands try to compete by creating something entirely unique - something that you can’t just walk into any boutique to add to the collection. Orphic Watches, like Christopher Ward with their Bel Canto, has somehow managed to combine both things with Project 0: a Wandering Hours Watch inspired by the James Webb Telesc

With the recent release of the new Omega Seamaster for the latest James Bond game, or even the Call of Duty x Hamilton watch, it seems that gaming collaborations with watches are a hot commodity at the moment. While it would have been easier and arguably more profitable to collaborate with something like Minecraft or Fortnite, Nubeo Watches chose to collaborate with Atari on creating a new watch that honors where it all started: Missile Command.

There is something dangerously addictive about a good turquoise dial. Not the cheap “let’s-make-it-blue-so-Instagram-likes-it” kind of turquoise. I mean the proper kind. The type that shifts personality every single time light touches it differently. The kind that makes you stop mid-conversation just to stare at your wrist like you have discovered buried treasure. The Gavox Longitude Turquoise is exactly that kind of watch. This watch hit differently from the very first