On the eve of my birthday and right before I attend the Tokyo Watch Wow event in Tokyo, I decided to write about Manchester Watch Show, even though I won't be attending. I'm doing this for a couple of reasons. For one, almost all of my English-reading audience are based in Europe and North America. For another, I have other content planned for Tokyo Watch Wow. However, the most important reason is: I just really like the brands attending the show in Manchester[...]

I learned about the Singaporean brand UBIQ, which was created by Drayson Phua, and not only did I end up falling in love with their watches, but I might just have the perfect field watch as a result. Could there be a magical, watchmaking ingredient in Singapore?

"No one needs a watch." If you have been collecting watches for awhile, or if you've even had a passing interest in this hobby in the past, then I'm sure you have encountered this dismissive, declarative sentence. The truth is that it is simultaneously right and wrong. It is right in the sense that we have cellphones or laptops to tell us the time, so we don't need a watch to tell the time. But, it is wrong in that it assumes a watch's only purpose is to tell the time.

In a time when stone dials, Urushi dials (lacquer dials), and meteorite have become di rigeur, representing ultra-luxury and craftsmanship, one of the most important parts of a watch has become somewhat overlooked: the watch case. While many people focused on the dial, Robert McQuaide of McQuaide Watches has built an entire brand on creating watches forged of Damascus steel.

So, what else could one of the most popular independent brands in the entire world can do? Well, they can create the C1 Loco Classic, which seems like a direct response to the naysayers and the doubters of the C1 Loco Classic. Yes, Christopher Ward is unapologetically a brand which is known for their sports watches, but with this newest release, they are showing themselves to be just as capable of creating a dress watch that even the hardcore purists would wear on their wrist

As with the Black Ceramic and White Ceramic Summit MK2 models, these three new models come in the same perfectly sized 38mm case diameter, but this time it's in blue (Après-Bleu), Dark Green (Glade), and Beige Ceramic (Dune Devil). Except for the blue, each one features a complementary colored dial, such as the fully lumed mint green dial of the Glade, and the darker brown dial of the Dune Devil in contrast to the creamier beige case. The Après-Bleu, on the other hand, has a

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.