In an industry where heritage and years of history often trump innovation, Greubel Forsey stands as proof that a young manufacturer can reshape the very foundations of horological excellence. Since Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey launched their eponymous brand in 2004, they've accomplished something remarkable: they've taken the tourbillon—arguably watchmaking's most revered complication—and elevated it beyond Abraham-Louis Breguet's original vision, creating what they aptly call ‘Fundamental Inventions.’
Merry Christmas: Reflections on a Year in Horology
Christmas Day offers something rare in our perpetually connected world—permission to pause. As I write this from my desk, surrounded by the quiet satisfaction of a morning spent with family rather than deadlines, I'm reminded that watch collecting, at its essence, shares this same quality of intentional reflection.
Experience: Laurent Ferrier's Bespoke Diamond Pavé Pieces. An Independent Manufacture's Advantage.
In an industry increasingly dominated by production quotas, bundle allocations, very little exclusivity with high production numbers, and predictable annual releases, independent watchmakers retain something that major manufactures often sacrifice in pursuit of scale: the freedom to create truly exceptional one-off pieces that reflect individual client desires rather than market research.
Insider: Speake-Marin Dual Time Terracotta. When Orange Meets Independent Horology.
The Speake-Marin Dual Time Terracotta represents a bold departure for the independent Geneva-based manufacture within the Piccadilly collection. With its striking terracotta orange accents contrasting against micro-blasted rhodium bridges and openworked architecture, this dual time complication showcases everything that makes Speake-Marin one of the most compelling voices in contemporary independent watchmaking.
From the Editor: Five Great Chronographs Priced Under $15K USD
The somewhat accessible chronograph market under USD 15K delivered exceptional value across 2024 and 2025, proving that serious horological complications don't require six-figure investments. While haute horlogerie commanded headlines with increasingly complex complications, these timepieces demonstrate that discerning collectors can acquire compelling chronographs that combine Swiss manufacturing excellence, thoughtful design, and robust mechanical movements—all at prices that make serious collecting accessible.
Introducing: Porsche Design Chronograph 1 ‘90 F.A. Porsche’ Edition. Alongside a 911 GT3 90 F.A. Porsche, a Sled, and Weekender Bag.
The man who created the legendary Porsche 911 and invented the Chronograph 1 receives tribute through carefully curated items, including the 911 GT3 90 F.A. Porsche, a special-edition Chronograph 1 watch, a bespoke Weekender bag, and a reimagined ‘Porsche Junior’ Sled—each of them limited to 90 examples.
From the Editor: Top Ten Watches to Gift this Christmas—Some of My Favorites in 2025.
The 2025 watch releases have showcased an extraordinary collection of horological masterpieces that push the boundaries of craftsmanship, innovation, and luxury. From perpetual calendars and world time complications to elegant dress watches and revolutionary new movements, this year's releases represent the pinnacle of Swiss and German watchmaking artistry. For those seeking the ultimate gift for a discerning collector, here are ten of the most impressive timepieces from 2025.
Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding High Jewellery. Where Sportiness Meets Splendor.
The oldest watch manufacture in the world unveils two spectacular versions: one in 18K white gold ref. 4617V/215G-H039 and another in 18K 5N pink gold ref. 4617V/215R-H040, each absolutely ablaze with 1,430 diamonds totaling approximately 12.58 carats. This isn't simply a watch with stones on the bezel; it is a masterclass in high-jewelry watchmaking that transforms the entire timepiece into a luminous sculpture.
From the Editor: The Million Dollar 'Albino' Rolex Daytona from Sotheby's. Perezcope Breaks the Silence, Again.
The vintage watch-collecting world values a good story when it comes to the origin, rarity, and provenance of a watch offered at auction, and even more so when it’s about a vintage Rolex Daytona. We celebrate provenance, pursue rarity, and invest not only in mechanical excellence but also in the narratives that surround exceptional timepieces.
Introducing: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Pirelli Flyback Chronograph Mexico Edition
Eight years into one of watchmaking's most adrenaline-fueled partnerships, Roger Dubuis and Pirelli are celebrating their motorsport marriage with something appropriately audacious—a flyback chronograph draped in the green, white, and red of Mexico's racing heritage.
Introducing: Richard Mille RM 07-01 Starry Night, RM 07-01 Baguette, RM 07-01 Gourmette, and RM 037 Red Gold
Twenty years is a significant milestone in any relationship, and Richard Mille's two-decade courtship with women's haute horlogerie has been nothing short of a masterclass in understanding that strength and elegance aren't mutually exclusive—they're perfectly complementary. As 2025 draws to a close, the brand is spotlighting its feminine universe with a quartet of timepieces that prove technical prowess and precious beauty can coexist in the same tonneau-shaped case.
Introducing: Angelus Chronodate Gold & Titanium 'Moka' Editions
There's something inherently compelling about the word "mocha," as it evokes richness, warmth, and the perfect balance between sweet and intense. It's precisely this sensory inspiration that Angelus has bottled in its latest Chronodate releases, the ‘Moka’ Editions, where chocolate-tinged dials meet cutting-edge horology in a fusion that's both nostalgically charming and thoroughly modern.
Watch Auctions: Francis Ford Coppola's F.P.Journe FFC Prototype Sells for USD 10.8 Million
The intersection of artistic vision and horological mastery rarely manifests as literally as it did in the F.P.Journe FFC Prototype—a 42 mm platinum wristwatch commissioned by Francis Ford Coppola that just sold for USD 10,755,000 at Phillips New York Watch Auction: XIII on December 6, 2025. This watch shattered world records for both F.P.Journe and any independent watchmaking brand.
Introducing: A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Daymatic in Honeygold. Rich Warm Tones in a 250-Piece Edition.
December 7th holds profound significance in the history of A. Lange & Söhne—it marks both Ferdinand Adolph Lange's 1845 establishment of precision watchmaking in Glashütte and his great-grandson Walter Lange's courageous 1990 revival following German reunification.
Introducing: Zenith DEFY Extreme Chroma. Two High-Frequency 1/100th-of-a-second Chronographs.
Some watches whisper, but the Zenith DEFY Extreme Chroma screams for attention not with volume, but with an explosion of color that transforms one of horology's most precise instruments into a wearable work of kinetic art. Announced this week from Le Locle, the DEFY Extreme Chroma 100-piece limited editions mark the return of Zenith's boldest design experiment.
Introducing: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Classic. Celebrating Simplicity and Classical Design.
In an era when watch case sizes sometimes stretch toward the absurd, Jaeger-LeCoultre reminds us that true elegance is defined by restraint. The new Master Control Classic, in a limited edition of just 500 pieces, is La Grande Maison's love letter to the golden age of watchmaking—specifically, to a 1995 reference that captured hearts with nothing more than perfect proportions and timeless design.
Watch Shopping: Luxury Swiss Unveils New Rolex Boutique in the Miami Design District
Miami's Design District has long represented the convergence of art, architecture, and luxury—a neighborhood where Hermès sits alongside contemporary galleries and gourmet dining meets cutting-edge design. The district now welcomes a 4,900-square-foot temple to horological excellence that redefines what a Rolex boutique can be.
Introducing: Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Ultra Thin Date & Ultra Thin Moon Grained Copper Dial
Now, La Grande Maison breathes fresh contemporary allure into two of the Master Ultra-Thin collection's most beloved references with an exclusive grained copper dial that shifts from powdery softness to saturated warmth as light plays across its textured surface.
Introducing: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin 36.5. A Letter to Classical Watchmaking.
There's something quietly revolutionary about making a perpetual calendar smaller. Not in the brash, record-chasing way, but in the considered, "this just feels right" way that only comes from 270 years of making watches. Vacheron Constantin's new Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin collection shrinks things down to 36.5 mm, a size that whispers elegance rather than shouts it.
Introducing: Breguet Expérimentale 1. Where 250 Years of History Meet the Future of Haute Horlogerie.
Two centuries later, Breguet is honoring that legacy with something that would have made the master himself lean in closer: the new Expérimentale 1, a 10 Hz Tourbillon with a constant-force magnetic escapement that marks the first chapter in the brand's new exploratory R&D collection.
