Frederique Constant isn't known for making provocative statements, but the Classics Manchette has become an unexpected disruptor since its 2025 debut. Now celebrating its first birthday, the Geneva manufacture unveils a golden 2N PVD iteration with a full-black onyx dial, a combination that trades subtle sophistication for unapologetic glamour. This isn't your grandmother’s dress watch; it's a cuff bracelet that happens to tell time, and it revels in that identity.
Introducing: L'Epée 1839 La Regatta Métiers d'Art Clocks—Where Grand Feu Enameling Meets Horological Grace
There's a particular elegance to rowing—the disciplined rhythm, the perfect posture, the singular focus required to move a racing skiff through water with precision and power. L'Epée 1839 has captured this quiet grace in La Regatta clocks, and now reimagines it through a series of Métiers d'Art unique pieces that elevate the vertical clock into wearable sculpture through the ancient art of Grand Feu enameling.
Introducing: Armin Strom Tribute² Aurum—Tremblage Technique Takes Center Stage
Armin Strom continues its exploration of artisanal finishing with the new Tribute² Aurum, a timepiece that builds upon the architectural foundation of the original Tribute 1 while pushing the boundaries of hand-finished decoration. Limited to just 10 pieces, this latest iteration introduces a rare engraving technique in independent watchmaking, tremblage, to a gold-coated mainplate that serves as the watch’s visual centerpiece.
Introducing: Zenith DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Skeleton Rose Gold—The Quest for Haute Horlogerie Continues
Zenith has unveiled its most technically ambitious DEFY Skyline to date, introducing the manufacture's first fully openworked tourbillon within the collection. Presented at LVMH Watch Week 2026 in Milano, the DEFY Skyline Tourbillon Skeleton in rose gold represents a compelling synthesis of skeletonized architecture and high-frequency precision, rendered in a striking contrast of warm precious metal and luminous blue finishing.
Introducing: Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Milano Cortina 2026
When Omega assumes its role as Official Timekeeper of the Olympic Winter Games for the thirty-second time since 1932, it will do so with a legacy unmatched in sports timekeeping. To commemorate the Milano Cortina 2026 games opening on February 6th, the Swiss manufacture has unveiled a distinctive interpretation of its legendary Seamaster Diver 300M in a 43.5 mm timepiece that translates the visual identity of these 25th Olympic Winter Games into a compelling collector's piece.
Introducing: MB&F LM Sequential Flyback EVO—Titanium and Aquamarine Dial Plate
When MB&F's LM Sequential EVO claimed the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève's Aiguille d'Or in 2022, it validated what serious collectors already understood: Stephen McDonnell had redefined chronograph capability in a manner both intellectually rigorous and practically transformative. The twin-chronograph architecture, governed by the ingenious Twinverter binary switch, delivered independent timing, split-seconds, cumulative, and lap-timer functions within a single 44 mm case—functionality that made one wonder why conventional chronographs had settled for so little.
Introducing: TAG Heuer Carrera Split-Seconds Chronograph—Rattrapante Arrives in La Chaux-de-Fonds
TAG Heuer's ascent into haute horlogerie continues with remarkable momentum. Following the Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph, the manufacture now introduces the complication to its most iconic collection—the Carrera—marking the first time a rattrapante has graced this storied lineage since Jack Heuer conceived the original in 1963.
Introducing: Laurent Ferrier Classic Origin 250—An American Tribute (Live Photos)
Laurent Ferrier has forged a particularly meaningful relationship with American collectors since the manufacture's inception in 2010. It was American enthusiasts who first championed the independent watchmaker's debut creation at the GPHG that year, providing the early validation that encouraged Laurent Ferrier to build not merely a collection, but a lasting brand.
Experience: Bern's Zytglogge Clock Tower—Where Swiss Horology Truly Began
There exists a peculiar pilgrimage undertaken by serious watch collectors, one that has nothing to do with boutique openings or manufacture tours. It leads instead to a tower erected in 1218—27 years after the founding of Bern in 1191—by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen. Here, in this structure that predates Swiss watchmaking by centuries, a clock has been marking time since 1530—nearly three centuries before the first Vacheron Constantin left the atelier of Jean-Marc Vacheron.
Insider: Richard Mille RM 33-03 Carbon TPT 5N Red Gold—New Skeletonized Automatic with Micro-Rotor
Richard Mille's latest creation, the RM 33-03 Automatic, marries the sporty essence of their signature tonneau aesthetic with the timeless appeal of a circular case. As the successor of the RM 33-02, this timepiece introduces greater mechanical complexity while maintaining exceptional wearability. Available in full Grade 5 titanium or Carbon TPT with 5N red gold middle case and accents like the watch we are reviewing here, the RM 33-03 delivers Richard Mille's uncompromising standards in a surprisingly approachable 41.7 mm package that wears just perfectly.
Perspective: What the 2025 Swiss Watch Export Numbers Really Mean
The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry's export figures for 2025—from Jan-Nov, as December is still unavailable— tell a story of an industry navigating profound market shifts. On the surface, we see a 2.2% decline to CHF 23.4 billion through November 2025—a modest figure in an industry that has weathered far more turbulent periods. But that number, like a dial with multiple complications, requires careful reading to understand what's actually happening beneath the surface.
Introducing: Jaquet Droz Petite Heure Minute Red Gold Japanese Garden Unique Piece with Hand-Carved Mother-of-Pearl
In recent years, Jaquet Droz has shifted its strategy to serve watch collectors seeking the ultimate examples of its unique Metiers d’Art pieces. There's a particular stillness that descends when you first encounter a masterfully rendered Japanese garden, the kind of quietude that makes the outside world recede, leaving only the interplay of stone, water, and living things arranged with deliberate grace.
News: Tudor Returns as TUDOR Team Alinghi for the 38th America's Cup
Tudor has announced its return to competitive sailing as the title partner of Alinghi for the 38th edition of the America's Cup, scheduled for summer 2027 in Napoli, Italy. The renewed partnership sees the Swiss watchmaker once again aligning its "Born to Dare" philosophy with one of sailing's most storied teams, now competing as the TUDOR Team Alinghi and sailing under the Société Nautique de Genève flag.
Introducing: Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional 42 mm. Steel and Moonshine Gold Expressions in a Reverse Panda.
Omega reinforces its position as the custodian of horological spacefaring heritage with two compelling additions to the Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional collection, both housed within the contemporary 42 mm architecture that has defined the modern Moonwatch since its 2021 redesign. The reference 310.30.42.50.01.004 in stainless steel and the reference 310.60.42.50.01.002 in 18K Moonshine gold.
From the Editor: LVMH Denies Zenith Sale—But the Real Story Runs Deeper
Zenith is, without a doubt, one of my favorite brands and one of the most revered brands in terms of horological accolades. Surprisingly, many sources, primarily in Switzerland (Blick) and across Europe, suggest that LVMH has been preparing to sell Zenith, the storied manufacture whose El Primero chronograph has been beating at 36,000 vph since 1969.
News: Vacheron Constantin Launches First-Ever Concours d'Élégance Horlogère in Partnership with Phillips
Vacheron Constantin has announced the inaugural Vacheron Constantin Concours d'Élégance Horlogère, marking the first competition of its kind in the watchmaking industry. Developed at Phillips' initiative in Association with Bacs & Russo, the event brings the celebrated automotive Concours d'Élégance format to fine watchmaking.
Introducing: Arnold & Son Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold 'Year of the Horse'—Métiers d'Art Meets Moon Phase Precision
When the Fire Horse succeeds the Wood Snake on February 17, 2026, Arnold & Son will mark the occasion with the sixth installment in its Chinese zodiac collection—a spectacular demonstration of why the La Chaux-de-Fonds manufacture ranks among independent watchmaking's most accomplished métiers d'art practitioners.
Weekend Reads: Five Essential WCL Editorials to Start Your 2026 Watch Collecting Journey
Sunday mornings offer the perfect opportunity to explore the deeper questions of watch collecting without the week's distractions. This weekend, I'm recommending five essential editorials that collectively map a path through the most important considerations in watch collecting—from overlooked materials science overlooked by traditional collectors to market opportunities hiding in plain sight.
News: Bell & Ross Becomes Official Timing Partner of Defender Rally World Rally-Raid Championship 2026
Bell & Ross has announced its partnership with Defender Rally as the official timing partner for the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2026. The collaboration positions the French-Swiss watchmaker alongside the Defender D7X-R team competing in one of motorsport's most demanding environments, with the first round launching January 3rd in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Watches and Wonders 2026 Preview: What to Expect from Audemars Piguet's Return
When Audemars Piguet announced at the end of September last year that it would return to Watches and Wonders after a six-year absence—AP pulled out when SIHH was replaced by Watches and Wonders—, the watch world took notice. The Le Brassus manufacture had famously departed SIHH in 2019 alongside Richard Mille, declaring its intention to forge direct relationships with collectors through boutique-only distribution and private events.
