Smartwatches can do almost everything these days, but sometimes you just want something on your wrist that tells you the time, looks good and doesn't expect you to analyse your sleep score before breakfast.

The newly launched Timex Retroware Digital fits that brief rather nicely.

Unveiled earlier this month, the new digital watch has an unmistakably chunky sports-watch aesthetic that wouldn't look completely out of place alongside some of the most recent Garmin watches.

Look closer, though, and you'll find no GPS, heart rate sensor, mapping or smartphone notifications.

Instead, Timex has gone back to basics, wrapping classic digital-watch functionality inside a wonderfully retro-futuristic design.

The star is undoubtedly the display. Timex uses enormous, curved numerals for the hours and minutes, with smaller readouts underneath for the day, date, and seconds.

The brand says the design takes cues from vintage digital sports watches, and there's something pleasingly old-school about it, even though the display's scale makes the Retroware feel considerably more contemporary than something like the company's T80.

Big screen, small ambitions

It's a sizeable watch, too. The lightweight resin case measures 46mm across, 50mm lug-to-lug and 11mm thick, with a matching 20mm resin strap.

Underneath that giant display is a fairly traditional set of digital functions, including a chronograph, countdown timer and alarm.

It also has Timex's excellent INDIGLO backlight, and its 50-metre water resistance makes it suitable for light swimming. The display is protected by an acrylic crystal.

It's available in two colourways, including a grey-green model with an inverted dark display and a blue version with a lighter screen. Both really lean into the late-'80s/early-'90s sports-tech aesthetic.

And that's perhaps where the Retroware becomes particularly interesting.

If you like the chunky, utilitarian look of modern outdoor smartwatches but don't want another rechargeable computer strapped to your wrist, this feels like a compelling alternative.

You won't get training readiness, turn-by-turn navigation or a morning report, but you also won't have another device asking to be charged or buzzing because someone has sent you a WhatsApp message.

The Retroware Digital launched on 4 August 2026 and is available now at Timex UK, Timex US and Timex EU for £120 / $149 / €139 (~AU$210).

Casio has made plenty of strange watches over the years, but few are quite as gloriously unnecessary as the CRW-001G-9ER Ring Watch. Essentially a classic Casio digital watch shrunk down until it fits around your finger, the gold-coloured wearable normally costs £119.

Shop all watches in the Chisholm Hunter sale

Right now, however, it has dropped to £95.20, saving you £23.80, or 20%. Is it an essential buy? Absolutely not. Should you get one, anyway? Yes!

Created to celebrate 50 years of Casio watchmaking, the Ring Watch uses the brand's miniaturisation expertise to squeeze a genuinely functional digital watch into something approximately a tenth the size of a conventional wristwatch module.

The watch's seven-segment LCD shows the time and date, while three physical buttons provide access to dual time and stopwatch functions.

There's even a flashing light feature that illuminates the display at preset times, because apparently Casio looked at a digital watch small enough to wear on your finger and decided it wasn't eccentric enough already.

The case is made from stainless steel and recreates the shape and detailing of Casio's classic digital watches, right down to the tiny buttons surrounding the display.

It comes in Japanese ring size 22, with supplied spacers allowing it to fit sizes 19 and 16, while glass-bonding technology helps give the Ring Watch 10 metres of water resistance.

As a miniature piece of Casio history – and one of the most conversation-starting wearables you can put on your body – the CRW-001G is hard not to love. At under £100, it's considerably easier to justify, too.

Casio isn’t exactly known for making shy watches, but the G-SHOCK GA-V01 takes the brand’s oversized design language somewhere particularly strange.

Launched in 2025 as a fresh take on G-SHOCK toughness, the GA-V01 combines an integrated resin bezel and strap with huge, bumper-like hour markers, oversized controls and a spherical mineral glass covering the analogue-digital display.

The result looks almost alien, especially in this blue-purple colourway with contrasting turquoise hands and a black digital display. It certainly isn’t going to disappear underneath a shirt cuff.

There is some clever engineering behind the theatrics, too. Casio uses what it calls a Shock Release Hand, with the watch hands held magnetically so they can better absorb impacts. The chunky indices also perform double duty as shock-absorbing bumpers.

Despite its fairly enormous 58.2 x 49.1 x 19.6mm dimensions, the resin construction keeps weight down to a comparatively manageable 74g.

As you’d expect from a G-SHOCK, it is shock-resistant and rated for 200 metres of water resistance, while the CR2025 battery is designed to last approximately 10 years.

You also get world time across 31 time zones, a 1/100-second stopwatch, 24-hour countdown timer, five daily alarms, automatic calendar and double LED illumination.

There’s even a hand-shift function that moves the analogue hands temporarily so you can see the digital display underneath.

It’s unmistakably a fashion-forward G-SHOCK, but the underlying specifications are reassuringly traditional. At £83.30, the GA-V01 suddenly looks considerably easier to justify.

Seiko is continuing its 145th anniversary celebrations with its third series of limited edition watches. Within the collection are six new models from X Prospex, Astron, Presage, 5 Sports and Seiko Selection, all featuring ‘Edo purple’ accents on the dials, bezels and straps.

Throughout this year, Seiko has been launching new limited edition timepieces based on its most famous designs but in reimagined colours. The first series was all about gold, while the second series highlighted blue, including the Seiko 145th Anniversary Limited Edition ‘Craftsmanship’ Classic Series Arita Porcelain In Ruri Blue.

For the third series, it’s all about ‘Edo purple’, a traditional Japanese colour that’s evolved from ancient Edo to modern-day Tokyo. The colour is heavily featured in Seiko’s new anniversary designs to commemorate the brand’s beginnings as a Japanese clock and watch repair shop back in 1881.

Below are all six of Seiko’s new ‘Edo purple’ watches, based on its popular Prospex, Presage, Astron and 5 Sports designs. Purple is my favourite colour so I truly can’t decide which one is my favourite, although you will have to wait until October 2026 to get your hands on them.

Seiko X Prospex Land HBC006J1

Limited to 7,000 pieces, the Seiko X Prospex Land HBC006J1 features a lighter shade of ‘Edo purple’ on its dial. The watch is based on Seiko’s Laurel Alpinist watch, its first sports watch which debuted back in 1959.

Measuring 39.5mm, the Seiko X Prospex Land HBC006J1 has a stainless steel case, with a main crown at three o’clock, and a stop second hand function just below it at four. The dial is relatively simple aside from its date window and bright purple colour. Powered by the 6R55 movement, the watch has 72 hours of power reserve, and is priced at £820.

Seiko X Prospex Speedtimer HBJ005

Another Prospex model, the Seiko X Prospex Speedtimer HBJ005 is powered by its V192 solar movement which gives the watch six months of battery life. As a solar chronograph watch, the Seiko X Prospex Speedtimer HBJ005 is based on Seiko’s popular Speedtimer design, complete with a crown and two pushers on the right side of its 41mm stainless steel case.

The Seiko X Prospex Speedtimer HBJ005 features a bi-colour bezel with a tachymeter, and it displays a combination of black and purple colouring. The dial has a base purple colour which is overlaid with three black chronograph subdials, a date window between four and five o’clock and a white and gold hour markers.

Limited to 8,000 pieces, the Seiko X Prospex Speedtimer HBJ005 has a small seconds hand, 24-hour hand and a power reserve display. It’s priced at £670.

Seiko Astron HAB0011

Limited to 2,000 pieces, the Seiko Astron HAB0011 is a shift to a darker shade of ‘Edo purple’. The dial features a horizontal pattern with a gradient finish and varying widths on the upper and lower section of the watch. This gives the dial a unique texture and displays different lighter and darker shades of purple.

Sitting in a 43mm titanium case with a ceramic bezel, the Seiko Astron HAB0011 is much more complicated than it initially appears. Powered by a 5X83 GPS solar movement, the watch has up to six months of battery life, and has a GPS signal reception function.

The dial features three chronograph subdials, and a perpetual calendar. It has a dual-time function, including world time and daylight savings, and you can switch between the main dial and subdial with its time transfer function. It also has a power save function, day display and bright gold accents alongside the ‘Edo purple’.

Seiko 5 Sports HDB003

Another darker ‘Edo purple’ shade, the Seiko 5 Sports HDB003 is based on the 5 Sports design. It’s one of the more simpler models, featuring a stop second hand, day/date display and stainless steel 42.5mm case. It’s finished with a three-row stainless steel bracelet, and has a 41 hour power reserve, thanks to its 4R36 movement.

Limited to 9,999 pieces, the Seiko 5 Sports HDB003 is the cheapest model from the new ‘Edo purple’ range at £380.

Seiko Presage Cocktail Time HCB006

The Seiko Presage Cocktail Time HCB006 is inspired by the ‘Edo Murasaki’, an original purple cocktail created in collaboration with Hisashi Kishi, the owner of STAR BAR. It has a deep purple colour on the dial with a subtle sunray pattern that contrasts with silver hour markers, and hands.

A GMT hand is displayed in gold, giving the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time HCB006 a dual time display function. The watch also has a date window at three, and a stop second hand, as well as a 41 hour power reserve from its 4R34 movement. Sitting in a 40.5mm stainless steel case, the Seiko Presage Cocktail Time HCB006 is limited to 6,000 pieces and priced at £520.

Seiko HFL001

Last but certainly not least, the Seiko HFL001 is a digital quartz-powered watch which has an impressive 3 year battery life. Based on the Rotocall which first debuted back in 1982, this watch features a rotary switch that allows wearers to change modes by turning the bezel.

Measuring 37mm, the Seiko HFL001 has a black stainless steel case with a purple aluminium bezel. It’s also packed with features including alarms, timers, auto calendars, dual-time and chronographs, as well as battery life and LED illuminations. The Seiko HFL001 is priced at £560 and limited to 4,000 pieces.

Another day, another TAG Heuer watch launch! Following its recent collaboration with Team Ikuzawa which celebrated Japanese motorsports, TAG Heuer is taking a left turn and heading to the Netherlands with its new limited edition watch – and it won’t be hard to miss.

To mark the final Dutch Grand Prix, TAG Heuer has debuted two new versions of its Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm. The watch is housed in a small 38mm sandblasted steel case which is inspired by the Circuit Zandvoort, which feels close and compressed, with its narrow layout and corners that keep racers on their toes.

The case is somewhat overshadowed by its bidirectional 60 second / minute bezel which has a bold orange colour and the Solargraph’s iconic daisy motif shape. The bezel is crafted from TH-Polylight which is durable, lightweight and precise, and it stands out against the steel case and crown.

Orange and red colouring continues onto the dial of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm. The base of the dial is grey opalin, which is overlapped by orange and red details on the minute track, hour markers and hour, minute and seconds hands.

The orange is inspired by the signature colour of the Dutch Grand Prix. The indexes are a combination of circles and TAG Heuer shields at six, nine and twelve o’clock, while a date window sits at three. The hour markers are filled with Super LumiNova to enhance visibility in low light conditions.

Powered by the Calibre TH50-00 movement, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm uses both natural and artificial light as an energy source. A minute of exposure to direct sunlight should give the watch enough power to run for a full day.

A full charge can be accomplished when the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm has around 40 hours of light exposure, and its accumulator has an average lifespan of 15 years. When the watch stops, it can restart with just 10 seconds of light.

The main difference between the two versions of the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm is its strap options – an orange rubber strap or a steel three row bracelet.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm with an orange strap is limited to just £1,500 pieces, while the version with the steel bracelet is limited to 1,000. Available to buy at TAG Heuer, prices on the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph 38mm start at £1,800 / $2,150 / €2,100.

Casio might be the first brand that springs to mind when you think of wonderfully retro digital watches, but Timex has an alternative that deserves considerably more attention.

The Q Timex 1975 SSQ Digital Reissue takes its inspiration directly from the brand's first adventures in digital watchmaking during the mid-1970s, when the original SSQ collection introduced LCD and LED displays that must have looked positively futuristic at the time.

The modern version certainly doesn't try to hide those roots with its chunky stainless-steel case, measuring 38mm across and 13mm thick, sunburst-brushed upper surface, polished sides, and an integrated-looking brushed stainless-steel bracelet.

The wonderfully strange navy acrylic surround framing the rectangular LCD screen is what really sells the watch for me, though, which looks exactly like the sort of gadget someone in 1975 might have imagined we'd all be wearing in the future.

Digital minimalism

There's very little smartwatch-style feature creep here, and the simplicity is arguably a huge part of the appeal of this wonderful Timex timekeeper.

The always-on LCD shows the time, while the watch also provides a date function and a simple 0-60 second counter.

There are just two buttons on the case, while a battery-powered quartz digital movement handles timekeeping.

As you can tell, the SSQ doesn't pretend to be anything more than a stylish way to tell the time.

The watch weighs 92g and uses an acrylic crystal rather than mineral glass or sapphire, another detail that helps preserve its vintage look.

Water resistance is rated at 50 metres, and Timex says it's suitable for short swims, although you shouldn't press the buttons underwater.

It's not exactly a direct replacement for the affordable Casio Vintage A168 series – which often sell for as little as they used to in the 80s – that have dominated this particular corner of watchmaking for decades, but it offers something slightly different.

The stainless-steel construction, unusual case shape and deep blue display surround make it feel more like a piece of 1970s industrial design than a basic digital watch.

The Q Timex 1975 SSQ Digital Reissue is available now from Timex UK and Timex US for £155 / $169 (~€146 / AU$239).

It might just be a millennial thing, but I’ve been fascinated by Japan ever since I was a child. Japanese culture was huge in the 90s, and my brothers and I soaked it all, from movies and manga to video games and beyond.

Even though my love for the country never subsided, I had to wait until 2026 to actually make it to the land of the rising sun. I spent a week and a half in Tokyo, and it was an amazing experience, despite the heat and the humidity (and the constant threat of earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters).

As I was getting ready for my life-changing journey to the east, I had to make some decisions on what to take with me. Naturally, I packed my Fujifilm camera and a vlogging device, as well as minimal amounts of clothes (I assumed I’d be doing some apparel shopping, rightly so).

The wearable dilemma

One of the gadgets I contemplated the most was wearables. I have dozens of smartwatches and smart rings at home, each more advanced than the other.

They can all track sleep, exercise and stress, on top of more obscure health and fitness metrics. In fact, they can monitor so much that the data provided sometimes feels overwhelming.

This might explain why I opted to only take my Oura Ring 5 and my Casio MUDMASTER GG-B100XM-1A. Why on earth would I take a digital watch to Tokyo, knowing that I’ll be doing 20,000+ steps a day? How about tracking how my body is coping with jet lag?

I considered all of these before setting off. Sure, the MUDMASTER isn’t a wearable you would necessarily pick as a daily tracker. Even Casio has a somewhat better non-smart watch option, the G-Shock DW-H5600, which is a lot less bulky. Yet, when I was looking at my options, I decided to take the MUDMASTER with me, anyway.

Big watch energy

My main reason to take this particular watch was that it looks great. Sure, it’s a MUDMASTER, and therefore it’s bulky and rugged, but boy-oh-boy, doesn’t the GG-B100XM-1A look great? Everything from the bio-based carbon case and stainless steel bezel to the protruding buttons and mineral glass lens work together perfectly.

There is something enduring about the design of the watch. It looks sophisticated but also tough, old-school yet modern. While most people on the metro were staring at their smartphones (or nodding off), I often found myself playing around with my MUDMASTER, pressing the buttons so the light comes on, or checking different stats.

Yes, the GG-B100XM-1A isn’t a true ‘dumbwatch’ – it actually has a few sensors and tracks a few basic stats, like steps, altitude, air pressure, and so on. It even connects to your smartphone, although its connectivity prowess is far from full-blown smartwatches. Still, it does track a few things, which is more than enough if you’re on holiday.

When the heat is on

One of these metrics is temperature, which I kept a close eye on while in Tokyo. During the time I was in the megalopolis – late July – there was more than one kokushobi or “cruelly-hot” day, as temperatures rose above 40ºC.

I often ventured outside in the early morning, spending time walking around before the sun really powered up, then retreated into my apartment just before the hottest part of the day. Then, when the temperatures dropped, I went out again to see Tokyo in its full neon glory.

The GG-B100XM-1A’s heat sensor was a bit of help. I tried not relying on my smartphone continuously to conserve data, so having my watch tell me how hot it was helped a lot. Of course, I could feel the humidity and heat without the MUDMASTER telling me it was toasty, but something about numerically confirming this put my mind at ease.

No training, no problem

Another reason why I chose the Casio was that I wasn’t training while in Tokyo. It’s not like I didn’t want to; I saw many people running. I even managed to get in a couple of bodyweight workouts in my air-conditioned hotel room.

But due to my sciatica injury, I wasn’t able to run, and even walking around caused a considerable amount of pain. Running simply felt too much. If I were to train, I probably would have picked a Garmin watch instead of the MUDMASTER. But alas, it was not meant to be!

To be honest, looking at those runners doing their laps around the Imperial Castle in the morning, when it was already 28ºC and humid, soaked in sweat, I think I might have dodged a bullet by not even trying to exercise outdoors. Walking in that heat was enough.

(Luckily, I discovered a shiatsu massage place in Ginza, and it eased my nerve pain a lot. But that’s a different story altogether.)

A homecoming of sorts

My final, and somewhat sentimental, reason why I picked the Casio was to take the watch back home. Casio’s head office is actually located in Tokyo, and even though I haven’t visited it, taking the MUDMASTER with me felt like the right thing to do.

Yes, I know, it’s a bit cheesy to take a Japanese watch with me to Tokyo, but I didn’t care. Did wearing the GG-B100XM-1A over the, let’s say, Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 feel like a better choice? Well, it did for me, and that’s the main thing.

Over the 10-day period, the watch really grew on me, so much so that I might end up wearing it when I’m not testing smartwatches. There is something about your watch not knowing everything about you that makes it a more appealing option.

The MUDMASTER GG-B100XM-1A is available to buy now at Casio UK and Casio US in a number of colourways for the recommended price of £369 / $440.

Orient Star is celebrating its 75th anniversary with three versions of its M45 F7 Small Seconds watch. Expanding its Classic Collection M45, the new Orient Star M45 F7 Small Seconds comes in three different colourways, and features the brand’s simplest dials and most compact cases.

As part of its 75th anniversary celebrations, Orient Star has launched many new timepieces, including the Orient Star M43 Diver 1964 1st edition F8 Date 200m – a bit of a mouthful but a beautiful dive watch nonetheless – and a Contemporary Date which we got hands-on with.

But Orient Star isn’t slowing down the celebrations anytime soon, and has now launched three editions of its Orient Star M45 F7 Small Seconds. The main difference between the three versions is the dial colours – the RE-BS0001E reference is green, the RE-BS0002S reference is beige and the RE-BS0003N has a grey shade which is a limited edition.

Sitting in a 39mm stainless steel case, the dual-layered dial of the Orient Star M45 F7 Small Seconds has a lot more than initially meets the eye. While it lacks a calendar, the dial has Roman numerals, hour and minute hands, a power reserve indicator at 12 o’clock, and a small seconds display at six o'clock.

The hands of the Orient Star M45 F7 Small Seconds have a subtle leaf shape which adds more movement to the watch. A railway-track minute scale loops around the dial, with most of its accents having a sandblasted finish which gives the dial a subtle, scratch-like texture.

Powered by the F7H44 in-house automatic calibre, the movement has a high accuracy of +15 seconds to -5 seconds per day. As the case is slim, the movement is compact, too, and can be seen via the sapphire crystal caseback. The caseback is also engraved with ‘Orient Star 75th Anniversary’ and a serial number.

With a 50 hour power reserve, the Orient Star M45 F7 Small Seconds is finished with a leather strap – brown for the green and beige, and black for the grey. These timepieces are definitely the most minimalist watches from the brand’s 75th anniversary launches, but they’re classic and ideal for everyday wear, making them a worthy celebratory piece.

The Orient Star M45 F7 Small Seconds watches are available to buy now with prices starting at £869.99. The grey version is limited to just 500 pieces.

Seiko has expanded its 5 Sports watch line-up with the new Seiko 5 Sports x Honda Motocompo Limited Edition. Created in partnership with Honda, the timepiece celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Honda Motocompo, and it does it in bright yellow style.

Launched in 1981, the Honda Motocompo was the smallest folding scooter or ‘trunk bike’ of its time. Despite originally launching as just a factory add-on and being discontinued in 1983, the Motocompo became popular for its retro design and small size which allowed it to fit into a car trunk.

Now, Seiko and Honda are bringing it back in the form of a watch. The new Seiko 5 Sports x Honda Motocompo Limited Edition pays homage to the Motocompo but where you’ll really see that celebration is via the caseback.

When you flip the Seiko 5 Sports x Honda Motocompo Limited Edition over, you’ll see the caseback has a layer of red paint that gives a nod to the Motocompo’s colour. It has a bold Honda logo which sits atop an engraving of the Motocompo in its folded down form. A serial number is also etched on the back.

But back to the front of the Seiko 5 Sports x Honda Motocompo Limited Edition which is hard to miss. Sitting in a 36mm stainless steel case, this watch has a bright yellow dial with black lines and a grey strip running through the middle. The Honda logo sits at nine o’clock while a day/date window sits at three.

‘Automatic’ is printed just above six o’clock in Honda’s signature font. Black numerals and indices loop around the dial which are coated in Lumibrite to enhance its visibility in low light. It’s definitely not a dial you’ll forget anytime soon.

The Seiko 5 Sports x Honda Motocompo Limited Edition has a stop seconds hand function, which is powered by the 4R36 automatic calibre movement. This gives the watch 41 hours of power reserve. Additional engravings appear on the crown which says ‘TURN’ and the nylon strap which says ‘Insertion Point’.

Limited to just 8,000 pieces worldwide, the Seiko 5 Sports x Honda Motocompo Limited Edition is available to pre-order for £340 at Seiko.

One of the most appealing aspects of the world of watches is how there is always more to learn. People dedicate their lives to watchmaking, and still can't make it through a day without learning something new, and Armin Strom is a great example of this.

Ask a collector where serious Swiss watchmaking happens, and they'll say Geneva, or the Vallée de Joux. But in Biel, a Swiss-German city two hours north of Geneva, a 55-person-strong independent has built one of the more technically uncompromising watchmaking operations in the industry.

As Guerric Merrer, Head of Marketing and Communication at Armin Strom put it, the reputation of the Swiss-Germans is that they're strict, straight to the point, no emotion. "Which is not the case," he said.

Founded by master hand-skeletoniser Armin Strom himself in 1967, the brand as it exists today really began in 2006, when Serge Michel and Claude Greisler took it over. Michel came from marketing and sales, whereas Greisler was a trained watchmaker, having spent his early career restoring antique pocket watches, and it was his technical grounding that enabled the pair to build a manufacture from scratch in Biel in 2009.

Their first calibre, the RSR07, still powers the One Week model today, yet eighteen calibres later, the original split- one man telling the story, one man building the mechanism- still defines how the place runs.

What's easy to miss is that Armin Strom markets itself purely through the merit of its watches, not a lifestyle around them. That conscious decision to put its watches not only first and centre but at the heart of everything, the brand is focused on is indicative of a watch brand that conceptualises, manufactures, and brings its pieces to life.

This showing-the-working instinct runs straight through the product too. "We try to never hide anything in the movement," explains Merrer. Every bridge hand-decorated, every angle finished across fifteen types of decoration, whether the watch is the CHF 22,000 entry model or the CHF 390,000 Minute Repeater Resonance 12:59 released this year at Watches and Wonders. Openworked doesn't mean undressed here, and no component gets a pass just because it's hidden.

The process required to deliver impressive finishing might not be understood by many, but it can certainly be appreciated; with Armin Strom, it's really the engineering of these highly finished components that gets underrated.

Take the brand's approach to resonance. This complication sees two balance wheels in close proximity sharing vibration, resulting in each correcting the other's rate and synchronising. In the traditional method, best known through F.P. Journe's Resonance, the vibrations travel through the main plate and bridges, synchronising the balance wheels indirectly via the movement's solid structure.

Armin Strom, however, developed a clutch spring that links the two balance wheels directly, a built-for-purpose suspension carrying vibration between them. What takes only a couple of sentences to explain took the brand roughly three and a half years and around 35 discarded prototype shapes, starting with something as basic as a wire strung between the two wheels before the shape was refined into what sits in the watch today.

Using steel, not silicon was a deliberate choice so it could be made in-house on their own machines rather than depending on outside suppliers. It's the reason a resonance watch here starts well under what some rivals charge for the same idea, while doing something more mechanically committed underneath.

Out of the 55 people who work out of Biel, 34 are watchmakers, including the three engineers who design every calibre in-house. 97% of components are produced on-site, including screws cut on six CNC machines, with a current production capability of 400 to 450 watches a year. Eighteen calibres, entirely in-house, in fifteen years, is a startling number for a company this size.

Within Armin Strom’s building (that was previously owned by Rolex), what struck me was as much the atmosphere as the output. The space is compact, closer in feel to a well-run workshop than an industrial site, and every square metre of it is put to work. There's a calm to the place that seems almost at odds with what's coming off the benches, a brand capable of building a resonance minute repeater staying tastefully humble about the space it's built in rather than turning the manufacture itself into part of the marketing.

Design decisions get made in one office, right next door to where the technical conversations happen that turn those decisions into something that can actually be built, engineering and creative direction sitting together. Greisler has described the arrangement plainly: he handles the technical side, Michel handles sales and marketing, but all decisions are made hand in hand.

Every new model still starts as sketches and renderings before the brand uses 3D-printed prototypes early on to check that proportions feel right on the wrist, with that work happening in the same building as the production floor rather than being farmed out to a design studio elsewhere. The people making the calls and the people building the thing are, quite literally, one door apart.

Which is really what makes Armin Strom. This isn't a manufacturer chasing the wider audience that already thinks it knows what Swiss watchmaking looks like. The brand builds for the collectors who look past the assumptions, and it seems entirely undisturbed by everyone else.

After spending a day on the manufacture floor, you realise the secret to accessing a brand like this isn’t exclusivity, you just need a little curiosity and a lot of unyielding ambition.

G-Shock has launched a new generation of its aviation-focused Gravitymaster watch, with a design inspired by supersonic aircraft and a movement that can react automatically to shocks and strong magnetic fields.

The Gravitymaster GWR-B3000 series sits within G-Shock’s professional Master of G collection and will be offered in three versions: the GWR-B3000-1A, GWR-B3000A-2A and GWR-B3000B-8A.

The watch uses the Tough MVT.2 analogue movement, which introduces shock detection alongside automatic hand-position correction to detect a heavy impact and immediately realign its hands if necessary.

The movement can also detect strong magnetic fields, and when one is encountered, the hands temporarily stop to prevent their reference positions from shifting.

They return to the correct position and resume operation once the magnetic field is no longer present.

These protections are joined by Tough Solar charging, Multi Band 6 radio-controlled timekeeping and Bluetooth connectivity.

Designed to withstand all kinds of punishment

Casio has given the GWR-B3000 a dual hollow case structure designed to protect it against impacts, vibration and centrifugal force, the three elements covered by the company’s Triple G Resist standard.

The brand says the carbon-reinforced central case is suspended inside an outer structure and supported at four separate points.

Metal-injection-moulded stainless-steel components and resin buffers provide additional protection, while the shock absorbers have deliberately been left visible as part of the watch’s industrial design.

Topology optimisation was used to simulate the effects of drops, vibration and centrifugal force on the individual components, Casio adds.

The resulting structure is intended to provide the necessary protection without making the watch excessively heavy.

That is relative, of course, as the watch remains a substantial G-Shock with a case that measures 56.7 x 47.3 x 14.1mm, although its use of carbon and bio-based resin keeps the weight to 102g.

The analogue dial has a micro-textured surface intended to reduce reflections and improve contrast in bright conditions. It is protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating.

Other specifications include 200 metres of water resistance, a high-brightness LED, dual-time display, direct access to UTC, a stopwatch, countdown timer and daily alarm. The watches are manufactured in Japan.

The G Shock Gravitymaster GWR-B3000 series is available through Casio UK now, priced from £750, with delivery expected in four to six weeks.

European availability begins in August from €799, while Australian prices start at AU$1,499. Casio says US availability has also begun, with pricing from $880.

Only a few weeks after it launched two Luminor Luna Rossa watches, Panerai is back with another Luminor model. The new Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 keeps Panerai’s classic design cafes from the 1960s and pairs them with its most advanced material yet, Carbotech.

Measuring 44mm, the case of the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 is made from Carbotech, a lightweight and resistant material developed by Panerai. The process of making Carbotech is extensive and includes compressing carbon fibre sheets at a precise temperature and high pressure.

This carbon is compressed alongside a polymer that reinforces the composite which enhances the Carbotech plates in strength and durability. Panerai states that it’s 80% lighter than steel and 64% lighter than titanium, but it’s still resistant to corrosion and water. The watch also has a total thickness of 14.5mm and weighs 100g.

Carbotech is what makes the case of the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 which features the Luminor’s classic square shape with its crown and protective bridge. This dark black shade matches the sandwich matte black dial which is contrasted with beige numerals, hour markers and hands which have Super-LumiNova to enhance its visibility.

At nine o’clock, the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 has a small seconds display which is a reference to the vintage features that Panerai is known for. The dial doesn’t have a date function, leaving it quite simple and minimalistic.

The Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 is powered by the P.9010 automatic calibre movement which integrates several mechanisms at once for pin-point accuracy. This includes its stop-seconds which stops the seconds hand when the crown is pulled out, and a quick time-change which moves the hand forward or backward in one-hour increments.

In doing this, it doesn’t affect the minute hand or interrupt the movement, so the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 is a great choice for those who need to flip between different time zones. The movement is made up of two series-connected barrels, 31 jewels and it gives the watch a three day power reserve.

To continue the vintage aesthetic, the Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 is finished with a brown calf leather strap with beige stitching. It also comes with a black rubber strap as another option.

The Panerai Luminor Marina PAM01707 is available to buy for £13,100 at Panerai.

Owning a Rolex is on many watch fans' bucket lists, and for good reason. For many, having a Rolex on your wrist is a symbol of luxury and success, but due to the expense and popularity, they can be hard to get your hands on.

I recently spoke to Robertino Altieri, CEO and Founder of WatchGuys about the secondary Rolex market and which pre-owned Rolex watches you should buy. When asked about which ones you should avoid, Altieri said that while “some models will save you a little money… they are not entirely worth buying.”

Below are nine Rolex pre-owned watches that Altieri recommends avoiding “whether your goal is value or appreciation” as they’re unlikely to climb in value.

Pre-owned Rolex watches you shouldn’t buy

1. Rolex Datejust 278273

The Rolex Datejust is an exceedingly popular timepiece but in the case of the 278273 version, it’s a very small model at just 31mm which has “low potential for appreciation.” Despite being a great everyday piece, Altieri states that “its smaller case size limits its target clientele, and therefore its demand. Adding factory diamonds will further drag down secondary value. While this is a beautiful watch to keep in the family, it's not likely to make you money in the future.”

2. Rolex Datejust 126303

Another Datejust, the Rolex Datejust 126303 is a 41mm two-tone model which is usually quite a hit on the pre-owned market. However, “they are in plentiful supply, so demand for these models is ordinary,” says Altieri. “For that reason, there is little room for appreciation in these models, regardless of the dial colour.”

3. Rolex Datejust 126331

The third Datejust on this list, the 126331 model has a 41mm size with a sundust dial. What makes this watch tricky and a “slow mover on the secondary market”, its size limits its demand from women yet the dial colour and design can be too feminine for most men.

4. Rolex Sky-Dweller 336934 White Dial

Demand is soft for the Rolex Sky-Dweller 336934 despite being technically impressive with its annual calendar, dual time zone and white dial. Where it struggles to hold attention on the second market is the “white dial variant lacks the visual punch of its bright blue and black-dialed counterparts,” says Altieri.

5. Rolex GMT-Master II 126729VTNR "Hornet"

Despite having a very cool name, the white gold version of the GMT-Master II 126729VTNR "Hornet" “carries a steep retail price that the secondary market has not fully embraced”. It’s a beautiful watch with a grey and black bezel and green dial but “the gold weight and premium pricing work against it on resale, and it’s a reference that typically trades below retail without any interest from collectors.

6. Rolex Day-Date 228238

The Day-Date is another popular reference from Rolex but “any Rolex Day-Date 228238 with a standard dial is a hard sell for value on the secondary market, and diamond configurations make it worse.” As an example, Altieri explains that the “40mm yellow gold President carries a heavy retail price driven largely by the gold and any factory stones. On resale, that gold and diamond premium simply does not translate, so buyers routinely take a significant loss… models with common dials are just not as loved by collectors.”

7. Rolex Day-Date 128235

The second Day-Date in this list, the gold value of the 128235 has “pushed its retail price way past its investment potential. The white dial variant especially does not generate the demand needed for this model to appreciate in value over time.”

8. Rolex Daytona 126509

The Rolex Daytona that Altieri recommends avoiding is the white gold Daytona 126509 with a black dial. He dubs it “a great watch with a bad configuration. The blue dial “John Mayer” variation is a popular piece that commands a good premium, but the black dial counterpart is not a fan favourite.”

9. Rolex 1908 ref. 52509

Finally, the Rolex 1908 ref. 52509 with a white dial doesn’t have the usual look of a Rolex which is why many people don’t consider adding it to their collections. “You can save up to $5,000 buying this watch on the secondary market, but it’s a model that is simply not gaining traction in the collecting community.”

Mr Jones Watches is back with another quirky, limited edition watch, and I think this one might be my favourite yet. The new &#@%!? – yes, that’s really what it’s called – has some choice words as its hands, and is inspired by those days when time feels like it’s crawling by oh so slowly.

&#@%!? is designed by Mr Jones Watches’ printmaker and London illustrator, Rocky Beeson. This is the second time Beeson has designed for Mr Jones Watches, and her style is best described as ‘tongue-in-cheek’ and a way to take aim at daily life’s tiny irritations.

When asked about the idea behind the &#@%!? watch, Beeson gave what is quite possibly the best quote I’ve ever heard. Her approach to illustrating and designing is “I see it, I hate it, I draw it”. In the case of the Mr Jones Watches &#@%!? timepiece, the watch is said to be focused on time-slowing activities like laggy laptops and traffic jams.

Sitting in a 37mm stainless steel case, the dial of the Mr Jones Watches &#@%!? is surprisingly simple, although it’ll be hard to gloss over. The black dial showcases “Slow as F***” and “Not as Slow” capitalised writing that acts as the hours and minutes hands.

Made from metal, these ‘hands’ move around the watch like traditional hands do to show off the time – you’ll actually want to watch the clock with this timepiece. The seconds hand is also metal and has a fun, wiggly line shape.

&#@%!? by Mr Jones is powered by a single jewel quartz mechanism, and is finished with an 18mm silver stainless steel strap. Limited to just 300 pieces, &#@%!? is available to buy for £195 / $245 / €245 at Mr Jones Watches.

TAG Heuer is back again with another motorsport-inspired watch in collaboration with Team Ikuzawa and Bamford Watch Department. As an ode to the iconic Roadmaster stopwatch, the limited edition timepiece has an oversized crown and pushers that frame a bezel-free case and white and red dial.

This latest collaboration is the second time TAG Heuer has teamed up with Team Ikuzawa following the success of its partnership in 2023. The result is a Carrera Chronograph inspired by the Roadmaster stopwatch which is currently preserved within the Team Ikuzawa archives.

The Roadmaster stopwatch is a vintage 60-minute mechanical dashboard stopwatch. It was first introduced in the 1970s and became a symbol of Japanese motorsport throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It’s been reimagined in the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa, especially by its case, crown and pushers.

Measuring 39mm, the case of the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa is made from fine brushed and polished steel with a crown at three o’clock with a red lacquered ring. Either side of the crown are two oversized pushers that control the chronographs.

The case is bezel-free so it gives you an interrupted view of the watch’s dial, flange and minute track. The main colour of the dial is white with a Clou de Paris texture, and it has bold red accents that are Team Ikuzawa’s signature shade, including the hour, minute and seconds hands.

Red is also highlighted on the chronograph counters at three and nine o’clock. The minute chronograph at three o’clock is completely red with a rhodium-plated polished hand while the hour chronograph at nine o’clock is white with a red lacquered hand.

There’s also a date window at six o’clock which sits just below the Team Ikuzawa logo, and the traditional markers have been replaced by printed indexes as a further nod to the Roadmaster stopwatch’s aesthetic.

Powered by the TH20-10 chronograph calibre, the movement omits the running seconds display and can be seen via the sapphire caseback. When you reverse the watch, you can see the individual number of the watch, as well as Team Ikuzawa and Bamford Watch Department branding.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa is finished with a seven-two steel bracelet. It also comes with two additional straps for some extra colour, including a red and white textile strap and a white leather strap.

Limited to just 150 pieces, the TAG Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Team Ikuzawa is available to buy for £8,850 / $10,500 / €10,450. The watch is presented in a racing toolbox-inspired package which comes with straps, a travel pouch and a collection of custom Team Ikuzawa charms that are designed to be used as keyrings.

Avid watch fans and collectors will never forget the day they bought their first Rolex. It’s a big milestone moment, and as Rolex watches at retail have never been easy, it can take some time as authorised dealers tend to hold on to their stock as much as possible.

With this – and the costs – in mind, it’s often easier and more beneficial to buy a pre-owned Rolex. To find out more, I spoke to Robertino Altieri, CEO and Founder of WatchGuys about the secondary Rolex market.

“During 2020, Rolex prices boomed and secondary market values of certain models were almost a percentage of what they are now. Since then, the market has leveled out, but certain watches continue to trend upward in value,” Altieri explains. “But as a new collector, there are a few ways you can strategize your purchase on the secondary market.”

To help you find your perfect Rolex, Altieri gives his advice on how to buy one, and which models you should and shouldn’t buy.

Buying a pre-owned Rolex: The Do’s and Don’ts

At the start of 2026, Rolex raised its prices across all its models, including full gold and two-tone watches which climbed to 9% higher. Halfway through the year in June 2026, Rolex raised its prices a second time adding 5% more to full gold and 2.5% more to two-tone.

The main reason for this is simple: gold. As Altieri explains, “Rolex runs its own in-house foundry, the market value of the metal flows directly into the retail price of every gold watch. Gold has roughly doubled over the past three years, and it currently trades around $4,000 an ounce. This works to the watch's detriment on the resale side, because the retail value of gold often surpasses the watch's own secondary market value.”

So, when buying a pre-owned Rolex rather than new, chances are you can save money on Rolex gold and two-tone watches. “If your goal is to save money, lean into gold and two-tone references, where retail pricing has been inflated by the rising cost of gold and pre-owned examples trade at meaningful discounts,” says Altieri.

There’s nothing wrong with buying a Rolex that’s popular or limited edition, either. They’re good investment pieces to add to your collection, and “if your goal is appreciation, focus on the steel sports models and discontinued icons that consistently outrun supply.”

But along a similar vein, there are certain Rolex watches that are simply not very popular and should be approached with caution, as they may not be great money savers on the secondary market. These include Rolex Datejust models, like the 126303, 278273 and 126331, as well as highly exclusive pieces like the Rolex GMT-Master II 126729VTNR "Hornet".

10 pre-owned Rolex watches you should consider buying

1. Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO "Pepsi"

A model all Rolex fans know and love, the Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO "Pepsi" is Rolex’s most recently discontinued watch. “Its market value doubled after discontinuation was announced and has leveled out since, but these models are likely to hold their value for years to come,” says Altieri. Currently, you can buy a "Pepsi" for around $26,000 on the secondary market.

2. Rolex Daytona 126500LN "Panda"

The Rolex Daytona 126500LN "Panda" features a white dial which is often considered “a holy grail model for collectors”. It’s extremely hard to get at retail, and is expected to continue climbing in value, as it currently holds a market value around $38,000.

3. Rolex Datejust 126334 Green Dial

Next, the Datejust 126334 pairs a 41mm case and a fluted white gold bezel with one of Rolex's most sought-after dial colors: green. “Green dials move quickly, and this configuration blends everyday versatility with strong collector demand, making it a smart current-production buy that tends to hold value better than the average Datejust.” The jubilee reference has a market value around $17,000, with its oyster counterpart going for just under $16,000.

3. Rolex Datejust 126334 Green Dial

Next, the Datejust 126334 pairs a 41mm case and a fluted white gold bezel with one of Rolex's most sought-after dial colors: green. “Green dials move quickly, and this configuration blends everyday versatility with strong collector demand, making it a smart current-production buy that tends to hold value better than the average Datejust.” The jubilee reference has a market value around $17,000, with its oyster counterpart going for just under $16,000.

4. Rolex Explorer II 226570 "Polar"

The Rolex Explorer II 226570 with the white "Polar" dial is a tool watch that “has quietly earned its place as the “best starter watch among enthusiasts. The high-contrast white dial with the orange 24-hour hand is instantly recognizable and consistently in demand.” It’s a steel sports model which is tough to secure at retail, but the Polar is a strong long-term hold on the secondary market and has market value around $13,500.

5. Rolex Submariner 126618LB "Bluesy"

The Rolex Submariner 126618LB full gold "Bluesy" is a hefty piece and not quite as popular as its two-tone counterpart. But you can save yourself up to $5,000 if you buy it on the secondary market. It has a market value around $46,500, and a shocking retail value of $50,900.

6. Rolex GMT-Master II 126711CHNR "Root Beer"

Onto money-saving options, the Rolex GMT-Master II 126711CHNR "Root Beer" is a two-tone GMT with a black and brown split bezel and Everose gold center links. “It’s not quite as popular as other GMT models, and the presence of gold makes it a watch you can buy for up to $2,000 under retail on the secondary market. Many are available for around $22,500!

7. Rolex Submariner 126613LN

The next money saving model is the Rolex Submariner 126613LN. As a two-tone piece with a black dial and bezel with yellow gold center links, “it carries a similar look to a GMT, at a great price.” According to Altieri, you can save up to $3,000 when buying this model pre-owned. It’s available around $18,000, with unworn models selling for up to $20,500.

8. Rolex GMT-Master II 126710GRNR "Bruce Wayne"

A well-named watch, the Rolex GMT-Master II 126710GRNR "Bruce Wayne" has a black and grey split-bezel GMT. Another model that doesn’t stay in stock for long, it’s a classic piece and a cult favourite, whose value will likely continue to trend upwards.

9. Rolex Submariner 116610LV "Hulk"

Another discontinued winner is the Rolex Submariner 116610LV "Hulk." A stunning Submariner with a matching green bezel and dial – hence the nickname – this model flies off the shelf once stocked, and you can get one for around $20,000.

10. Rolex Submariner 126610LV "Kermit" / "Starbucks"

Finally, the current green-bezel Rolex Submariner 126610LV is a strong current-production pick. “It carries the spirit of the discontinued "Hulk" in a slimmer, more wearable case. Demand consistently outpaces supply at retail, so pre-owned examples command a premium, but this is a model that has historically held and grown its value.” It has a market value around $16,800, about $5,000 over retail.

G-Shock has unveiled a particularly eye-catching take on its classic DW-6900, created with Bay Area rapper Larry June and his lifestyle brand, Midnight Organic.

The limited-edition G-Shock DW6900MO26-4 is finished almost entirely in bright orange.

The colour comes from the custom interior of June’s 1987 Chevrolet C4 Corvette, which he calls “Tropical Guts”.

June reportedly bought the car for just $3,500 (~£2,628 / €3,079 / AU$5,014) in 2018 after spotting it parked beside a road in Pacifica, California.

Its stock silver and grey metallic exterior contrasts with the vivid orange cabin, making it one of the most recognisable symbols of the rapper’s self-described “laid-back luxury” lifestyle.

G-Shock has translated that combination to the watch with metallic elements around the dial and a silver-coloured metal keeper inspired by the Corvette’s exterior.

The resin bezel and strap supply a considerable helping of orange.

It is based on the familiar DW-6900 silhouette, complete with the model’s three circular indicators and oversized front-mounted light button.

Midnight Organic branding appears above the display, while “1991” is printed prominently along the strap.

A feel-good surprise hidden in the display

There are more collaborative details around the stainless-steel case back, including an engraving with Midnight Organic’s circular “1991 – You’re Doing Good” emblem.

Pressing the light button also illuminates the display with a custom red “Good Job!” message.

The watch is supplied in equally bright special-edition packaging decorated with Midnight Organic branding and the same “You’re Doing Good” artwork.

The watch itself offers shock resistance, water resistance to 200 metres, a 1/100-second stopwatch, countdown timer, multifunction alarm and a Super Illuminator LED backlight. Both 12- and 24-hour time formats are supported.

“I’ve been collecting G-Shocks for years, so it was special to see the process and be able to design my own watch,” June said.

The G-Shock DW6900MO26-4 is priced at $170 (~£128 / €150 / AU$244). Sales begin through Midnight Organic on 24 July, before availability expands to G-Shock’s US website, its SoHo store and selected retailers on 31 July.

G-Shock has not announced UK, EU and AU pricing or availability.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has just expanded its Rendez-Vous collection with two new timepieces, designed with feminine elegance in mind. While the new Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day will draw all the attention with its intricate hand-painted dial, the Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute is the one that’s got me excited – and it might have finally changed my mind about women’s watches.

The Rendez-Vous collection by Jaeger-LeCoultre first debuted back in 2012, its dedicated collection of fine mechanical women’s watches. The models in the line-up come in smaller sizes between 29mm to 36mm to cater to smaller wrists, and typically feature hand-guilloché dials and diamond details.

The new Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day has kept these features with its multi-layed dial featuring a miniature hand-painting in lacquer. Limited to just 10 pieces, the watch measures 34mm and sits in a platinum 950 collection which is a first to the Rendez-Vous range.

The bezel of the case is set with 49 baguette-cut diamonds that sparkles around the painted dial. Described as an ‘ode to nature’, the dial of the Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day features an Asian Paradise Flycatcher which sits on a branch with Korean Dogwood blossom.

If you look just beneath the bird, there’s a disc which has a 24 hour day and night display. It rotates every 24 hours to show the transition from the sun to the moon. It’s also been meticulously hand-painted.

Oversized numerals sit atop the hand-painted disc, and they differ in size with 12 being the largest, and nine and three shrinking to the side. It sits atop the miniature painting which is separate from the dial with an oval ring that has grain-set diamonds dotted around it.

Powered by the Calibre 733 movement, the Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day has a rotor that’s crafted from 22kt gold. It’s finished with a blue alligator strap to match the main colour of the dial.

My favourite launch from the new Rendez-Vous collection is the updated Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute. Now available in steel or 18kt pink gold, the new watch has a refined, minimalist style that sits in a small 29mm case.

The new Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute is very simple, just displaying the hour and minutes on the dial. It keeps the signature Rendez-Vous Floral numerals, and it has a light sunray guilloché texture. The case and bezel are smooth and sans diamonds, but there are small diamonds that loop around the dial that also act as hour markers.

The steel version of the Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute has black numerals, blue hands and a snow-white dial, while the pink gold model matches in colour with the case, hour markers and hands. The watch also comes with metal or alligator leather straps. It’s powered by the Quartz Calibre 657 movement, and prices start at £6,800.

2026 is shaping up to be the year of Ulysse Nardin. Following its ‘most complex time-only watch ever created’ at Watches and Wonders 2026, Ulysse Nardin has just launched the limited edition Blast [Moonstruck] which combines five astronomical indications in one watch.

The new Ulysse Nardin Blast [Moonstruck] is inspired by the Trilogy of time by Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, and is a celebration of the manufacturer’s heritage in astronomical watch making. The first-ever Moonstruck timepiece was launched by Ulysse Nardin in 2009, and this latest edition pays homage to one of the brand’s most impressive astronomical complications.

Well known for its ‘no dial’ designs, the Ulysse Nardin Blast [Moonstruck] takes this to the next level, and is made up of multiple layers to make up its geocentric display. The watch gives the wearer a look into the different positions of the Earth, sun and moon, while also providing five different complications to marvel at.

These five indications include a moonphase which is accurate for 40.3 years, days of the month, tidal coefficients, a world timer and the sun and moon positions around the globe. All of this and more sits in a 45mm case, made from rose gold on the upper case and black DLC-treated titanium in the middle and bezel.

At the centre of the dial is the Earth and a 3D display of the Northern Hemisphere which sits atop an aventurine dial. Surrounding this is a track that shows the positions of the sun and moon, with the sun indication mounted on a rotating 24-hour worldtimer disc which displays 24 time zones.

The sun sits at 12 o’clock as a reference point so wearers can read time across all 24 time zones. The moon displays the moonphase and lunar month, and moves around the watch to reproduce the lunar cycle. As the moon always faces the sun, the part that does on the watch is illuminated.

But that’s not all! A two-tone day/night indication and fixed city ring allows wearers to see global time and the movement of the sun throughout the day, so you can tell between daytime and nighttime. A rose gold ring circles the dial which is engraved with the days of the month. A sapphire glass box covers the entire infrastructure.

Powered by the UN-106 manufacture calibre, the automatic movement features a silicon escapement and hairspring, components that Ulysse Nardin first introduced to its Freak watch in 2001. The movement has a patented time setting mechanism which allows wearers to adjust local time forwards or backwards in one-hour increments.

This adjustment is done by the oversized pushers that flank the crown on the right side of the case. The crown itself can adjust the astronomical settings. The movement is made of 338 components and 42 jewels, and gives the watch an impressive 50 hour power reserve.

Finished with a black alligator strap, the Blast [Moonstruck] might be the most impressive watch from Ulysse Nardin Blast that I’ve ever seen – and that’s saying something! It’s a true work of art, but you’ll have to be quick if you want it.

Limited to just 20 pieces, the Ulysse Nardin Blast [Moonstruck] is priced at £87,530 / €102,600 / $116,000.

Gerald Charles has debuted a trio of new Masterlink watches, and I can’t decide which one I like the most! Upgrading its iconic Masterlink design, the new timepieces feature stunning, colourful gemstones on the dial and bezel, adding extra colour and sparkle to its classic watch style.

The Masterlink watch is Gerald Charles’ most recognisable watch. It has a 38mm stainless steel case and an integrated bracelet with Gerald Charles’ Maestro ‘smile’ at six o’clock. Based on a square, the Gerald Charles Masterlink has a rounded octagonal shape with a fixed bezel and screw-down crown – see our hands-on with the Gerald Charles Masterlink for more details.

What makes this new trio different from the original Masterlink is its use of gemstones. Available in blue, green or red, each watch uses a different gemstone as the base of its dial, and introduces baguette-cut gems as the hour markers and set into the white gold bezels.

Starting with the blue – which I think is my favourite version – the Gerald Charles Masterlink Gem-Set Stone Dial is made from spectrolite which is a rare form of labradorite. Each stone is unique, but spectrolite typically comes in blue, violet, green and gold hues.

To further capture the blue shade, the Gerald Charles Masterlink Gem-Set Stone Dial features 60 blue sapphires on the bezel. Blue sapphires also represent the hour markers, and the rest of the dial is kept simple with just hour and minute hands to let the gemstone really shine.

The green version of the Gerald Charles Masterlink Gem-Set Stone Dial is made from aventurine. 60 green tsavorites are set into the bezel and on the dial. Finally, the red edition is made from Iron Eye which has layers of red, orange, black and brown colours. The bezel and hour markers are set with red sapphires.

Powered by the GCA1000 manufacture calibre movement, the Gerald Charles Masterlink has a 50 hour power reserve. The movement, including its offset micro-rotor can be seen via the open caseback. Stone dials are a big watch trend for 2026, and Gerald Charles has captured it perfectly with these new launches.

As you can imagine, producing these dials takes a lot of time, as you have to be very specific and delicate when cutting a circular disc from a gemstone. This care and craftsmanship reflects the price and limited availability of the watches, too.

Limited to 10 pieces each, the gem-set stone versions of the Gerald Charles Masterlink are available on request.

Breitling has teamed up with Aston Martin on the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41, a stunning, intricate watch that pays tribute to the iconic Aston Martin DB5 car. Available in three versions, the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 is inspired by the interior of the Aston Martin DB5, including its upholstery and steering wheel.

The Aston Martin DB5 was first introduced in 1963. It’s known as one of the most iconic on-screen cars, as it was featured in not one, not two but eight James Bond films. Aston Martin and Breitling have that in common, as Breitling’s Top Time ref. 2002 was worn by Sean Connery’s Bond in Thunderball in 1965.

To celebrate this history, Breitling and Aston Martin have collaborated on the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 which looks like the Aston Martin DB5 in watch form. The watch is available in three limited edition versions, including stainless steel with a silver dial, steel and platinum with a black lacquered dial, and a 18K red gold with onyx dial.

Measuring 41mm, the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 features a cushion-shaped case with a round, fixed bezel. The corners of the watch have a grooved pattern which matches the outer ring of the crown. The crown is flanked by two mushroom chronograph pushers that hark back to Breitling’s original 1960s chronograph watch.

The Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 has many wooden details as inspired by the interior accents of the Aston Martin. This is most prominent on the wooden inner rehaut ring which is a nod to the DB5’s steering wheel.

While the dials differ in colour and material, the features are the same, including a main sunray brushed dial, and chronograph subdials at three and nine o’clock. The subdials are 1/4th second and 30-minute counters, and have a ‘squircle’ shape – squares with rounded corners – that are meant to look like the dashboard gauges on classic cars.

The dial has an external minute track, hours, minutes and seconds hands, and bar-like hour markers. The hands have Super-LumiNova to enhance the visibility in low light conditions.

Powered by the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01 movement, the Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 has a 70 hour power reserve. The movement, including a vertical clutch and column-wheel, can be seen via the open caseback. It beautifully displays the Aston Martin-engraved rotor which comes in rhodium or 18K red gold, depending on the version you pick.

The Top Time B01 Chronograph 41 is finished with a brown calf-skin leather strap, another nod to the DB5’s upholstery. My personal favourite is the steel, platinum and black lacquered dial as I like the contrast between black dial, wooden rehaut and steel case. This version is limited to 315 pieces and costs £14,400, so it’ll be slightly harder to get your hands on but not impossible.

The stainless steel and silver dial is limited to 1,022 pieces and priced at £8,650, while the 18K red gold version is limited to just 250 pieces and costs £35,100. Pricing can be found on the Breitling website.

There's a lot of incredible ingenuity in the British watchmaking scene right now. While top name players like Christopher Ward lead the charge, there are a sea of smaller, independent brands putting out seriously impressive watches at great prices.

One example I stumbled upon late last year was the Abinger Nimrod. That's a well-spec'd watch with a go anywhere, do anything personality, for less than you'd think.

Now, the brand has unveiled the Phantom, which builds on that base with a stealthy new look. Let's jump in and take a closer look.

Abinger Phantom: key specs

Let's kick off with some specs. The model utilises a 38mm case diameter, and sits a mere 10.8mm tall. That houses a Miyota 9039 movement – a well-respected third-party movement which offers 42 hours of power reserve, and accuracy of -10/+15 seconds per day.

The piece is also water resistant to 200m, which is seriously impressive. That's dive watch levels of resistance, and feels unbelievable on a watch with these dimensions and at this price.

There is a bezel on the watch, though it's not a dive bezel. Instead, the watch uses a second hour scale, which allows the piece to act like a GMT watch.

You'll also find an FKM rubber strap on this model. That features a patterned top, designed to look like fabric, but it is, in fact all rubber. Also note that the pre-production model I've reviewed comes with a silver buckle, but that will be a matching black on the finished article.

What is the Abinger Phantom like on the wrist?

As you'd probably expect from the spec sheet, this model wears like a dream. The slim case height paired with the smaller diameter makes for an overall prospect which is just dreamy to wear.

I'm also a big fan of the rubber strap here. It suits the vibe of the watch – or, at the very least, how it has felt during my summer testing – with a lightweight nature. One gripe I have is that the fabric pattern and the wave pattern on the rear of the strap are both magnets for dirt and grime.

Still, that won't be enough to put me off. The 20mm lug width should make this a top pick for those who enjoy changing their watch strap, and I can see it looking great on a wide range of other options.

I'm also a big fan of the full lume dial. I'm rarely one to get dewy-eyed about lume performance – for most of us, it's not really a necessity in modern life.

Still, it's hard to ignore a full dial crafted from it, and it does look great here. In fact, I'd wager it's only really bested by another small British design in the Ontic Utility 40 Granite.

Is the Abinger Phantom worth the money?

Once the watch comes available for pre-orders on the 1st of August, you'll be able to snag it at an exclusive pre-order price of £699 (approx. €820 / US$950 / AU$1,350). Thereafter, the model will retail a little higher at £725 (approx. €850 / US$970 / AU$1,395).

It's worth noting that that's about £200 more costly than the original pre-order price of the Nimrod, though that does retail at £650, which closes the gap somewhat. Either way, it places this model in an interesting spot.

It's easy to compare watches around the £1,000 mark and watches around the £500 mark, but the space between it is hard to do well. I think this model is a good example of doing it right – enviable specs and a solid design with a decent story, and all at a price which undercuts some of the bigger boys in the space.

I felt similar feelings about the Clemence Munro, and I think that's pretty high praise indeed. I'm excited for the future of Abinger.

OMEGA and Swatch are back again with another Moonswatch, and this time, it’s all about gold. To mark the anniversary of the first Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, the new Mission To The Moon 1969 is made from OMEGA’s 18K Moonshine Gold and limited to just 1969 pieces.

OMEGA and Swatch have been collaborating since 2022, but it’s been some time since we’ve had a new Moonswatch. But this latest watch was definitely worth the wait. Speaking of, the Mission To The Moon 1969 weighs a massive 11 grams due to its gold content – it’s quite literally worth its weight in gold.

Taking clear design inspiration from the OMEGA Speedmaster a.k.a the first watch on the moon, the Mission To The Moon 1969 is a real beauty. Measuring 42mm, the case is made from matte black bioceramic with a tachymeter scale on the bezel in a gold colour.

The right side of the case has an oversized crown and two pushers on the right side, made from 18K Moonshine Gold. The gold material also constructs the dial and its hands, another nod to OMEGA’s gold 1969 Speedmaster, as well as the 11 gram weight which is a tribute to Apollo 11’s mission number.

To offset the gold, the dial has gold beveled hour markers, hours, minutes and seconds with black lacquer. Three chronograph subdials sit at three, six and nine o’clock, each with their own black hands and numerals.

At 12 o’clock, you can see OMEGA x Swatch branding, as well as Speedmaster and Moonswatch logos that sit just below the chronographs. In my opinion, where the watch really shines is when you flip it over.

The caseback or battery cover of the Mission To The Moon 1969 features a gold coloured moon that’s imprinted with ‘July 21, 1969’ – the date of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. A footprint can also be seen which references the first step taken on the landing site.

Powered by a quartz movement, the watch is finished with a matching black rubber strap which has a gold lining on the inside which looks like the surface of the moon. I’ve always been a fan of the Moonswatch but this version feels a lot more special than its other iterations.

Limited to just 1969 pieces, the Mission to The Moon 1969 is available to buy for £520 in select Swatch stores.

In celebration of the life and work of Stephen Hawking, Bremont has launched the Supernova Hawking. This latest watch is the second collaboration between Bremont and Hawking’s family, and it’s dedicated to the astrophysicist’s research into black holes.

Bremont previously collaborated with Hawking’s family on its first limited edition Stephen Hawking collection back in 2020. It quickly became a popular tribute piece, and its exhibition caseback drew attention with its four inlaid wooden discs that were taken from Hawking’s desk. It also contained an inscription of ‘A Brief History of Time’, the title of Hawking’s book.

Now for 2026, Bremont is back with its second Hawkings-inspired watch, the Bremont Supernova Hawking. Measuring 41mm, the Bremont Supernova Hawking is made from ultra black DLC-treated 904L steel, with the colour and multi-layer construction of the watch inspired by space engineering and black holes.

The bezel of the Bremont Supernova Hawking is made from ceramic and has a decahedral shape, giving the case a multi-faceted angular look. A large crown sits on the side which is flanked by two pushers that control the chronographs on the dial.

While the dial is a combination of black, white and grey, it’s anything but monochrome. The base of the dial is inspired by spacecraft solar arrays, and has an interlocking grid pattern. For more shape and structure, the grids are broken up into triangles around the dial.

The dial of the Bremont Supernova Hawking showcases two chronograph subdials, a 30 minutes counter at three o’clock and a small seconds counter at nine o’clock. Each subdial is made from real meteorites, and the chronograph seconds hands are made from black gold.

A tachymeter wraps around the dial, and there’s a date window at six o’clock. Sitting just above it is Stephen Hawking’s name and his black hole temperature equation. Triangles represent the hour markers, and these and the main hour and minute hands are made from black gold and filled with white Super-LumiNova for better visibility in low light.

Powered by the BC77 movement, the Bremont Supernova Hawking has a 62 hour power reserve and is water resistant to 100 metres. The caseback is just as impressive as the first collaboration, and showcases a swirling black hole that sits just above the movement and rotor.

Finished with the choice of an integrated ultra black stainless steel bracelet or a black rubber strap, the Bremont Supernova Hawking is another fitting tribute to one of the greatest scientists of all time.

The Bremont Supernova Hawking is limited to 600 pieces and available to buy now with prices starting at £7,700.

As part of its countdown to the 38th America’s Cup, Panerai has launched two new Luminor Luna Rossa watches. As the official sponsor of the Italian Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailing team, Panerai is continuing – and celebrating – this partnership with new sailing-inspired timepieces which are as stylish as they are practical.

Kicking off the releases is the Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768. Measuring 44mm, the Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768 sits in a steel case with a polished bezel, with its iconic crown and protective bridge sitting on the right side.

On the left side of the case sit two red accented pushers which control the chronographs that sit at three and nine o’clock on the dial. Powered by the P.9210 calibre movement, this powers the chronographs, as well as the hours, minutes and small seconds, and gives the watch 42 hours of power reserve.

The chronographs have red and white seconds hands which calculate the average speed over a fixed distance. The flange displays this in miles per hour or kilometers per hour. To do this, the chronographs must be stopped and reset before the wearer presses the pusher to start measuring the distance. When 1,000 metres have been covered, the pusher can be pushed again to stop the measurement.

Another sailing-inspired feature is a speed tachymeter which can be found via the scale on the rehaut. This allows sailors to calculate their boat’s average speed over specific distances. This and the chronographs sit in a silver sun-brushed dial with white Super-LumiNova X2 in the hour markers and numerals.

Water resistant to 100 metres, the Luminor Luna Rossa Chrono PAM01768 is finished with a bi-material rubber and grey strap with a Luna Rossa red stripe. It’s limited to just 500 pieces and priced at £9,700.

The second launch is the Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791. Slightly smaller than the PAM01768, the Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791 measures 40mm, and is the first watch from the Luna Rossa collection to feature a metal bracelet.

The Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791 has a steel case with a silver sun-brushed dial, and also features the crown and protective bridge. It has a date window at three o’clock and a small seconds chronograph at nine o'clock.

Powered by the automatic P.900/GMT movement, the calibre can be seen via the open caseback which also features its GMT function with a 12-hour display. Linked to regattas, this GMT allows wearers to track times in different locations. Another nod to the Italian sailing team, the GMT hand is shaped by the sail of the Luna Rossa boat.

The Luminor Luna Rossa GMT PAM01791 is water resistant to 100 metres and has a 3-day power reserve. It’s priced at £9,600.

The 2026 Wimbledon Champions is drawing to a close at the end of this week, and wow, has it been a busy fortnight. Despite having it on the TV for the past two weeks, I’ve not been paying too much attention to the tennis as I’ve been distracted by the luxury watches both on and off the court.

From David Beckham’s Tudor to Roger Federer’s Rolex, here are the best nine watches spotted at Wimbledon 2026, worn by athletes, celebrities and spectators alike.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph on Serena Williams

For her return to Wimbledon, tennis player and style icon Serena Williams was spotted wearing an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph on the court. As an ambassador for Audemars Piguet since 2014, Williams is often spotted wearing Royal Oak timepieces and this year’s championships are no exception.

Her latest Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph is even more special, as its bright pink colour and rubber strap matches her racquet grip. Measuring 37mm, the watch features a titanium case with a bezel set with 32 brilliant-cut diamonds. The Lady Tapisserie dial is bright pink and has a triple chronograph display.

Tudor Black Bay 58 on David Beckham

David Beckham is often spotted supporting in the stands at Wimbledon, and he’s also regularly seen wearing a Tudor watch as he’s one of the brand’s global ambassadors. Just like last year, Beckham has been showing off his bespoke, personalised Tudor Black Bay Chrono.

This Tudor Black Bay Chrono features a black lacquer dial with two white subdials, snowflake hands and a date window. What it lacks is numerals which are replaced by diamonds – because why not?! The case, bracelet and bezel is also studded with diamonds.

Rolex Datejust II on Roger Federer

As Rolex is the Official Timekeeper for Wimbledon, it only seems right that there’s been a far few spotted at this year’s championships. Even better, Roger Federer, former tennis player and eight-time winner at Wimbledon was spotted in the stands wearing the Rolex Datejust II.

Federer’s Rolex Datejust II measures 41mm and features a silver dial and Oyster bracelet. The dial showcases Arabic numerals and a fluted bezel wraps around it. Not only is it an iconic Rolex timepiece, but this particular Rolex Datejust II was worn by Federer back when he won Wimbledon in 2009.

Hublot Big Bang Reloaded Usain Bolt on Usain Bolt

If you have a watch named after you, it only seems fair that you should wear it at every exciting occasion! Earlier this year, Hublot ambassador and runner, Usain Bolt announced his latest collaboration with the brand, deftly called the Hublot Big Bang Reloaded Usain Bolt.

Seen wearing it at Wimbledon, the Hublot Big Bang Reloaded Usain Bolt measures 44mm and is made from black ceramic and carbon. The bezel is in 18K yellow gold – as are the H-shaped screws – and features the engraving ‘Anything is Possible, Don’t Think Limits’. In true Bolt style, the dial also features a lightning bolt seconds hand and the watch has an original soil sample from his training track inside.

IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool” on Andrew Garfield

Andrew Garfield is a fan favourite spot at Wimbledon. For watch enthusiasts, they’ll have also spotted that he was wearing an unreleased IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool” – and we still don’t know much about it just yet!

A new take on a classic 1976 design from Gerald Genta, Garfield’s IWC Ingenieur Automatic 35 “Pool” has a blue ‘aqua’ dial and is surprisingly small at just 35mm. It features a grid-patterned dial, and an integrated case and bezel, but that’s all we (and anyone) knows so far.

OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M on Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Actor, Aaron Taylor-Johnson was seen giving OMEGA some love at this year’s Wimbledon. On his wrist was the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M, and at closer inspection, it looks to be the steel and black ‘wave’ combination.

Measuring 42mm, the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300M has a black ‘wave’ dial, a steel case, and a black rubber strap. As a Seamaster, it’s water resistant to 300 metres, and has a helium escape valve and dive bezel. As OMEGA is the primary watch worn by James Bond, could this be a hint that Taylor-Johnson could be the favoured choice for the role? We’ll have to wait and see.

Breitling Top Time B31 on James Norton

Another British actor spotted in the stands was James Norton, and he was seen wearing a Breitling Top Time B31. This sport-chic watch measures just 38mm, proving that the small watch trend is here to stay.

The Breitling Top Time B31 worn by James Norton features a bold green dial with a minute track, hour markers and a date window. The integrated multi-link bracelet and case comes in stainless steel, and the watch itself is powered by the B31 movement.

Cartier Santos on Richard E. Grant

If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that Richard E. Grant will always be seen wearing two watches – and this Wimbledon was no exception. The actor is often spotted wearing a Cartier Santos on one wrist and a Breitling Navitimer on the other, and the same can be said for Wimbledon 2026.

The Breitling Navitimer was given to Grant by his Eswatini-born father on his deathbed. The Cartier Santos was given to him by his wife when he thought he’d lost the Breitling, but now, he wears both as a tribute to his father’s memory. One watch is also set to Eswatini time.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional Solargraph 100 on Ncuti Gatwa

Last but not least. Actor Ncuti Gatwa was seen looking smart while wearing the TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional Solargraph 100. Measuring just 28mm, this TAG Heuer is the smallest watch we’ve seen at Wimbledon, but it’s still big in character.

With a steel case and bezel, Gatwa’s TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional Solargraph 100 has a dark blue dial. While it’s tricky to see in pictures, the hour markers are replaced by diamonds for that extra bit of sparkle.

Christopher Ward has been one of T3’s favourite watch manufacturers for years now, and its latest timepiece just strengthens that statement. Getting my vote for the watch of the summer, Christopher Ward has just collaborated with The Dial Artist on its new The Twelve Xander watch.

At a quick glance, The Twelve Xander is an undeniably colourful watch but when you take a closer look, you’ll realise just how impressive it is. British artist, Chris Alexander – also known as The Dial Artist – hand-painted more than 1,3000 individual movement components of The Twelve Xander across the edition.

In his Scotland studio, Chris Alexander spent 900 hours bringing The Twelve Xander to life. Inspired by street art and graffiti, the watch may look like it’s just been splashed with a paintbrush but it’s much more intricate than that.

The Twelve Xander is based on Christopher Ward’s The Twelve X (Ti) skeletonised design. It’s powered by the Calibre CW-001 movement which has had eight of its visible components hand-painted to give it a colourful street art effect.

Measuring 41mm, the case is made from Grade 2 and 5 titanium. The movement can be seen via the dial and caseback, and it gives the watch 120 hours of power reserve and 100 metre water resistance. I love the colours used in this watch but even more so when you turn it over.

By flipping over The Twelve Xander, you can see the different bridges and cogs that are interlaced with vibrant colours and patterns. Christopher Ward is written atop the movement, and engraved into the titanium case is ‘Hand Painted By Chris Alexander The Dial Artist’.

When speaking about the watch, Chris said “It’s meant to look chaotic. It’s meant to look fast. It’s meant to look as if I’ve just taken a paintbrush and splattered paint. Unfortunately, I wish it were that easy. Every single part goes through a multi-stage process of priming, airbrushing, hand-painting and hand finishing.”

Finished with a choice of an integrated titanium bracelet or white rubber strap, the Christopher Ward x The Dial Artist The Twelve Xander is limited to just 150 pieces. Available from 10th July, prices start at £4,325 / $5,995 / €5,625.

One of my favourite watch collections in recent years has been the Norqain Enjoy Life range. That kicked off last year with a chronograph model, but peaked at this year's Watches and Wonders, with another pair. The pink sprinkles chronograph still lives rent free in my head.

Now, the range has gained a model which shares the ethos, but comes complete with a different complication. The new Norqain Freedom GMT Enjoy Life Holiday limited edition is the first GMT model to debut in this range.

The piece is powered by the brand's COSC-certified NN20/2 movement, which is manufactured by Kenissi. That offers a 70-hour power reserve, which should make this a useful part of a multi-watch rotation.

As has become common for this collection, the design is all about having fun. The dial depicts a map of the world in pink, orange and blue, complete with images around the world which denote the famous icons at each travel destination – pizza in Italy, springboks in South Africa and movies in Hollywood, for example.

The frivolity continues around the outer edge of the dial, with pink, blue and orange bands corresponding to the colour-matched part of the world map. That ring is a fully functional GMT ring, but also marks key daily moments, like sleep, coffee and happy hour.

The date window rotates to show off five different summer-inspired icons, and the whole thing is delivered in a bespoke aluminium travel case. That includes a passport holder, a world map and travel pins.

But that's not all. The model is limited to just 500 pieces, and one lucky winner will get a golden ticket – the exact appearance of the golden ticket wont be revealed until September – which sends them on a six-night, full board holiday for two at the gorgeous Ayada Maldives Resort.

Priced at £4,885 / €5,350 / US$6,490 / AU$9,250 on the steel bracelet, and £4,750 /€5,210 / US$6,290 / AU$9,000 on a rubber strap, this feels like a brilliant addition to the collection. It comes just in time for summer, too, which it feels made for.

Casio has recently unveiled one of the most ambitious G-SHOCK watches it has ever produced.

Created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the premium MR-G collection, the new MRG-BF1000EB takes the already luxurious FROGMAN diver and pushes it even further into the world of fine watchmaking.

Limited to just 800 individually numbered pieces worldwide, the anniversary edition is inspired by the "brinicle," a rare underwater ice formation that develops beneath polar seas.

Casio has translated the phenomenon into the watch's construction, with a dramatic faceted bezel designed to mimic the twisting columns of frozen seawater.

That bezel is arguably the star of the show and is made from COBARION, a cobalt-chromium alloy that's significantly harder than titanium, before being hand-cut and polished by Japanese artisan Kazuhito Komatsu.

The blue finish is achieved using arc ion plating, while the two exposed front screws are each topped with a 57-facet lab-grown blue sapphire, giving the industrial-looking dive watch an unexpectedly jewellery-like finish.

Luxury without compromising the tool-watch credentials

The watch is ISO 200m dive-certified, solar-powered, and equipped with Bluetooth connectivity, Multi-Band 6 radio timekeeping, tide information, dive logging, and full analogue dive functions.

It also ships with both a white Dura Soft rubber strap and an interchangeable titanium bracelet, complete with a dedicated tool for swapping between the two.

The commemorative details continue on the reverse, where the titanium case back features a sapphire crystal insert engraved with the iconic FROGMAN diving frog, "MR-G 30TH" branding and an individual serial number confirming each watch's place within the 800-piece production run.

Casio has even commissioned a bespoke presentation case with Japanese luggage specialist Proteca, reinforcing that this is as much a collector's piece as it is a professional dive watch.

Of course, exclusivity comes at a price. The MRG-BF1000EB retails for $9,500 in the US (~£7,087 / €8,313 / AU$13,699), making it one of the most expensive production G-SHOCK watches ever released.

Even so, with only 800 examples being made, it's unlikely to stay available for long.

You can learn more about the watch and sign up for notifications at Casio.

Not content with launching multiple pastel ceramic watches as part of its Big Bang Summer collection, Hublot is back again with a new Big Bang watch. Paying tribute to one of my favourite gemstones, the Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue is based on the brand’s Meca-10 caliber, giving it a cool, skeletonised look.

Hublot debuted its Meca-10 caliber back in 2016, and it quickly became the brand’s most recognisable watch design. Featuring a skeletonised architecture, including its movement and dial, the Meca-10 style puts the watch’s mechanics on full display, and in an incredibly stylish way.

The new Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue is no exception. Measuring 44mm, the Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue has a sapphire crystal case and bezel. While the sapphire has a light sky blue colour, it’s so transparent that you can see directly through it.

In true Hublot style, the bezel of the Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue has six iconic H-shaped titanium screws around the perimeter. The sky blue skeletonised dial has a minute track, hour markers, and hour and minute hands that overlap the movement’s construction.

Powered by the HUB1201 manufacture, the movement is made of 223 components which you can see via the dial and case back. Inspired by Meccano architecture, the intricate movement includes two parallel mainspring barrels, a rack-and-pinion system and sliding racks that move between three and nine o’clock.

This rack-and-pinion system shows off a dual power reserve, and the movement itself gives the watch an impressive 10 days of power. It’s also water resistant to 50 metres.

The Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue is finished with a blue rubber strap. Transparent watches have never really been my thing but I love the look of this watch’s case and bezel. The subtle sapphire colour is pretty, and it’s a great watch to wear throughout the summer – that’s if you can get your hands on one.

Limited to just 100 pieces, the Hublot Big Bang Sapphire Sky Blue is available for £66,100 / $84,300 at Hublot.

It's been over two years since I first tested the Wolf Rocket – a portable watch winder designed to keep your favourite timepieces ticking even while on the move. Around the size of a travel mug, the model was described as the world's smallest watch winder, and certainly carries a lesser footprint than box-style designs.

Now, the brand has reworked that design for 2026. And it's not just a nip here and a tuck there – the fundamental design of the winder has been transformed to offer a modular system.

That sees the winder offered alongside a separate docking module, which can be connected together in a honeycomb pattern. The idea is that you can increase the capacity of your watch winder ad hoc, making it a great option for those with growing collections.

Before we dive deeply into that idea, it's worth talking about the other parts of the redesign. That includes a new cuff, which enables better micro-adjustment to suit different wrist sizes.

Personally, I think it's the best bit about this model. I've found Wolf's cuffs to be hit and miss over the years, with some being a little too rigid to accommodate smaller straps. That's a problem I notice with wrists which are on the slimmer side, and meant that many of my watches on bracelets had to be stored elsewhere.

I hope the brand recognises the brilliance of this design, and starts to roll it out to all of its products in future updates, because it fixes my biggest gripe.

Elsewhere, the model is broadly similar to its predecessor, with a small footprint and a simple operation. In fact, there's nothing to set here – simply switch it on or off as desired. That's going to be a big plus for those who aren't interested in option paralysis.

The modular system works pretty well, too. In essence, the winders pair up with a metal surround, with a USB-C connector at the back. Those metal surrounds are then latched together with push-fit connectors, to hold them in formation.

It works fairly well – there's a little flex when you move the units around, but most people won't be doing that too often. There's also no confirmation of what material they're made from, but it is incredibly light. My gut says its probably aluminium.

I'd also say that it's not the most visually striking design. That's not normally a point of contention, but given how appealing many of the brand's winders look, it seems a shame to simply have a raw, silver option. Hopefully more come out as the product matures.

One other point of contention is the price. The Rocket itself retails for £634.99 / €599 / US$699 / AU$1,075 which is only a hair more costly than the previous model, and the surround is a further £95 / €95 / US$165 / AU$225.

That's not too bad for a single winder, but the cost quickly adds up if you're building up a multi-winder system. I think it only really works for two or three units, before you're likely to get something nicer to look at for a similar price.

Still, if you want a travel watch winder with a degree of modularity, this is the one.

Zenith is expanding its DEFY watch collection with two new timepieces. Easily the most colourful watches from the line-up, the new launches include the DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet and the DEFY Extreme Lapis II – and I can’t wait to get my hands on them.

Starting with the Zenith DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet, this watch is the one I’ve got my eye on as it showcases my favourite colour. As the name states, the Zenith DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet features violet colouring on the dial and strap. Purple is a sharp move away from the brand’s trademark blue shade, but Zenith has previously used this powerful colour back in 2020.

Sitting in a 45mm microblasted titanium case, the case features angular lines, an oversized crown and two chronograph pushers. The round bezel circles the dial which has a layered geometric construction that’s lightly skeletonised so you can see the movement beneath.

The main attraction of the Zenith DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet is no doubt its bright purple colour which is most prominent on the subdials. A 30-minute chronograph sits at three o’clock, while a small seconds counter is at six o’clock. A 60-second chronograph is located at six o’clock and a chronograph power reserve indicator is at 12.

The dial features main hours, minutes and seconds hands, the latter of which has a star at the end. The chronographs also have hands, and the central chronograph hand performs a full rotation every second.

Powered by the El Primero 9004 calibre movement, the Zenith DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet has two independent escapements, one that beats at 5 Hz while the other operates at 50 Hz for the chronograph. Flip it over, and the caseback of the Zenith DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet features a large oversized star that’s also in violet.

The Zenith DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet is finished with a choice of three straps – violet rubber, titanium bracelet or black velcro. It’s priced at €20,200 / $20,100 / 17,900 CHF.

Zenith has also introduced the new DEFY Extreme Lapis II. The lapis lazuli colour and gemstone is often used in Zenith watches – including the Zenith Chronomaster Original Lapis Lazuli. This new version still showcases the lapis lazuli stone, and now comes in carbon and titanium materials.

The Zenith DEFY Extreme Lapis II is priced at €36,800 / $37,100 / 32,900 CHF.

Panerai, the watch manufacturer best known for its dive watches, has just launched its new Submersible PAM01756 timepiece. Bringing many of its historical features into the modern day, including its no-date dial, the Panerai Submersible PAM01756 also marks an exciting first for the brand.

The new Panerai Submersible PAM01756 is the first watch in the Submersible line-up to feature a 44mm case with a metal bracelet. This style of bracelet dates back to Panerai’s bracelet designs from 1999. Its construction includes a crown protective bridge and alternating finishes so the links look different in certain lights.

What’s more, the bracelet of the Panerai Submersible PAM01756 has a Quick Length Adjustment feature which is being introduced to the Submersible collection for the first time. This allows you to extend the watch’s bracelet by 2mm on each side without having to use tools or remove any links.

Measuring 44mm, the Panerai Submersible PAM01756 isn’t small by any means, but the brand has found this sizing to be extremely popular with its wearers. The case is made from polished stainless steel, and is contrasted by a blue ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel, designed for underwater use.

The dial of the Panerai Submersible PAM01756 comes in a black sun-brushed colour and white numerals and hands. To enhance the visibility, the hands and markers feature Super-LumiNova that glow green, while the bezel’s 12 o’clock dot and the minute hand shows up in blue, allowing you to read actual time and diving time.

The black small seconds counter sits at nine o’clock and has an azurage pattern. What the dial doesn’t have is a date, which is an important historical feature from Panerai. Before 1998, Panerai’s watches didn’t display the date in accordance with the Italian Navy, and the new Panerai Submersible PAM01756 reflects this history and ensures the watch is dedicated to reading time rather than anything else.

Powered by the P.980 calibre movement, the Panerai Submersible PAM01756 has a three day power reserve and is water resistant up to 500 metres. It also comes with a stop-second function which stops the seconds hand when you pull out the crown lever.

The Panerai Submersible PAM01756 is available to buy for £11,000 at Panerai.

In the wonderful world of watches, anniversaries are a big deal. With so many brand's building their modern personalities around the heritage they offer, it's important to celebrate big birthdays.

That's exactly what Orient Star is doing this year. While many might be unaware, the brand is actually 75 years old this year, and has been celebrating with a suite of limited edition models.

I've had the Contemporary Date model on my wrist for the last week, to see if it's any good.

Orient Star 75th Anniversary Contemporary Date: key specs

Let's kick off with some specs. All things considered, this is a pretty well designed model, with a 38.5mm stainless steel case which sits 12.3mm tall.

That's paired with a stainless steel bracelet, and houses the brand's in-house F6N43 calibre. That movement offer over 50 hours of power reserve, with accuracy of +25/-15 seconds per day. You'll also enjoy 100m of water resistance.

Of course, the main event here is the dial, which is absolutely fabulous. It's described in the official press release as a "green gradation" but that seems entirely wrong, with the images – and, indeed, my test model – featuring a blue dial.

It's not even like it's on the cusp of blue or green – this is a blue dial. And it's one of the best looking blue dials I've ever seen at that, with small flecks that play beautifully with the light.

What is the Orient Star 75th Anniversary Contemporary Date like on the wrist?

As mentioned above, the biggest part of this model is the dial, and that's what you'll notice first. I tend to find myself staring at it far longer than is really necessary every time I strap this one on – it's really mesmerising.

It's not just the colour and design of the dial, either. The indices and other complications on the dial are designed to stay unobtrusive, which allows it to shine.

Of course, it also helps that the case is perfectly sized, with a Goldilocks diameter and a decent thickness. That makes it a fantastic option to wear everyday.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the bracelet. It's a common gripe for Orient, Orient Star and Seiko models in this arena, but to me it just feels a little dated – especially the clasp.

Thankfully it's a 20mm lug width, which is perfect for those looking to change their watch strap. I'd love to pair this with something fun like a white rubber strap, to make it a perfect summer watch.

Is the Orient Star 75th Anniversary Contemporary Date worth the money?

When I last reviewed an Orient Star model, it was the M34 F8 Date, which cost north of £2,000 (approx. €2,350 / US$2,700 / AU$3,850). At the time, I said that the biggest competition that device had was from its own stablemates, with other, similar-looking models from the brand costing a quarter of that, and offering similar specs.

This is one of them, with the retail price for this model sitting at just £569.99 (approx. €665 / US$760 / AU$1,095). At this price point, I think the value for money is a lot better, and feels more like you're getting a good deal.

Throw in the limited edition nature – this piece is one of just 1,200 – and that stunning dial, and I can see this one being a popular pick.

The T3 Awards are back for another year! For 2026 – and our 30th anniversary – we’re highlighting the best of the best, of which we have almost too much to choose from.

This week, we’re announcing all the winners of the 2026 T3 Awards, and we’re starting off strong by celebrating the Home and Style award winners, highly commended and nominees.

This category is vast, and includes stair-climbing robot vacuum cleaners, ultra comfortable mattresses, skin-boosting LED face masks and luxury watches – let’s get into it.

Best Vacuum Cleaner

Shark PowerDetect Speed

Kicking off with vacuum cleaners, the latest models are more high tech than ever before, that they might actually make you want to vacuum your home. There were many exciting contenders this year, including the likes of Dyson and Ultenic, but Shark took the win with its PowerDetect Speed cordless vacuum cleaner.

Dubbed the “cordless vacuum to beat in 2026”, the Shark PowerDetect Speed builds on everything the PowerDetect Pet has (which just so happened to be the winner for the same category in last year’s awards) and adds much more. It offers excellent suction power on all floor types, intelligent detection technology and practical accessories and Auto-Empty dock.

Read our Shark PowerDetect Speed review for more details.

Highly Commended: Dyson V16 Piston Animal

Best Vacuum Cleaner Shortlist: Ultenic U20, Morphy Richards MRXStickPro, Beldray Airfinity

Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Dreame Matrix10 Ultra

In the past year, robot vacuum cleaners have almost gotten out of control. The latest models on the market don’t just clean and mop your floors, but some can even climb stairs and have extendable arms which can pick up socks – creepy, right?! That said, this year’s winner proves it doesn’t need these gimmicks to be impressive.

Winning the robot vacuum cleaner category is the Dreame Matrix10 Ultra. One of the most advanced yet easy to use robot vacuums we’ve ever tried, the Dreame Matrix10 Ultra expertly maps each room of your home, and vacuums and mops them within an inch of their lives. Its Multi-Mop technology is what won us over, as it automatically switches between different mop pads designed for specific areas.

Read our Dreame Matrix10 Ultra review for more details.

Highly Commended: Roborock Saros 20

Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner Shortlist: Dyson Spot + Scrub Ai, Eufy Omni S2, Kärcher RCV 5

Best Home Air Device

Dyson HushJet Purifier

The Best Home Air Device award is always hard to narrow down to one winner, as it covers fans, air purifiers, dehumidifiers and more. However, after extensive heating throughout the year, we settled on the Dyson HushJet Purifier as our winner, and you only have to look at it to see why.

Moving away from its traditional loop-like design, the Dyson HushJet Purifier is inspired by plane’s jet engines – and it acts like one too. With its cylindrical body, outlet nozzle and 360-degree filter, the Dyson HushJet Purifier rapidly purifies air into a smooth, controlled stream which circulates expertly (and quietly) around your home, making the air easier and healthier for you to breathe in.

Read our Dyson HushJet Purifier review for more details.

Highly Commended: Meaco DD8L Pro

Best Home Air Device Shortlist: Vitesy Eteria, Daiken Air Purifier MC55VB, Blueair Signature Air Purifier

Best Mattress

DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress

As someone who loves her sleep, one of my favourite things to test is mattresses. This past year has seen lots of exciting new mattress launches, and it’s been great to see more sustainable materials being introduced to spring, memory foam and hybrid models. This year, another hybrid mattress has taken the crown, and this time, it’s the DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress.

Made of memory foam, a pocket-spring base and quilted cover, the DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress offers a luxurious and comfortable night’s sleep that won’t break the bank. Where it really excels is its motion transfer, so if you share a bed, your partner’s tossing and turning won’t disturb you – no more sleep divorces with this mattress, that’s for sure!

Read our DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress review for more details.

Highly Commended: Origin LumbarCloud mattress

Best Mattress Shortlist: Simba Earth Apex, Silentnight UltraGel Cool-to-Touch 3000 Mirapocket mattress, Bensons for Beds Slumberland Air 9.0

Best Sleep Accessory

Simba Cool Foam Mattress Topper

The T3 Award for Best Sleep Accessory is another tricky one to narrow down. This category covers duvets, pillows, mattress toppers and protectors, so we’re often overloaded with an abundance of accessories designed to improve your sleep (no complaints here). This year’s winner is the Simba Cool Foam Mattress Topper, one of the newer products on this list which has already made an amazing impression.

If you run hot at night, the Simba Cool Foam Mattress Topper is the perfect companion, as it sits atop your mattress and offers a cool layer to keep you comfortable throughout the night. With its medium-firm feel, this topper is responsive, springy and works to relieve any pain points.

Read our Simba Cool Foam Mattress Topper review for more details.

Highly Commended: Scooms Body Temperature Regulating Luxury Duvet

Best Sleep Accessory Shortlist: Fine Bedding Company HoneyFoam pillow, Emma Adapt Cooling Pillow

Best Sleep Tech

Eight Sleep Pod 5

One of T3’s newer awards, the Best Sleep Tech category covers a plethora of smart innovations for your bedroom. From smart alarm clocks to haptic sleep mats, we’ve tested the latest smart gadgets that are focused on enhancing your sleeping environment and experience.

For the second year in a row, Eight Sleep has won Best Sleep Tech. For 2025, it was the Pod 4 that took the crown, but its newer model, the Pod 5 is our winner for 2026. More advanced than ever before, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 boosts your rest with real-time temperature control and AI-driven insights so you get the best sleep night after night.

Read our Eight Sleep Pod 5 review for more details.

Highly Commended: Dreamie Sleep Assistant Smart Alarm Clock

Best Sleep Tech Shortlist: Woojer MAT, Blueair Mini Restful Sunrise Alarm Clock and Air Purifier, Hatch Restore 3

Best Office Chair

FlexiSpot C7 Office Chair

Whether you’re an office, hybrid or remote worker, a good office chair is a must. Sitting in the same chair for eight or more hours a day isn’t exactly comfortable, but the FlexiSpot C7 Office Chair makes it so, which is why it’s won our Best Office Chair award.

Comfortable, ergonomic and supportive, the FlexiSpot C7 Office Chair comes with a huge amount of adjustments for the height, arms, lower back, head and neck. Its lower back support really excels and it massively reduced any aches and pains after sitting down all day.

Read our FlexiSpot C7 Office Chair review for more details.

Highly Commended: SecretLab Atlas Chair

Best Office Chair Shortlist: LiberNovo Omni, Boulies OP300, Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2

Best Travel Goods

Antler Discovery Wheeled Duffel

Whether you’re off on holiday, a work trip or headed into the office, the Best Travel Goods can take you where you need to go – or come with you, at least. This year, the award goes to an innovative suitcase from Antler – the Antler Discovery Wheeled Duffel.

Antler has always been a reliable brand, but it really excelled with the Antler Discovery Wheeled Duffel. Blending the flexibility of a holdall with the strength of a suitcase, the Antler Discovery Wheeled Duffel has a sturdy design with practical 80-litre storage and smooth wheels – what more could you ask for?

Read our Antler Discovery Wheeled Duffel review for more details.

Highly Commended: Bennett Winch Backpack

Best Travel Goods Shortlist: Montblanc Extreme 3.0, Matador GlobeRider35, Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

Best Electric Toothbrush

Suri 2.0

Heading into the style section of the ‘Home and Style’ award winners, we’re starting off strong with the Best Electric Toothbrush. Today’s electric toothbrushes have become more and more advanced, so we’ve put them to the test and not only do we have stunning, pearly-white teeth now, but we’ve found our winner for 2026.

The Suri 2.0 takes the win this year. We didn’t think it could possibly get any better than its first version, but Suri proved us wrong with the 2.0 model. Taking everything from the original and enhancing it, the Suri 2.0 comes with a new case, stand and pressure sensor, which makes it one of the best electric toothbrushes we’ve ever tried at T3.

Read our SURI 2.0 review for more details.

Highly Commended: Quip Ultra Lite

Best Electric Toothbrush Shortlist: Bon Charge Red Light Toothbrush, Oral-B iO6, Feno Smartbrush

Best Hair Styling Tool

Shark SilkiPro Straight

The world of hair styling has significantly expanded in the past few years – it’s not just dryers and straighteners anymore, folks! Now, you can get wet-to-dry stylers, at-home blowdry devices and all-in-one gadgets that can perm, straight, curl and crimp your hair. However, the styler that surprised us the most this year is the Shark SilkiPro Straight.

In the past year, Shark has been pulling out all the stops with its hair styling range. The Shark SilkiPro Straight is a perfect example of that, and is one of the brand’s most impressive hair tools to date. Great for sleek hair lovers, the Shark SilkiPro Straight takes your hair from wet to dry to sleek, and its smart comb system is fast and easy to use. It’s even packed with heat sensors to protect your hair when styling.

Read our Shark SilkiPro Straight review for more details.

Highly Commended: Dyson Supersonic Travel

Best Hair Styling Tool Shortlist: Revamp Effortless Curls Extra-Long Tong, T3 AIRE 360, GHD Chronos Curve Curling tongs

Best Hair Removal Tool

Philips 9900 Beauty Set

If you were to ask us who makes the best hair removal tools on the market, Philips would be the brand that instantly comes to mind. Across beard trimmers, electric shavers and IPL machines, Philips sets the standard for hair removal for both men and women – and the Philips 9900 Beauty Set is our winner for 2026.

A luxury beauty tool – with a luxury price tag – the Philips 9900 Beauty Set is an all-in-one beauty and skincare system. It comes with a range of attachments, including an epilator, facial hair remover, exfoliator, cleansing brush and an LED skincare device, to suit everyone’s hair removing or grooming needs.

Read our Philips 9900 Beauty Set review for more details.

Highly Commended: Laifen P3 Pro

Best Hair Removal Tool Shortlist: Sensilight Mini, Panasonic Series 700s shaver, Manspot Body Trimmer

Best LED Face Mask

Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

The best LED face masks are no longer reserved for people who can afford to go to a luxury spa. Nowadays, you can buy these terrifying-looking masks to use in the comfort of your home. As LED face masks are all so advanced, it’s been hard to narrow down the winner, but the best of the best has to be the Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro.

Suitable for all skin types, the Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro offers three treatments using a combination of red and blue lights to address a variety of skincare concerns. The mask is also comfortable and lightweight to wear, and we found it to work best at improving fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation.

Read our Dr Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro review for more details.

Highly Commended: Silk'n LED Face Mask Pro

Best LED Face Mask Shortlist: Lumalux Face Pro LED Light Therapy Mask, Therabody Theraface Mask Glo, Renpho Artemis LED Light Soft Mask

Best Fragrance

Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo Millesimato

One of our newer awards, Best Fragrance was only recently added to the T3 Awards in 2025. Acqua di Parma won it last year, and it’s only gone and done it again this year – and for its 110th anniversary, might I add.

Easily snatching the crown for one of best men’s fragrances you can buy, Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo Millesimato has classic notes of citrus and florals. It’s packed full of ylang ylang which was harvested by the brand in Madagascar in 2024. It’s a spring-summer scent that’s fresh, complex and bound to become a staple in many people’s collections.

Read our Acqua di Parma Colonia Il Profumo Millesimato review for more details.

Highly Commended: Creed Wild Vetiver

Best Fragrance Shortlist: Tom Ford Taormina Orange, Prada Paradigme

Best Watch

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mysterieux

2025-2026 might have been one of the best years for watch launches, featuring truly innovative designs and complications from the likes of TAG Heuer, Rolex, Tudor and more. But the watch that caught our eye the most and earned the title of Best Watch at the T3 Awards 2026 is the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mysterieux.

Debuted at Watches and Wonders 2026, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mysterieux features a chronograph without subdials. The clean yet precise dial is displayed in blue, but it’s the case that hides all the technical details. At 7:30, a monopusher sits and activates the chronograph which reveals a gold pair of hands at 12 o’clock. Push it again and the chronograph stops, and again for the hands to reset to current time. It’s remarkable yet simply displayed which makes it more exciting.

Read our Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF Chronographe Mysterieux review for more details.

Highly Commended: Ulysse Nardin SuperFreak

Best Watch Shortlist: Split Watches MC-1, Christopher Ward The Twelve 660, Blancpain Grande Double Sonnerie

In the world of luxury watches, mechanical chronographs are some of the hardest to make affordably. The complexity of the movements mean there's a floor on what can be done without sacrificing on quality or specs, limiting what's available at certain price points.

Still, that hasn't stopped one or two movements from bucking the trend. The Seagull chronograph movement is something of a modern legend for exactly this reason, bringing mechanical – albeit not automatic – chronographs to far more affordable price points.

It's what powers the quirky character on my wrist today – the Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph. Is it any good? Well, let's take a closer look.

Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph: key specs

Of course, that movement is the real star of the show here. We've seen in used in a slew of other models from other brand, and it offers a marked step up from the Meca-Quartz movement used in other Spongebob chronographs from Spinnaker.

That sits inside of a 43mm stainless steel case, which also sits 14mm tall. That's certainly on the larger side, but it's par for the course with movements like this, which have to give up something in order to maintain a lower price point.

The dial is designed to look like the iconic sponge's face, complete with eyes in the two sub-dials and a pair of teeth protruding at the six o'clock position.

That dial is surrounded by a diving bezel, bizarrely, which is domed to and almost feels like an inflatable beach ring around the dial. The model attaches to a 22mm strap, which is a matching yellow-coloured fabric, backed with leather.

What is the Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph like on the wrist?

Reading the dimensions should give you a pretty decent idea of what this will wear like. It's certainly on the larger side – particularly if you've got smaller wrists like me – but not so big that you'll struggle.

I find it to be right on the limit of what I could get away with, and that rings true of other 43mm watches I've tested in the past. What's noteworthy is that the thickness reads like it should be a big problem, but it's actually a lot less noticeable in reality.

Another point of note is that – despite the large case size – it doesn't feel unwieldy on the wrist. It's not uncommon for bigger watches to roll around in use, which can make them less comfortable, but I had no such issues here.

Now of course, the biggest point of contention here is the dial. It's quirky and fun, and will be loved by any Spongebob fans, but it's also hard to ignore. If you're looking for something which goes unnoticed, you'll want to swerve this.

Still, that's not really what this watch is all about. In all my time wearing it, I've received a flurry of compliments – more so than with any other watch I've used in the past.

Is the Spinnaker Fleuss Spongebob Chronograph worth the money?

At £505 / €490.95 / US$550 (approx. AU$972), this is a slightly odd prospect. On the one hand, it's a bargain for a mechanical chronograph – particularly one which wears well.

On the other hand, it feels pretty steep for what is a bit of a novelty. It's unlikely to be the watch you wear everyday unless you're in a really casual environment.

Still, I'm happy to have been proven wrong, because this model has already sold out on the brand's website. That means all 500 pieces of the limited run are gone – if you want to snag one now, you're going to have to hope for a good second hand deal.

When Christopher Ward announced that it had updated its Sealander collection a few weeks ago, it came with a lot of expectations. The collection has formed a cornerstone of the brand's image for years, and is widely considered to be one of the best value options in the circa £1,000 arena.

For me, it also held extra weight. My first 'proper' watch purchase was the older C63 Sealander GMT, and it's a watch which has come with me pretty much everywhere ever since.

So, can the new models hold up against one of the brand's most popular? I've been testing it to find out.

Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT: key specs

The new model comes with a range of different options, but the model I've got on test is actually fairly similar to those which have been available previously. That employs a 39mm case diameter, sitting 11.3mm tall and crafted from stainless steel,

The model is water resistant to 150m – not quite up to dive watch standards, but likely more than you'll need on a daily basis – and powered by the new Sellita SW330-2 movement. That's got a minimum power reserve of 50 hours, and is accurate to within -5/+12 seconds per day with a 4Hz beat rate.

The model I tested comes with the new Pistachio dial, and sits on a Bader bracelet. That's updated here to include the brand's new iLink bracelet adjustment system, which allows you to make tool-free bracelet adjustments thanks to a locking push-button design.

There are a range of subtle changes to the design, each of which contribute to a slightly more refined profile compared to the previous generation. Perhaps the most noticeable switch sees the bezel use lines in place of dots between the numbered indices.

What is the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT like on the wrist?

If you've never strapped on a Christopher Ward watch before, prepare yourself. What I'm about to say will sound hyperbolic, but it is, in fact, the product of many years testing these watches – there's no such thing as a bad-wearing Christopher Ward.

Something about the way this brand designs its cases and bracelets makes them instantly comfortable – more noticeably than I've spotted with other brands. This is no different, with a homely nature which is as comfortable as sitting in a warm bath.

As mentioned at the top of this article, I've worn the older version of this model for years, so I was never really expecting much less. In fact – despite a handful of minor spec changes like the reduced case thickness – I really would struggle to tell them apart, sight unseen.

For me, this pistachio dial is a real treat. It's bang on trend right now, and feels colourful without being so overtly bright and garish that you can't dress it up. That balance is not always struck.

I will say that some of the design choices – like, for example, the frame around the date window – don't sit quite as well with me. Christopher Ward was keen to adopt a refined approach to this update, but that's one thing I think it just didn't need. It looks boxy and peculiar, where the older colour-matched design simply faded elegantly.

Is the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT worth the money?

This one is an interesting question. When I picked up my watch a few years ago, I paid a hair under £900, thanks to an introductory offer.

Now, the exact model I tested – which is an exact equivalent in the new range – retails for £1,190 / €1,560 / US$1,620 / AU$2,195. It's not a massive jump, but it's worth noting that what was once a circa-£1,000 bargain has crept higher in price.

I do still think it represents great value. Not only are you getting good specs for the cash, you're buying into a brand which has rapidly ascended to be one of the most significant in the watch industry.

There are a lot of watches out there which sit somewhere between the original price I paid and the current list price here. Many of them offer similar specs, and get close to the looks on offer.

But none of them are a Christopher Ward, and in a world where trustworthy brand's are more important than ever, that's worth its weight in gold.

When you think of luxurious, rectangular watches, chances are adjectives like "elegant" or "classy" come to mind. Many of us will instantly picture the iconic Cartier Tank in this arena.

Another player is the Hermès Cape Cod, and that's just been given a sporty makeover which belies the elegant traditions of the model. For starters, this new version is crafted with a titanium case.

That should make it impressively lightweight on the wrist, particularly when paired with the range of rubber straps which this model is offered on. But it also means we get a deeper grey tone on the case, which is really smart to look at.

That's paired with a black dial, which is set over two tiers with a central square cutout. The indices are applied Arabic numerals, and use a similar font to that employed on the Hermès H08 models. There's also an aperture for a date window at six o'clock.

The central pinion holds hour and minute hands in a baton shape, with Super-LumiNova inside. The seconds hand is slimmer, and finished in the brand's signature orange hue.

Inside, the model is powered by a Manufacture calibre H1912. That's impressively small, sitting just 23.8mm across and 3.9mm thick, while still offering an impressive 45 hours of power reserve from a 4Hz beat rate.

The 41mm case is known as "Extra Large" in the Cape Cod collection, and should give significant presence on the wrist. Still, it doesn't look huge in the photos, and I'd hope for it to wear a little more elegantly than some square watches mange to.

Personally, I'm a really big fan. The Cape Cod is a gorgeous watch collection, but that doesn't mean it can't also have a change of personality. Based on impressions alone, it seems to do an equally good job as both a sports watch and something altogether more dressy.

Priced at £6,340 (approx. €7,400 / US$8,500 / AU$12,200) this feels like a nice addition to a box of Rolex, Omega and Grand Seiko models for when you need something with a little more personality.

The phrase ‘old is gold’ has never felt more true than now. Mr Jones Watches is reviving two of its older watch designs from its archives, and giving them a new, fresh twist for 2026.

The first watch to be revived and redesigned is Dawn West Dusk East. First launched back in 2011, the original version of the timepiece from Mr Jones Watches featured a single aperture to mark the time and change colour as it moved around the dial. Previously, the dial had four colours that it would cycle through – black, silver, gold and red.

For this new version, one of Mr Jones Watches’ print technicians, Tanith has updated the colours and background. The dial now has a ‘moody’ landscape and subtle patterning that makes it look like a ripple on the moon. The edge or bezel also has words looping around the dial, including ‘birth’, ‘madness’, ‘curiosity’, ‘peace’ and 'vengeance’.

The second watch is Analogon (Printers Edition) and while I normally don’t gravitate towards cartoon-like designs, I think this revival is my favourite. Analogon came out in 2014, and like other Mr Jones Watches models, it had an unusual way to tell the time.

Rocky, another print technician from Mr Jones Watches has kept this unique time-telling but given the dial a complete makeover. A robot face still takes up the majority of the dial but compared to the original, this Analogon (Printers Edition) looks much happier.

The face is made from cogs and screws, and the use of red, blue, green and yellow makes it look more pop art-like. To tell the time, it’s all in the robot’s mouth, as the upper row of teeth displays the hours while the lower jaw shows the minutes.

The Analogon (Printers Edition) isn’t small by any means and sits in a 46mm stainless steel case. It’s powered by a single jewel quartz mechanism and is waterproof to five ATM.

Launching today, both Dawn West Dusk East and Analogon (Printers Edition) are limited to just 100 pieces each. Pricing starts at £225 / $295 / €285 at Mr Jones Watches.

If I asked you to think of a sporting legend, I'm willing to bet your answer probably wouldn't be a cyclist. While the sport has exploded in popularity over the last two decades, it's still far from a known quantity for most people.

Even if you did opt for a two-wheeled all-timer, chances are you wouldn't think of Eddy Merckx. But that's exactly who Breitling has honoured, with its latest limited edition chronograph.

It's a legacy worth celebrating. Merckx enjoys a record which includes a whopping 525 victories, 11 grand tours, 19 monument classics and three world championships. It even includes five Tour de France titles, and 96 days spent in the iconic yellow jersey, which is still a record.

The model features a 41mm stainless steel case, which also sits 13.3mm tall. That's water resistant up to 100m, which is still impressive for a chronograph.

Inside, you'll find a Caliber B01 movement, which features a 4Hz beat rate and around 70 hours of power reserve. It's also COSC-certified, meaning you'll enjoy superior accuracy, while employing a vertical clutch, column-wheel design.

The model is offered on either a black racing-themed leather strap, or a stainless steel mesh bracelet. Both options invoke a little bit of retro design, which should make them hot picks.

The model is limited to just 525 pieces, honouring the number of victories Merckx holds. Flip onto the case back and you'll see a "one of 525" engraving, along with "Eddy Merckx Tribute".

Priced at £6,200 (approx. €7,250 / US$8,250 / AU$11,980) on the leather strap and £6,600 (approx. €7,700 / US$8,800 / AU$12,750) on the bracelet, this feels like a solid option for a lot of people. You definitely don't have to be a fan to own one – kudos to the Breitling design team – but if you are, it's a perfect way to honour an impressive legacy.

When Ulysse Nardin unveiled its updated Freak X model a few weeks ago, it did so with a lot of expectant eyes watching. The model shaved 2mm from the case diameter, making it the smallest Freak ever launched.

That should make it an incredibly wearable prospect – and I gave the model a go to see if that proves true.

First things first, yes – it's incredibly easy to wear. 2mm doesn't sound like a lot, but it's the difference between a watch which sits neatly on the wrist and one which feels like a weighted dinner plate on your wrist.

But the differences aren't limited to just the case size. This model is also crafted with a more traditional construction, including a monobloc case and a more traditional dial design.

Personally, I found this to be a much more attractive design. It looks a lot more like a traditional watch dial, which helps this to slip under the radar a little more.

The Freak isn't often the kind of watch which you can say that about – and frankly, it's probably not the watch you buy to do that – but it certainly gives a new lease of life to the model. I really enjoyed the prospect of a slightly less out-there Freak, and it will almost certainly entice users who would otherwise have been put of by the avant-garde design language.

Don't be fooled into thinking that the quirky design language the model is known for is gone, though. If you've never seen the Freak in the flesh, you really have to – the floating hands are simply astounding in action.

This model also sports a beautiful new movement, complete with a rose gold micro-rotor. That's also good for 72 hours of power reserve, making this a capable part of a watch rotation.

Now, the sticking point for most people will be the price. At £32,030 / €37,960 / US$42,400 (approx. AU$ 61,605) it's certainly not cheap, finding itself in the company of watches like the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

Still, if you're looking for something different to add to your watch box, I think this has always been a great option. This new model is the perfect entry point for most collectors into something Freaky.

Bremont is celebrating a decade of being the Official Timing Partner of Henley Royal Regatta with its limited edition Terra Nova HRR Chronograph. The new watch is limited to just 150 pieces, and is a celebration of one of the world’s most prestigious rowing events.

To pay tribute to the sporting heritage of Henley Royal Regatta, the Bremont Terra Nova HRR Chronograph is a real celebration of rowing. Not only does the watch feature royal blue colours and rowing motifs, but it’s also handmade at The Wing in Henley-on-Thames which Bremont’s HQ is based.

Measuring 42mm, the Bremont Terra Nova HRR Chronograph is crafted from 904L stainless steel. The biggest pop of royal blue is on the bi-directional ceramic bezel which has a stroke counter insert which measures stroke rate and cadence by minute during rowing training and racing. Crossed oars are also at 12 o’clock on the bezel.

The bezel is operated by chronograph pushers which are located on the right side of the case and flanks a push-in crown. The pushers also control the navy blue chronograph counters on the dial which includes a small seconds counter at nine o’clock and a 30-minute subdial at three o’clock. Both are contrasted with white hands and numerals.

The main colour of the dial is white but royal blue makes up the chronographs, hour markers and minute track. A date window sits at six o’clock just below the HRR logo. ‘Henley-on-Thames’ is written just below it as a nod to where the Regatta takes place and where the watch was made.

My favourite part of the Bremont Terra Nova HRR Chronograph is its seconds hand in a pretty mint shade. The colour is a nod to the Henley Royal Regatta deckchairs which are in the Stewards enclosure. My husband used to row so we go to the Regatta every year, and I’ve always wanted one of those deckchairs, so I love the tribute to the iconic chairs’ colour.

Powered by the BC77 movement, the Bremont Terra Nova HRR Chronograph has a 62 hour power reserve, and is water resistant to 100 metres. The watch is finished with a choice of a 904L stainless steel bracelet or a blue rubber leather strap.

The Bremont Terra Nova HRR Chronograph is available to buy from today, and is limited to just 150 pieces.

TAG Heuer is back for its fourth collaboration with Gulf Oil, and its latest limited edition watch might be my favourite model yet. Featuring blue and orange racing stripes and a tachymeter bezel, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Gulf is a racing-inspired work of art.

As the Official Timekeeper for Formula 1, TAG Heuer has a long standing history with motorsports. In partnership with Gulf, the two brands have collaborated on both Formula 1 Chronograph and Monaco timepieces, all of which display Gulf Oil’s iconic blue and orange branding.

The new TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Gulf is no exception. Based on TAG Heuer’s popular Chronograph watch, the watch’s dial features Gulf’s blue and orange stripes that run vertically down the right side and is slightly overlapped by a date window at three o’clock. The base of the dial is black opalin, and a blue running track loops around the inside and is interspersed with hour markers.

In the centre and left side of the dial, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Gulf has three chronograph counters. The 30-minute and 12-hour subdials have orange hands, while the seconds indicator has a blue hand. The main hour and minute hands are skeletonised to match the hour markers, and the watch also has a bold orange seconds hand.

Measuring 44mm, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Gulf is crafted from Grade 2 sandblasted titanium. A tachymeter bezel frames the dial and has a forged carbon insert that gives it an irregular surface and subtle pattern. On the right side of the case, two chronograph pushers flank an oversized crown that’s tipped with orange.

Powered by the Calibre 16 movement, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Gulf offers a 48 hour power reserve and is water resistant to 200 metres. The caseback displays the Gulf logo and the watch is finished with a titanium bracelet.

Looking at the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Gulf, I’d describe it as a very busy watch. There’s a lot technically and visually happening on the watch, but I love the use of colour, and the bold bezel that frames the racing-inspired dial.

Limited to 1000 pieces, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Chronograph x Gulf will be available from July 3rd, and is priced at £5,350 / $6,300 / €6,300.

It's Amazon Prime Day week, which means I've had my head buried in the very best deals on watches and other luxury goods for some time now. I've been hard at work running the best watch deals live blog, shouting about a constant stream of bargains and even finding a cut-price Rolex.

But for those of us with champagne tastes and lemonade pockets, I've rounded up a selection of the very best deals on watches under £500. Each of them is a deal I'd personally buy, having tested millions of pounds worth of watches this year alone.

With the Amazon Prime Day sale in full flow, there are lots and lots of bargains to be had. For most of us here in the UK, the focus has been on air con units, fans and other cooling aids to help beat the roasting conditions outside.

Still, for us watch lovers, there are many bargains to be had. And that got me thinking – can you buy a Rolex in the Amazon Prime Day sale? The answer is yes – and you could save a whopping £5,000 in the process!

While not being sold directly from Amazon, the model I've spotted comes from one of our trusted retail partners, Chisholm Hunter. They're a well-respected jeweller and offer a range of killer watches, too.

Right now, they're running a parallel sale to the Amazon one, but you won't spot this Rolex directly in the sale listings. Instead, you'll have to go into the Pre-Owned section, and find it there.

So, just what's on offer? Well, this model is a 2002 Rolex DayDate, crafted from 18k White Gold. That's certainly not as popular or recognisable as the Yellow Gold versions, but I actually think that plays to the benefit of this model.

The silver-toned appearance is more likely to be mistaken for steel, which is a blessing if you're looking to go under the radar. It's what gives watches like this their 'stealth wealth' monikers.

I also think that hue is a lot more timeless in its design. We see gold swing in and out of fashion like a poorly weighted pendulum, but silver-toned metals are far more rigid in comparison.

Of course, it's also worth talking about the price. A £5,000 saving is more than decent, and makes this a very attractive prospect. Similar models are trading online for between £20k-£25k, so you're on the good end of the spectrum with this deal.

Calling all golf fans – TAG Heuer has teamed up with TaylorMade on its latest Connected Calibre E5 watch. The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition is designed to support golf players during rounds of golf, by tracking shots, positioning and other metrics.

TAG Heuer debuted its first Connected smartwatch back in 2015, and since then, it’s expanded the line-up to include sports like Formula 1 and golf. The latter is what we’re talking about today, as the brand has launched its latest golf Connected watch in collaboration with sports equipment manufacturer, TaylorMade.

Designed to seamlessly integrate into a round of golf, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition is powered by TAG Heuer OS and the Calibre E5 movement. Compatible with iOS 18+ and Android 13+, the new timepiece is sure to impress golfers and fans alike.

With the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition, you can view your metrics quickly on the screen, including best and last score, longest drive, rounds played and more. Each shot and position is registered for you via TAG Heyer’s algorithms so you can focus on your game as your watch collects your data.

Once your shots and positions are registered, it’s processed by TaylorMade’s performance analysis which compares each round to deliver ‘strokes gained metrics’. Wearers will be able to see strokes gained and lost, and which areas they can improve on.

Measuring 45mm, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition isn’t a small watch by any means. Aside from its golf tracking technology, it also has dual-band GPS and sensors that track your heart rate, calories, breathing and sleep.

The bezel of the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition is engraved with 18 holes. Part of the titanium case, a crown sits on the right side, and features TaylorMade branding, as does the caseback and strap clasp.

The dial or AMOLED screen is available in two digital designs. The first is called Topography and inspired by the topography of golf courses. It includes three chronographs, a date window, and hours, minutes and seconds hands.

The second is Momentum which, despite the name, is much simpler with just the digital time being shown. The background is inspired by the fluidity of a golf swing. Both dials, as well as the strap of the watch, shows off dark blue colours that are from TaylorMade’s palette and history.

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition is finished with a blue leather striped bracelet, and an impressive 12 hour battery life. TAG Heuer and TaylorMade have also partnered on other golfing products, including a putter, duffle bag, hats and gloves.

For avid golf enthusiasts, the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition is exactly what you’ll want to wear to the course. Not only does it look the part with its two dial displays but having your golf stats on your wrist can seriously improve your game.

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E5 45 mm x TaylorMade Edition is available to buy now for £2,150 / $2,550 / €2,550.

It's no secret that TAG Heuer enjoys a lot of heritage in the world of motorsport. It's chronographs have been seen on the wrists of drivers and fans alike for the better part of half a century, while a renewed timekeeping duty with Formula 1 has brought that legacy into the modern day.

Now, another major motorsport event has been immortalised in chronograph form. The brand's latest release is made to celebrate the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is set to take place in just a few weeks time.

The model sports a beautiful, deep green dial and bezel colour, which is inspired by the green fields of Goodwood. That's accented with red hands and rings on the crown and pushers, and the two marry up really nicely.

That dial is broken by three sub-dials arranged in a 12, six, nine arrangement. That leaves space at the three o'clock position for a date window, and the brand, model and calibre logos.

It sits within a 44mm case crafted from fine brushed steel. Flipping things over reveals an engraved caseback, complete with the Festival of Speed logo and the position of the watch within the limited run of 500 pieces.

The model is also rated for a staggering 200m of water resistance. That's enough for a dive watch certification, and is almost unheard of in the realm of chronographs – top marks, TAG!

The piece is powered by a Caliber 16 movement, which should ensure around 48 hours of power reserve from a 4Hz beat rate. Note that those figures are taken from elsewhere online, and don't come directly from TAG Heuer.

Priced at £4,250 / €5,000 / US$5,050 (approx. AU$8,025) the model should be a popular pick for motoring fans seeking a neat limited edition watch. Whether that, or you're simply a TAG fan, this is certain to be a hit.

Footage of Henry Cavill has been going viral overnight, after the actor stole the show at Royal Ascot. Clad in top hat and tails, the icon looked every bit as dapper as one would hope of the occasion.

Sitting on his wrist was an equally impressive watch. Wearing a 1926 Longines mono-pusher chronograph isn't something all of us non-ambassadors will be able to enjoy. Still, if you want to nail the look, there are ways of doing it for less. Here are five of my top picks.

Seiko Presage Cocktail Time

If you're trying to snag a dress watch on a budget, Seiko absolutely must be in the conversation. Models like the Presage Cocktail Time offer some of the best value on the market, with quality materials and stunning dial art.

This one is my personal pick, and a bit of a bargain at just £429. But any model in this range will serve you handsomely.

Detrash McQ: Salmon

Getting all dolled up is all well and good, but it's important to do some good, too. That's exactly what Detrash champions, with watches which use eco-conscious materials and give back to charities protecting the planet.

The McQ: Salmon is one of the very best picks on the market right now for those seeking an affordable dress watch.

Tissot Telemeter 1938

One of the first things I thought of when I saw the watch in question was this Tissot model. It might not be a mono-pusher, but the busy nature of the dial and the chronograph functionality certainly put it in a similar spot.

It's not cheap, but it is great. I've seen it on sale before, so keep an eye out next week as the Amazon Prime Day sales start to make prices fall.

Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chrono

At last, we've reached a mono-pusher model! This Montblanc option is a real looker, with a healthy does of vintage charm.

It's far from cheap, but this style is rarely going to be .

Cartier Tank Louis

If money's no object and you simply want a timeless dress watch, there's no better place to park your cash than the Cartier Tank Louis. Worn by everyone from Muhammed Ali to Princess Diana – and currently enjoying a renewed spell of popularity on the wrist of Harry Styles.

If you're going to do it, this is the one. 18k rose gold case, brown alligator leather strap and a mechanical movement inside to attest to the timelessness of this design.

It's not cheap, though, so those looking to save a little cash should try the steel model.

While there are many features and functions we look for in a modern dive watch, there's one which really must stand out above all else. Water resistance should really be a given for anything in this space, but as the defining factor which makes the segment tick, it's still important.

Enter the Certina PH2000M. That name should already give away one of the key features of this watch – and no, it's not a typo!

The model is engineered to withstand pressures up to 2,000m below the surface of the ocean. It's no mean feat – the Rolex Submariner is a figurehead of this watch type, and can only manage a mere 300m.

Don't think the added deep water credentials come at the sacrifice of style, either. The model comes in four different dial options, each looking absolutely fabulous.

You'll choose between white, black, yellow and teal sunburst dials, all with black bezels apart from the white model, which has a blue bezel. All of the models feature orange accents on the minute hand, which ties in with classic dive watch colour schemes.

All four are presented in 43mm cases crafted from Grade 2 Titanium. They do sit 16mm thick, which is the only bug on the windshield in this spec sheet. But hey, that water resistance has to come from somewhere.

You'll also find a helium escape valve on the side of the case, while the bezel ring is crafted from ceramic. Inside, the popular Powermatic 80 movement powers things, offering 80 hours of power reserve.

Pricing is very reasonable, too. All four models cost just £1,230 / US$1,440 (approx. €1,420 / AU$2,320) which is not a lot for a watch of this calibre. If you're in the market for a stylish dive watch with serious specs, I think this one should definitely be on your radar.