Casio has a knack for producing watches that become cultural phenomena, with the CasiOak probably being the best recent example of how the Japanese watchmaker can turn a relatively affordable timepiece into something that appeals to people who might never have considered wearing a G-SHOCK before.

The new G-SHOCK 2500 Series looks destined for a similar reception, but its arrival has certainly stirred the community, with plenty of people questioning its design and functionality, and some even asking whether it deserves to be called a proper G-SHOCK.

I've been wearing the all-metal GMC-2500D-1A for over a week now, and judging by the reactions to T3’s social media posts, people have some pretty strong opinions about it.

Some have called it the ShockTilus, while others prefer Casionaut, a nickname that seems more likely to stick given the watch's resemblance to certain luxury sports watches and the enormous success of the CasiOak before it.

Beyond the comparisons and creative nicknames, though, I was curious whether Casio's fully analogue experiment could live up to the hype, especially given how different it is from the digital G-SHOCKs most people know and love.

Casio G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A at a glance

The GMC-2500D-1A is part of Casio's new fully analogue 2500 Series, which reinterprets the design of the original DW-5000C with a more traditional watch face and a distinctive rotating disc that doubles as a seconds indicator.

The stainless steel model feels substantial without being excessively bulky, measuring 46.7 x 43.8 x 12.9mm and weighing 138 grams. Being a G-SHOCK, it’s shock-resistant and also offers 200 metres of water resistance.

You also get an automatic calendar, an LED light, and a 30-minute stopwatch, though the latter works quite differently from the straightforward digital chronographs Casio fans might be used to.

One particularly interesting feature is the Shock Release Hand, which uses a magnetic holding mechanism to protect the minute hand from impacts.

It lets the watch retain its legendary toughness despite its more traditional, mechanical-looking arrangement.

Battery life is rated at approx. two years, but Casio says you can extend it to around five years by disabling the constantly moving seconds indicator, an interesting compromise I'll come back to later.

What is the Casio G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A like on the wrist?

I'll start with something that might upset a few traditional G-SHOCK fans: I really like this watch, especially how Casio has created something that feels completely different from its existing digital models without losing the brand's unmistakable character.

The GMC-2500D-1A feels excellent on the wrist, with a reassuring solidity that feels substantial without becoming uncomfortable, while the stainless steel construction gives it a more sophisticated appearance than its resin-clad siblings.

What I appreciate most is that Casio has committed to a fully analogue interpretation of the G-SHOCK concept, a design that feels more like a conventional sports watch than a typical multifunctional digital timepiece.

It looks so good that you almost forget you could probably throw it out of a window without much damage, though I should point out I haven't actually tested that theory.

That doesn't mean the construction is perfect, and I'd change a few things if I had the opportunity.

For starters, the bracelet links feel slightly loose compared to the tighter, more refined construction of the Q Timex 1975 SSQ Digital Reissue, and I'd much prefer a tool-free system that would make removing or adding links easier when adjusting the fit.

The buttons are also surprisingly hard to press, especially when using the stopwatch, though I suspect most people buying this watch won't spend much time using that function.

The prominent "G-SHOCK PROTECTION" lettering embossed around the bezel is another pain point for some. I don't mind it, but I can see why some people find it distracting, especially compared with the more understated branding common on conventional analogue watches.

I wouldn't be surprised if Casio eventually introduced a version with a cleaner bezel and more discreet branding.

Is the Casio G-SHOCK 2500 Series missing the point?

One of the most common criticisms I've encountered is the lack of familiar G-SHOCK features, with people pointing out that the GMC-2500D-1A doesn't offer a countdown timer, world time or an alarm, and that even setting the time isn't especially intuitive.

I find the stopwatch function a bit more involved than necessary, requiring several button presses and a wait while the rotating disc moves into position. It feels unnecessarily complicated for something you can do almost instantly on a smartphone.

I can't really imagine using it regularly, but I also wonder whether people are comparing the 2500 Series to the wrong watches, since this is clearly intended to offer a different experience from Casio's feature-packed digital models.

Yes, digital G-SHOCKs offer considerably more functionality, often for significantly less money, but I'm not entirely sure how Casio squeezed in all those extra features without compromising the simplicity of the analogue design.

The criticism of battery life is perhaps more understandable, especially since two years isn't especially impressive for a watch without fitness tracking, notifications, or other power-hungry features commonly associated with smartwatches.

Casio's own G-SHOCK GBD models can offer similar battery longevity while providing considerably more functionality, so I can see why some people might feel the GMC-2500D-1A should last longer between battery replacements.

You can extend battery life by disabling the seconds indicator, but it feels like sacrificing one of the watch's most charming design features. I’m not saying it defeats the purpose of buying the G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A, but it does take away one of its main attractions.

A solar-powered version would make sense, and I wouldn't be surprised if Casio introduced one eventually, though there's no guarantee such a model is currently in development.

Personally, the limited functions bother me far less than they seem to bother others, because I see the GMC-2500D-1A primarily as an attractive, incredibly tough analogue watch rather than a replacement for the multifunctional G-SHOCKs we've worn for decades.

Is the Casio G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A worth the money?

At £300, the GMC-2500D-1A is the most expensive model in the new 2500 Series, though the collection starts at a much more accessible £110 for the resin models, making the design available to people who don't want to pay extra for stainless steel.

As much as I've enjoyed wearing the metal version, I suspect I'd actually prefer the lighter, all-resin option, partly because the material feels more intrinsically G-SHOCK to me and partly because I think the design would work brilliantly as a more affordable everyday watch.

That's not to suggest metal watches don't belong in the G-SHOCK family, of course. The MR-G and GMW-B5000 collections are excellent examples of how well Casio can work with premium materials, and even its cheaper metal watches have a charm that's hard to replicate elsewhere.

That said, the combination of a fully analogue dial and traditional G-SHOCK resin construction feels just right, and I'm keen to see how the two versions compare (when I eventually get my hands on the cheaper model).

I can see why the 2500 Series has divided opinion, especially among long-time Casio enthusiasts who have grown accustomed to getting enormous functionality for relatively little money, but that's precisely why I find the new collection so interesting.

The Japanese watchmaker has created something that feels genuinely fresh while remaining unmistakably G-SHOCK, and I suspect the CasioNaut will eventually become as recognisable as the CasiOak, particularly given its affordable entry point and the attention it's already generating.

I certainly wouldn't bet against Casio introducing new colours, materials and variations in the coming years, either, as watches that generate this much discussion rarely disappear without leaving some kind of mark.

After spending over a week with the GMC-2500D-1A, I can confirm that its greatest strength is just how well it combines traditional watch aesthetics with G-SHOCK toughness. It offers something different compared to its feature-rich siblings. And it looks nice, too.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely, provided you're buying it for what it is rather than what you wish it could do, because if you need alarms, timers and world time, Casio already makes plenty of watches that offer all those functions, often for considerably less money.

The G-SHOCK GMC-2500D-1A will be available to buy from XXX at Casio. The recommended retail price in the UK is £300.

Timex makes some of the best affordable watches, especially if you're into vintage-inspired designs, and its latest sale makes one of its more distinctive chronographs even more tempting.

Shop Timex’s 31% off Flash Sale (use the code Flash31)

The Timex Legacy Tonneau Chronograph, a £200 timepiece inspired by the bold watch designs of the 1970s, is currently £138 with code Flash31 at checkout, saving you £62.

One verified buyer says the chronograph "looks and feels a lot more expensive", describing it as stylish, comfortable and good value for money, while another simply says, "I feel special whenever I wear this watch".

The Legacy Tonneau Chronograph’s most distinctive feature is its chunky, barrel-shaped stainless-steel case, which delivers an unmistakable 1970s aesthetic without looking like a museum piece.

Measuring 42mm across and 11mm thick, the case combines brushed and polished finishes, while the black multi-layered dial features three contrasting silver subdials and bright red hands.

A tachymeter scale around the dial adds to the vintage motorsport aesthetic. It has a battery-powered quartz chronograph movement with stopwatch functionality without the maintenance of a mechanical movement.

The watch also features a date window at 3 o'clock, a mineral crystal, and 50 metres of water resistance, making it suitable for everyday wear and occasional light swimming.

The Legacy Tonneau has earned some enthusiastic customer feedback, with buyers particularly praising its appearance.

One reviewer calls it a "Great looking watch", while another says they love its old-school aesthetic. Several also highlight its comfort, although the strap length appears to be the main recurring criticism.

At its regular £200 price, the Legacy Tonneau is already an interesting alternative to the usual retro digital watches and traditional dress watches that dominate this end of the market.

With 31% off, however, it's an even more compelling proposition, particularly for anyone who appreciates the oversized, unconventional chronographs of the 1970s.

You can buy the Timex Legacy Tonneau Chronograph directly from Timex for £138, down from £200, using the discount code Flash31 at checkout. The offer is part of the brand's flash sale, so availability and the promotion may change.

NORQAIN has introduced its latest Wild ONE watch, and reinvented it in its signature colour. The new NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise is still the brand’s lightest watch to date, but it now features bold turquoise accents on the case, crown, dial and strap.

The NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise keeps the original watch’s dimensions and weight. The case measures 41mm in diameter with a 11.95mm thickness, and it only weighs 45 grams, so you can barely feel it on your wrist. It’s made from ultra-light materials, including titanium, aluminium, rubber and the brand’s own NORTEQ and X-Lite carbon fibre composite.

The use of NORTEQ and X-Lite in the new watch gives it a light yet robust feel, and makes it increasingly shock absorbent. Used in the NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise’s casing ring, the watch can handle shocks exceeding 5,000G, so it can withstand intense environments and activities.

Aside from its ultra-light feel, the watch has similar features to the limited edition NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite timepiece that launched earlier this year. This includes a skeletonised black dial, black NORTEQ case parts, and a screw-down crown.

But as the name states, the NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise now comes in turquoise. The bright blue-green shade is featured on the crown rubber insert, its rubber shock absorbers, double-layered strap and the dial.

The dial of the NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise is openworked so you can see the movement through it, as well as when you flip it over via the aluminium open caseback. The bar-like hour markers are bordered in turquoise, which matches the colour of the minute track, as well as the tips of the diamond-cut hour and minutes hands, and the flat seconds hand.

The turquoise on the dial is further highlighted by Super-LumiNova so it’s legible in the dark. The NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise comes with two strap options – a double-layered black and turquoise rubber strap with a perforated top layer, and an interchangeable turquoise stretch band with a black rubber upper layer.

The NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise is powered by the NORQAIN 4K Manufacture Calibre (NK26/1) movement, which gives the watch a 65 hour power reserve. It features skeletonised bridges and an oscillating weight which is shaped into mountain peaks, which you can see on the caseback.

The NORQAIN Wild ONE Skeleton X-Lite Turquoise is part of the brand’s permanent collection, but it’s limited to 300 pieces globally. It’s priced at £9,700 / $13,900 and available to buy at NORQAIN and its stores.

Timex has expanded its Harry Potter watch collection with four new models, including a retro-inspired chronograph, two Time-Turner designs and a rather elaborate gold-tone pocket watch.

The watchmaker is no stranger to the wizarding world, having previously released timepieces inspired by everything from the Hogwarts houses to Butterbeer and Platform 9¾.

The latest additions feel more sophisticated than your average movie merchandise, especially the new Q Timex Time Turner Chronograph, which wouldn't look out of place alongside the brand's regular retro-inspired watches.

A little magic goes a long way

The Q Timex Time Turner Chronograph is a 40mm stainless steel watch inspired by Hermione Granger's famous time-travelling device.

It features a silver-tone case and bracelet, gold-tone accents and a white dial decorated with star-shaped cutouts.

Two vertically stacked black chronograph sub-dials are designed to resemble the miniature hourglasses found in Hermione's Time-Turner.

It's a surprisingly handsome design, although the lengthy inscription around the gold-tone bezel, taken from the Time-Turner itself, might be a little much for some.

The second Time-Turner-inspired Q Timex takes a slightly different approach.

This 36mm model swaps the stainless steel bracelet for a black leather strap and features a miniature hourglass at the centre of its black-and-gold dial.

Silver glitter adds a little sparkle to the hourglass, while the surrounding stars and circular detailing reinforce the magical theme.

A pocketful of Hogwarts

Perhaps the most unusual addition is the Harry Potter x Timex Time Turner Pocket Watch.

Measuring 48.5mm across, the gold-tone stainless steel timepiece features an intricate white dial inspired by the Clock Tower at Hogwarts Castle, complete with Roman numerals and overlapping circular patterns.

The hinged cover takes its inspiration from Hermione's Time-Turner, with a sculpted hourglass motif on the outside.

It's certainly not the most practical way to tell the time in 2026, but as a collectible, it's arguably the most interesting piece in the collection.

Finally, the Q Timex Sorcerer's Stone is a 38mm watch with a black stainless steel case and matching bracelet.

Its fiery red dial takes inspiration from the legendary Philosopher's Stone, known as the Sorcerer's Stone in the US, while a wand-shaped seconds hand provides another subtle nod to the films.

There's also an exhibition case back bearing the stone's name, adding another detail for collectors to appreciate.

All four watches are now listed on the Harry Potter x Timex collection page.

The Q Timex Time Turner starts at £200 for the 36mm leather-strap model, while the Sorcerer's Stone costs £230.

The Time Turner Chronograph and gold-tone Time Turner Pocket Watch are the most expensive of the new arrivals, both priced at £290.

Ahead of its 160th anniversary which takes place in 2027, Girard-Perregaux is starting the celebrations early with its new Laureato Fifty Three Gold Bridges watch. Based on its iconic Three Bridges design, Girard-Perregaux has reimagined the timepiece in rose gold and with accents of its Laureato watch.

Sitting in a 41mm stainless steel case, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty Three Gold Bridges introduces the brand’s Laureato-style bezel to a Three Bridges watch for the first time. The bezel has a bold octagonal shape that sits atop a circular ring, and it blends into the steel of the case, crown and integrated bracelet, despite being made from white gold.

The dial of the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty Three Gold Bridges is the real showstopper of the piece. It has a skeletonised dial which shows off the watch’s movement, as well as a self-winding tourbillon at six o’clock. The tourbillon cage has a lyre shape, and is overlapped by three rose gold bridges.

The rose gold bridges stretch across the entire length of the openworked dial, and are fixed to it with oversized screws on each corner. For more colour, the dial has pink gold hour markers that sit atop the minute track, as well as baton-style hour and minute hands.

As seen through the dial and the caseback, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty Three Gold Bridges is powered by the GP9620 manufacture calibre movement. The movement has been developed exclusively for this watch, and it’s the fourth new movement to be introduced by Girard-Perregaux this year.

As you can see on the watch, the movement is extremely complex, and features a patented platinum micro-rotor, barrel and gear train. Its 418 hand-polished angles have a combination of polished and satin-finished surfaces, and the movement also gives the watch 55 hours of power reserve.

As an anniversary timepiece, the Girard-Perregaux Laureato Fifty Three Gold Bridges is definitely a celebration of the brand’s history and luxury timekeeping. It’ll cost you a fair few bob though, as it’s priced at £144,000.

Vacheron Constantin is celebrating Chinese New Year 2027 early with its latest watch launch. The Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Goat is available in two case materials, and features the next animal zodiac from the Chinese calendar on a hands-free dial design.

Chinese New Year 2027 doesn’t officially begin until February 6th 2027, but next year, it’s all about the Year of the Goat. In Chinese culture and art, the goat is a symbol of peace, gentleness, loyalty and kindness, and it’s the eighth sign in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.

Vacheron Constantin has paid tribute to the Chinese zodiac previously, including a Year of the Horse watch for 2026, and a Year of the Snake watch for 2025. Next year is no exception, and Vacheron Constantin has stuck to its popular Métiers d’Art watch design, but upgraded with – you guessed it – a goat!

Measuring 40mm, the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Goat comes in either a 950 platinum case or an 18K 5N pink gold case. The material is also used on the crown, and the three-dimensional goat that stands at the centre of the dial.

The dial is completely hands-free, so there are no hour markers or hands on this watch. Instead, there are four discs on each ‘corner’ of the watch that display the hour, minutes, days of the week and date. Hours and minutes are on the upper part, while the days and date are on the bottom, and match the colour of the background.

At the centre of the dial is a 3D goat that stands on a large rock. The background is made from hand-painted grand feu enamel, including a blue sky, foliage and field, that sits behind the goat and its rock.

Made from either 18K white or pink gold, the goat is sculpted and engraved to create the finer details of the goat’s horn and fur. It’s an extremely delicate dial that took up to three days to make each variant.

The Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Goat is powered by the self-winding manufacture Calibre 2460 G4 movement. It gives the watch 40 hours of power reserve, and is made up of 237 components with a generous thickness of 6.05mm.

The movement of the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Goat can be seen via the sapphire crystal caseback. It shows off the open-worked 22K yellow gold oscillating weight, and decorations including a Maltese Cross, bridges, and a Hallmark of Geneva engraving.

The platinum version of the watch is finished with a dark blue alligator strap, while the pink gold version comes with a dark brown alligator leather strap. Both variants of the Vacheron Constantin Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Goat are limited to 25 pieces each, and pricing is available on request.

A. Lange & Söhne is marking the 20th anniversary of its first-ever Datograph Perpetual with a reimagined and sparklier modern version. The new watch sits in a 41mm 950 platinum case with a full platinum bracelet, and diamonds studded on the dial – two rare additions to A. Lange & Söhne’s collections.

The original Datograph Perpetual made waves back in 2006, as it was the first watch from A. Lange & Söhne to combine a chronograph, perpetual calendar and an outsize date. The new A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual keeps these iconic features, and adds some exciting new complications of its own.

With a diameter of 41mm and a height of 13.5mm, the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual is quite oversized, so it really makes a statement. The 950 platinum case leads to an integrated full five-row platinum bracelet, and it has a crown on the right side that’s flanked by two chronograph pushers. Another pusher is on the top left of the case.

Speaking of chronographs, the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual has a complicated black dial with a white tachymetre scale, and eleven baguette-cut diamonds which represent the hour markers. There are double diamonds at 12 o’clock, and no hour marker at four or eight o’clock, due to the complications that sit on the lower part of the dial.

The chronographs include a flyback chronograph with a precise jumping minute counter at three o’clock. At nine, there’s a perpetual calendar with an outsize date that shows the day of the week, month and leap year, and a day/night indicator.

At six o’clock, the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual has a moonphase display. It’s extremely precise, and if kept running continuously, it should show the phases of the moon for up to 122.6 years without any adjustments needed – although the pusher on the left side of the case is there if you need to make any changes to the moonphase.

Powered by the manually-wound L952.1 calibre movement, the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual has a 36 hour power reserve when fully wound. It has 556 individual components, which you can see through the sapphire crystal caseback, including the rockers, switching levers and column wheel.

The movement of the A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual allows for extreme precision, for example, the chronograph can measure time with an accuracy of one fifth of a second. It’s an absolute masterpiece, and despite having a lot going on, it doesn’t look too cluttered, but has every kind of time-telling power you could possibly need.

The A. Lange & Söhne Datograph Perpetual is limited to 50 pieces, with pricing available on request.

Some watches instantly transport you back in time, and Timex's latest release is one of them.

The new Timex 1978 Day Date Fumé Reissue looks like something my grandad would have worn, with a golden case, brown leather strap and a wonderfully smoky dial that practically screams 1970s sophistication.

My grandfather actually owned a similar-looking watch (though his wasn't a Timex), which makes this reissue particularly endearing to me.

The new model is based on a design from Timex's archives, originally released in 1978, and stays remarkably faithful to the aesthetic of the period.

The 1970s called, and I'm picking up

The most striking feature is undoubtedly the fumé dial, which transitions from a warm brown centre to a darker, almost chocolate-coloured perimeter.

The smoky gradient with the light, which lends the otherwise understated watch plenty of visual depth.

Applied gold-tone hour markers and matching hands complement the polished case, while a traditional day-date window at 3 o'clock completes the retro look.

There's even an old-school Q Timex logo beneath the 12 o'clock position, a subtle nod to the brand's quartz-powered watches from the 1970s.

The case, which measures 37mm across, with a 42mm lug-to-lug distance, makes the Timex 1978 Day Date Fumé Reissue considerably more compact than many contemporary models.

Its softly contoured, almost cushion-shaped silhouette is another unmistakable throwback to the decade that inspired it.

Interestingly, the watch is 13.5mm thick, so it's not quite as slender as its relatively modest diameter might suggest.

Timex has also opted for an acrylic crystal rather than sapphire, which is more susceptible to scratches but helps preserve the warm, slightly rounded appearance of vintage watches.

Old-school looks, everyday practicality

The Timex 1978 Day Date Fumé Reissue runs on a battery-powered quartz movement, which is entirely appropriate given that the original design emerged during the quartz revolution.

The watch also offers 50 metres of water resistance, though I doubt anyone would want to get the handsome leather strap wet.

Speaking of which, the brown crocodile-grain strap is made from natural leather and features quick-release spring bars.

The Timex 1978 Day Date Fumé Reissue is available now at Timex UK for £180, with US and European prices set at $219 and €209, respectively. AU price and availability TBC.

Breitling has launched two new chronograph watches to its Navitimer range, bringing the spirit of the 1960s Twin Jet Navitimer to its core collection. Both new Navitimer timepieces feature the 60s era Twin Jet logo, chronograph counters, and oversized cases.

The original Navitimer was developed back in 1952 for pilots and aviators, and has since become a big part of Breitling’s watch line-up and history. As a pilot watch, the Navitimer has been used by actual pilots, and in 1962, it was adapted for space flight for NASA astronaut, Scott Carpenter.

For Carpenter’s Mercury Atlas 7 orbital flight, Breitling developed the Navitimer Cosmonaute which had a 24-hour display, and became the first Swiss wristwatch to go to space. Now, you can actually buy your own version of the original watch with the new Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute.

Measuring 41mm, the Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute has a stainless steel case which is lightly scalloped. It has an oversized crown and two chronograph pushers on the right side, which frames the black and white reverse panda dial.

At first glance, the dial of the Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute looks quite complicated, and it’s certainly got a lot going on. The white minute track wraps around the black dial, and leads down to three white chronograph subdials. A date window sits at six o’clock and is integrated into the lower subdial.

The numbers on the Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute are marked in twos – so 12 o’clock is actually at six, while 24 is at 12. Just underneath the 24 hour is the Twin Jet logo, and the numbers, and hour and minute hands are set with Super-LumiNova.

The Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Calibre B02 movement, used exclusively for the Cosmonaute. It gives the watch 70 hours of power. The watch is finished with either a stainless steel bracelet or brown calfskin leather strap. The former is priced at £8,150 while the latter is £7,950.

The second – and slightly more laidback – model is the Breitling Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41. It has similar features as the B02, like its 41mm stainless steel case, bracelet and straps, and chronograph subdials, although it comes with more options – you can choose a black or blue dial.

Unlike the B02, the Breitling Navitimer B09 Chronograph 41 is a 12-hour watch, so the numbers are where they should be, and there’s no date window. It’s also slightly slimmer, and is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Calibre B09 movement which comes with a 70 hour power reserve. With the leather strap, it costs £6,200 while the bracelet version is £6,500.

Military-inspired watches are everywhere these days, but there's a big difference between a timepiece that looks ready for action and one that's actually designed for it.

Canadian watchmaker Marathon has been supplying timepieces to military and government organisations for decades, and its latest release gives one of its best-known professional dive watches a major upgrade.

The Titanium GSAR Type II is a lighter, more wearable version of an already formidable tool watch, complete with a titanium case, an upgraded automatic movement and illumination that doesn't rely on sunlight or batteries.

A lighter take on a military classic

The GSAR (short for Government Search and Rescue) was originally developed for Canadian Armed Forces search-and-rescue technicians.

Its rugged construction and no-nonsense design have since made it a favourite among military personnel and watch enthusiasts alike.

The new Type II retains the familiar 41mm case diameter and 13.5mm thickness, but swaps stainless steel for Grade 5 titanium.

According to Marathon, the material offers roughly twice the tensile strength of stainless steel and improved corrosion resistance.

The watch retains its oversized screw-down crown, grippy unidirectional diving bezel and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. Water resistance is rated at 300 metres.

A watch that doesn't need the sun to shine

For illumination, Marathon uses tritium gas tubes that glow continuously without needing an external light source.

Green tubes illuminate the hands and most hour markers, while an orange tube at 12 o'clock makes it easier to orient the dial in darkness.

The watch also features Marathon's MaraGlo luminous material, while the Type II dial includes a secondary 24-hour scale for military timekeeping.

The new watch also includes updated typography, a black date wheel and the letters 'Ti' highlighted in red within the word 'AUTOMATIC', referencing titanium's chemical symbol.

Inside, Marathon has fitted a Sellita SW200-2 Top Grade automatic movement with an Incabloc shock absorber.

The Titanium GSAR Type II offers a 65-hour power reserve, a welcome improvement over the previous movement's roughly 41-hour reserve.

The Marathon Titanium GSAR Type II will be available to order from 17 November 2026, priced at £2,475 in the UK and $2,750 in the US.

It comes with a black FKM rubber strap and titanium hardware, with no matching titanium bracelet currently offered.

[via GearPatrol]

Casio has unveiled the new G-SHOCK 2500 Series, a collection of nine fully analogue watches that reimagine the design of the original DW-5000C from 1983.

And while G-SHOCK launches new watches almost weekly these days, this one feels particularly exciting, not least because the most affordable model includes virtually all the technology found in its more expensive siblings.

The collection takes inspiration from the original G-SHOCK's octagonal case and protective button guards, but replaces the familiar digital display with a minimalist analogue dial.

It shares an obvious family resemblance to the hugely popular GA-2100, better known as the CasiOak, though the 2500 Series takes a different approach to displaying information.

More than just a pretty face

The headline innovation is the newly developed Multi-Mission Date, a fan-shaped display at 3 o'clock.

It can show several types of information, including the date, elapsed stopwatch minutes and calendar settings.

It's paired with a small seconds sub-dial at 9 o'clock, creating what Casio calls a "two-eye layout."

The new movement features a magnetic shock-release minute hand that stays in place magnetically.

According to Casio, this lets the hand absorb and dissipate impacts while maintaining accurate positioning.

Curiously, the second hand can be put to sleep, allowing you to stop the small seconds hand when it's not needed to conserve battery life.

Best of all, all nine watches include the Multi-Mission Date, magnetic shock-release mechanism, stopwatch with 30-minute counter, LED illumination and fully automatic calendar.

They also offer approximately two years of battery life, 200-metre water resistance and, of course, shock-resistant construction.

Three styles, one clever movement

The entry-level GAC-2500 features a lightweight resin case and strap, with a sculpted dial and raised hour markers. It's available in black, white, yellow and dark green, and weighs just 47g.

The GMC-2500 steps things up with a metal-clad bezel, brass dial and textured resin strap, available in black, silver and gold finishes.

Finally, the GMC-2500D pairs the metal-clad construction with a matching metal bracelet, giving the watch a more traditional, premium appearance.

Despite their different materials, all three families share the same core functionality.

The new design is also relatively compact by G-SHOCK standards, with the resin model measuring 46.7 × 44.5 × 12.7mm.

It's not quite as slim as the GA-2100, but the smaller overall footprint should make it an appealing everyday option.

The G-SHOCK 2500 Series launches in the UK on 7 November 2026.

The resin GAC-2500 models cost £110, while the metal-clad GMC-2500 starts at £230, and the gold version tops out at £250.

The full-metal-bracelet GMC-2500D sits at the top of the collection, priced at £300.

Since every version shares the same clever movement and essential functionality, the £110 resin model looks like particularly good value.

I wouldn't be surprised if the first batch sold out on launch.

For more info, head over to G-SHOCK.

Breitling has teamed up with Aston Martin on two Valhalla-inspired watches as part of its role as the Official Watch Partner to Aston Martin. Not only do the two Super Chronomat timepieces take inspiration from the supercar, but they’re also exclusively available to Aston Martin Valhalla owners.

There are two Breitling Super Chronomat Aston Martin Valhalla watches available – the Super Chronomat B19 44mm Perpetual Calendar and the Super Chronomat Automatic 38mm. Both are created with the same precision and detail of the Valhalla, and Valhalla owners can even customise certain aspects of the watch to suit their style.

Starting with the Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44mm Perpetual Calendar, this watch is the most complex option from the new launches. Measuring 44mm, the case is made from titanium, and features an oversized crown and two chronograph pushers on the right side.

What makes the Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44mm Perpetual Calendar stand out is its automatic perpetual calendar chronograph. Three chronograph counters sit on the carbon fibre dial, and display the day, date and month. A moonphase sits at 12 o’clock, and the dial is finished with hour markers, and hour, minute and seconds hands.

Powered by the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 19 movement, the Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44mm Perpetual Calendar has a 96 hour power reserve. It’s built to carry time across moonphases, years, leap years and month lengths, and doesn’t require any manual adjustment until 2100.

The movement of the Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44mm Perpetual Calendar can be seen via the caseback, and it’s finished with Breitling’s signature Rouleaux bracelet. The Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44mm Perpetual Calendar is priced at £52,000.

The second launch is the Breitling Super Chronomat Automatic 38mm. It’s slightly more refined compared to the first launch, as it doesn’t have any chronograph counters, but it’s undeniably sparkly with its diamond-set bezel on the 38mm stainless steel case.

The dial of the Breitling Super Chronomat Automatic 38mm is also made from carbon fibre. It has a date window at six o’clock, a minute track and a three-hand display. It’s powered by the Breitling Calibre 17 movement which gives the watch 38 hours of power reserve, and is priced at £22,000.

In terms of customisation, Valhalla owners can choose from up to seven colours to personalise the rehaut, counter and seconds hands of the Breitling Super Chronomat B19 44mm Perpetual Calendar, and the rehaut and hands of the Breitling Super Chronomat Automatic 38mm.

The colour options include Aston Martin Racing Green, Trophy Silver, Vivid Gold, Lime Green, Valkyrie Gold, Vivid Orange and Rosso Corsa. My personal favourite is the Lime Green colour as I like how it stands out against the black and silver colour of the dial.

In celebration of 180 years of watchmaking and 25 years of its Freak watch, Ulysse Nardin has launched its new Freak [S Howlite] – but anyone outside the US won’t get one.

In true Freak style, the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] has no dial, hands or crown. Instead, the Manufacture calibre UN-251 movement indicates the time, and features a flying carousel that rotates around its own axis. Made of 373 components, the flying carousel completes a full rotation every 60 minutes

The movement of the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] looks like a rocket, with two oversized silicon oscillators on either side, and a pointer at the ‘tip’ of the movement which shows the minutes. The movement is three-dimensional so it looks like it’s coming out of the watch, and it features silicon balance wheels, six gear planes and DIAMonSIL escapements.

As is known with the Freak, the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] has no crown, so to wind it, you have to flip it over. On the caseback, you’ll need to rotate it counterclockwise which delivers energy to the barrel using Ulysse Nardin’s Grinder winding system. The movement gives the watch 72 hours of power reserve.

While the Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] doesn’t have a traditional dial, the ‘dial’ of the watch is crafted from howlite, a natural material that the brand has introduced to the Freak for the first time. It gives the watch a white colour with grey veining. At six o’clock, there’s a safety lock which allows you to set the time.

The Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] sits in a 45mm titanium case and has a bidirectional rotating bezel. It’s finished with a white rubber strap that matches the neutral colour of the howlite.

The Ulysse Nardin Freak [S Howlite] is limited to just 15 pieces, and is priced at £190,700 at Ulysse Nardin. It’s only exclusive to the US, so those in the UK, Europe and other countries sadly won’t be able to buy this exciting watch.

Watch launches don't usually involve abseiling into abandoned mines, navigating flooded tunnels or ziplining across underground ravines.

Then again, G-SHOCK isn't exactly known for doing things by halves.

Last week, the Japanese watchmaker celebrated the launch of its new GDG-B100 MUDMAN by organising what could become the world's deepest underground rave, featuring legendary drum and bass DJ Roni Size.

The event took place on 15 October at Cwmorthin slate mine in Eryri, North Wales, with a small group of ballot winners descending 1,375 feet (419 metres) beneath the mountain to reach the makeshift dancefloor.

I was among those who attended, and while I've experienced some unusual product launches over the years, this was certainly one of the most memorable.

Getting to the venue required a two-hour journey through dark, waterlogged passages, involving scrambles, abseils and zip lines, all under the supervision of qualified mine guides from adventure operator Go Below.

At the bottom, the reward was a one-off performance by Roni Size, supported by G-SHOCK Radio's DJ Nav, inside a vast underground chamber known as Deep Sleep.

The mountain became part of the music

What made the event particularly interesting was how the organisers incorporated the surrounding environment into the performance.

Engineers used vibration transducers to send elements of the music directly into the slate, while specialist microphones captured the resulting vibrations.

Speaking to T3 during the event, one of the audio technicians explained that the team had visited the mine several weeks earlier to experiment with the acoustic properties of the rock.

They tapped different sections of slate with a hammer to identify areas that produced interesting resonances, discovering that certain frequencies travelled through the material more effectively than others.

The engineers also took inspiration from traditional recording studios, where dedicated echo chambers were once used to add natural reverberation to music.

Using a separate underground chamber, they positioned a speaker and two ambient microphones to capture the mine's natural acoustics, which could then be mixed into Roni Size's performance.

The result was a DJ set that didn't simply take place inside a mountain, but incorporated the surrounding geology into the music itself.

Before Roni Size took to the decks, the Welsh national anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, echoed through the underground chamber, paying tribute to the area's rich mining heritage.

A watch built for the underground

Of course, there was a reason G-SHOCK went to such extraordinary lengths to organise the event.

The new GDG-B100 MUDMAN is designed to withstand particularly demanding environments, making an abandoned slate mine a rather appropriate setting for its debut.

The rugged digital watch features shock, dust and mud resistance, alongside 200 metres of water resistance.

One of its biggest upgrades is the high-contrast Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) display, which offers improved readability over traditional LCD screens.

There's also a red LED backlight designed to help preserve night vision, Bluetooth smartphone connectivity and activity-tracking features, including distance, speed and pace measurements.

The new MUDMAN comes in three colourways: black (GDG-B100-1), dark green with orange accents (GDG-B100-1A3) and sand with a black bezel (GDG-B100-1A5).

As for the rave, G-SHOCK has submitted evidence for independent verification of its world-record attempt. Until that process is complete, its claim to the world's deepest underground rave remains unofficial.

Still, as far as unconventional product launches go, this one will be difficult to top.

The G-SHOCK GDG-B100 will be available soon at Casio UK for £200.

The full performance is available through G-SHOCK Radio on Mixcloud.

You can read more about Go Below here.

Hublot is paying tribute to its first-ever watch that put it on the map. The new Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo is available in yellow gold or white gold, and remains faithful to the original design but with some modern upgrades, like the case size and movement.

In 1980, Carlo Crocco, Hublot’s founder, made a splash in the watch industry by combining gold and rubber. The original watch also featured a bezel with 12 visible screws which has since become a trademark for Hublot, and a simple, plain dial and case.

Now 46 years later, Hublot is honouring its original design with the launch of the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo. The new watch has many of the same features as the original, including its 12 screws on the bezel, and the combination of gold and rubber. In fact, the yellow gold version looks almost identical to the first Hublot watch.

What’s changed is the case size and movement. Starting with the case, the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo has grown from 36mm to 38mm. A screw-down crown sits on the right side, and the bezel has its original slightly domed screws that act as the hour markers of the watch.

Yellow gold or white gold make up the case, and both have black dials, with yellow gold being black lacquer and white gold being black onyx. With the absence of indices or numerals, the dial keeps the original’s simplicity, and has hour, minute and seconds hands, and a date window at three o’clock.

The dial of the Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo also has the Hublot logo and MDM pad-printing on them. MDM links back to the watch’s origins and also stands for Main Dans la Main Foundation, a cause that means a lot to Hublot’s founder, Carlo Crocco.

The Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo has had its movement upgraded from quartz to its self-winding, automatic HUB1711 Manufacture movement. It gives the watch 60 hours of power reserve, and has an open-worked oscillating weight which is stamped with Hublot’s ‘H’. it can be seen via the sapphire caseback.

The watch is finished with a black rubber strap – just like the original. The Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo in yellow and white gold is available to buy at Hublot and select stores for £23,600 / $30,900 / €30,200.

Ralph Lauren is expanding its American Western collection, and its new watch launch is a true celebration of the Wild West. Crafted from engraved sterling silver, the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm has an intricate case that looks similar to a cowboy’s belt buckle.

As the name states, the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm sits in a 38mm cushion-shaped case that’s made from sterling silver. The material has been engraved and subtly aged to give the case an elaborate, captivating pattern that brings out the texture and depth of the metal.

The sterling silver engravings of the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm is also inspired by the artistry of traditional Western silverwork, so it feels like a piece of history and heritage is sitting on your wrist.

The dial of the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm is available in three different colours – turquoise, off-white and black. As a lover of all things colourful, the turquoise version of the new Ralph Lauren watch is my favourite, and the dial is actually made from a cut of natural turquoise.

Atop the turquoise are black Roman and Arabic numerals in varying sizes, a minute track and hour and minute hands. This is the same on the off-white version of the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm which has a soft beige lacquered dial. The black edition of the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm is inverted, so the numerals are in off-white while the dial is black lacquer.

The Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm is powered by the self-winding RL514 manufacture movement. It was produced exclusively for Ralph Lauren by Piaget, and it has traditional Côtes de Genève finishes. The watch is complete with a leather strap which also has engravings and patterns on the material.

At time of writing, prices on the Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm hadn’t been announced. I did some sleuthing, and found a bigger 42mm version of this watch on the Ralph Lauren website, priced at £28,000.

Due to the smaller size of the new Ralph Lauren Western Cushion 38mm, I imagined it’d be cheaper, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Created in collaboration with avant-garde fashion label MM6 Maison Margiela, the Timex T80 Ring Watch is a fully functioning miniature digital watch that sits on your finger.

Shop Timex's Holiday Sale (30% off – use the code Preview30)

It's one of the most unusual timepieces we've seen in recent years, and thanks to Timex's latest sale, you can now pick one up for considerably less than usual.

The design takes inspiration from Timex's iconic T80 digital watch, shrinking its familiar rectangular case and LCD display into a 20mm-wide piece of wearable jewellery.

Finished in gold-tone metal, the ring retains the retro aesthetic of its full-sized counterpart, complete with a digital display, physical buttons and a distinctive calendar-inspired dial.

It's an unusual combination of fashion and functionality, particularly given MM6 Maison Margiela's reputation for experimenting with familiar objects and turning them into something unexpected.

Unlike the best smart rings, the T80 is more of a conversation starter that also happens to tell the time, and arguably one of the most interesting alternatives to traditional wristwatches currently available.

The MM6 collaboration gives the watch a distinctive fashion identity, while the unusual form factor makes it feel more like a piece of statement jewellery than a conventional timepiece.

And with £54 knocked off the original price, it's certainly more tempting than it was at launch.

Timex's Holiday Preview Sale also includes the larger MM6 x Timex T80 watch gift set, which is worth checking out if you'd prefer to wear your digital watch somewhere more traditional.

From vintage-style numerals to traditional canvas straps, even some of today's most advanced field watches borrow heavily from designs that are decades old.

Norwegian watchmaker Micromilspec has taken a different approach with its new Fieldmaster, a striking titanium timepiece developed with input from serving military personnel.

The company set out to design something better suited to the demands of modern military operations, and the result looks refreshingly different.

A field watch built for the 21st century

Development reportedly began in 2019, when Micromilspec started gathering feedback from 30 serving military personnel over a three-year period.

The idea was to understand what soldiers actually need from a watch, a thought that's reflected in the Fieldmaster's unusually clean dial.

It features oversized luminous hour markers, broad hands and a small seconds subdial at six o'clock.

The latter is particularly interesting, as relocating the seconds hand away from the centre helps prevent it from obscuring the main timekeeping hands.

There's also a date display at three o'clock, while the fixed bezel eliminates the potential complications associated with a rotating bezel.

The angular Grade 5 titanium case measures 40mm across and 11.2mm thick, making it relatively compact by modern tool-watch standards.

The Fieldmaster offers 200 metres of water resistance, which puts it comfortably ahead of what most people would expect from a conventional field watch.

Buyers can choose between a microblasted titanium finish and a darker Gunpowder DLC version, with either a matching titanium bracelet or a textured rubber strap.

Swiss engineering beneath the surface

Inside the Fieldmaster is the Horage K3 automatic movement, which offers a power reserve exceeding 100 hours.

That's more than four days of operation without winding – particularly useful for anyone who regularly switches between watches.

The movement also uses a silicon escapement and hairspring to improve resistance to magnetic interference, an increasingly important consideration in environments filled with electronic equipment.

Micromilspec claims an accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day, while a power reserve indicator is visible through the transparent sapphire caseback.

The Micromilspec Fieldmaster is available to pre-order now, with prices starting at $2,995 (approximately £2,220) on a rubber strap and rising to $3,655 (approximately £2,710) with a titanium bracelet.

Production is limited to 75 pieces per model annually, with deliveries expected to begin in May 2027.

G-SHOCK has teamed up with Japanese streetwear label BlackEyePatch in what is one of the more understated collabs from the two. Yet, I'm strangely into it.

The two brands have joined forces for a third time, giving the iconic DW-5600 a striking gold makeover that looks considerably more expensive than its asking price.

The G-SHOCK DW-5600BEP-9 combines the familiar square silhouette with a gold-tone bio-based resin bezel and strap, a contrasting black dial and subtle co-branding.

It's a particularly interesting release for anyone who appreciates Japanese streetwear, especially as the DW-5600 has become something of a blank canvas for G-SHOCK's more adventurous collaborations.

A golden opportunity

BlackEyePatch might not be a household name outside Japan, but the Tokyo-based label has built a loyal following through its distinctive approach to streetwear.

Founded in 2013, the brand initially made its name by placing stickers and labels around Tokyo, eventually expanding into clothing with its Autumn/Winter 2015 collection.

Its identity is heavily influenced by hip-hop culture, while the designer behind the brand remains anonymous.

That rebellious attitude is reflected in the new G-SHOCK, which takes one of Casio's most recognisable designs and gives it an almost jewellery-like appearance.

The bezel and strap are made from resin, including bio-based materials, helping keep the watch relatively lightweight at just 53g.

The case measures 48.9 × 42.8 × 13.4mm, making it the same size as the standard DW-5600.

BlackEyePatch branding appears on the watch face and engraved caseback, while a transparent strap keeper adds another unusual detail.

The collaboration also comes with specially designed packaging featuring the phrase "TIME IS MONEY", reinforcing the streetwear connection.

Classic G-SHOCK toughness

The DW-5600BEP-9 retains the brand's signature shock-resistant construction and 200-metre water resistance, making it considerably tougher than its gold appearance might suggest.

There's also a mineral glass crystal, a white LED Super Illuminator backlight, a stopwatch, a countdown timer, a multifunction alarm and an automatic calendar. Battery life is rated at approximately five years.

There's no Bluetooth connectivity or solar charging; this is a straightforward digital watch designed to look good and withstand everyday wear and tear.

The watch launched in Japan on 9 October for ¥19,800, with international availability varying by market.

The G-SHOCK x BlackEyePatch DW-5600BEP-9 is priced at £130 in the UK and $165 in the US. EU and AU prices and availability TBC.

TAG Heuer has just launched its brightest Solargraph watch to date, and for a very exciting reason. 2026 marks 10 years of partnership between TAG Heuer and Oracle Red Bull Racing, so it only seems fitting to release a timepiece that is just as energetic and precise as these two brands are.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph x Oracle Red Bull Racing is a celebration of this 10 year milestone. When asked about the watch, Laurent Mekies, CEO and Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing, remarked that “it’s a piece that reflects the speed, accuracy and relentless pursuit of excellence that connect both our brands.”

Measuring 38mm, the new TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph sits in a matte-finished sandblasted steel case which draws inspiration from the original TAG Heuer Formula 1 models. It features a bidirectional TH-Polylight bezel in blue with white numerals looping around it in five second intervals.

This bold blue is also introduced to the dial which is complimented by other Oracle Red Bull Racing colours. The minute track is shown in bright red, while yellow is featured on the central hand, and as a frame to the date window which sits at three o’clock.

TAG Heuer’s signature shields act as the hour markers for six, nine and 12 o’clock, while the others are represented by circles. All are filled with white Super-LumiNova to enhance visibility in dark conditions. The dial is almost too bright to look at sometimes, but it’s definitely a true representation of Oracle Red Bull Racing.

Powered by the Solargraph Calibre TH50-00 movement, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph x Oracle Red Bull Racing runs and charges on both natural and artificial light. It only needs a minute of direct sunlight to power the watch for a full day. It needs around 40 hours of light exposure to be fully charged.

When on a full charge, the TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph x Oracle Red Bull Racing can deliver up to 10 months of autonomy in total darkness. If the watch stops, it can restart with just 10 seconds of light exposure.

Flipping over the watch, you can see the Oracle Red Bull Racing logo that sits above a checkered flag pattern. The TAG Heuer logo is also visible, and the watch is finished with a three-row steel bracelet.

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 Solargraph x Oracle Red Bull Racing is available to buy for £1,900 / $2,250 / €2,200 at TAG Heuer.

Gerald Charles has launched a turquoise version of its Maestro GC Sport Tennis watch. This new timepiece actually marks the first time the brand has introduced light turquoise to its Maestro GC Sport collection, and despite its good looks, the Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis Turquoise is as practical and action-packed as it is stylish.

Like every Maestro GC Sport, the Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis Turquoise sits in an ultra-light Grade 5 titanium case. Measuring 39mm in diameter and 41mm in length, it has a 9mm thickness, and weighs just 64 grams, making it extremely lightweight so you can wear it while playing sports – like tennis.

The case has an oversized screw-down crown on the left side of the watch, which has a stud-like texture. The case flows down into the rounded octagonal-shaped dial which is framed by a minute track and displayed in a beautiful turquoise colour.

The turquoise of the dial has a gradient effect, so the colour lightens as it gets to the centre. It has a light granular texture that works with the gradient to catch the light at different angles and wrist movements.

The dial of the Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis Turquoise has white baton hour markers, and three, nine and 12 Arabic numerals. All are filled with white Super-LumiNova which glows green in low light conditions. A date window sits at six o’clock.

Powered by the Swiss Manufacture 2.0 Calibre movement, the Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis Turquoise has 50 hours of power reserve. The movement itself is ultra-thin to compliment the overall weight of the watch, and making it more comfortable to wear while playing on the court.

The Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis Turquoise is finished with a turquoise velcro strap. It also comes with 5G shock resistance and 100 metres of water resistance, so while I personally wouldn’t wear such a luxurious watch while exercising, this watch can withstand a great deal of action.

Limited to 100 pieces, the Gerald Charles Maestro GC Sport Tennis Turquoise is available to buy for £22,800.

Zenith has announced its second collaboration with USM Modular Furniture. The new Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM is an exclusive watch that’s inspired by USM’s striking colour palette – although it’s very unlikely that you’ll actually be able to buy it.

Zenith first collaborated with USM back in September 2025, which resulted in four colourful Zenith x USM chronograph watches in orange, yellow, blue and green. These colours have been introduced to the new Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM but in a slightly more subtle way.

Measuring 37mm, the stainless case of the Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM is surprisingly small, but it still keeps its 14-sided bezel and octagonal-shaped bezel. On the right side of the case are two chronograph pushers which flank a crown. The case also flows into Zenith’s steel ladder bracelet.

Compared to the first collaboration, the Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM features multiple colours, rather than just one block colour on the dial. The base of the dial is white with a blue minute track looping around it, but the chronographs and hands are what makes the watch so exciting to look at.

The three overlapping azure chronographs are shown in four different colours, reminiscent of USM’s signature colour palette. Its Golden Yellow shade is on the nine o’clock subdial, while the six o'clock counter is in Green and the three o’clock chronograph is in Pure Orange. The chronograph hands match their respective colours.

The central seconds hand is also coloured from USM’s palette, in its USM Gentian Blue shade. A miniature USM Haller ball joint is also crafted into the end of the hand, and a date window sits between four and five o’clock.

Powered by the El Primero 400 movement, the Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM has a 55-hour power reserve and beats at 36,000 vibrations per hour. It’s a really dainty watch, in both size, weight and design, but if you like the look of it, you’ll be disappointed to find that you won’t actually be able to buy it.

The Zenith DEFY Chronograph USM is created exclusively for TimeForArt, and it will be auctioned at Philips New York in December 2026. Sadly, this means it can’t be bought on Zenith’s website, but I’m intrigued to see how much it’ll auction for.

In celebration of James Bond Day which took place on 5th October, OMEGA is paying tribute to the famous fictional spy with four new editions of its Seamaster watch. For the first time ever, OMEGA has made a watch dedicated to Spectre, Bond’s biggest rival – and it shows that rooting for the villain is much more fun!

OMEGA is the official watch partner of the James Bond film franchise, and it has been for over 30 years. Many of its watches are worn by James Bond and other characters, and now, OMEGA has introduced a watch for the villains, and I think it might be my favourite Bond-inspired timepiece yet.

The OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m Spectre Edition measures 42mm, and is crafted from stainless steel. It has a uni-directional bezel with a black ceramic ring and diving scale, which gives the watch a matte black look and rugged grain-like texture.

The black grained finish is included on the dial, and features white bar and circular hour markers, and rhodium-plated, skeletonised hands. The hands and indexes are filled with white Super-LumiNova – as is the small dot at 12 o’clock on the bezel – which makes the minutes hand glow green while the hour and seconds hands show in blue.

Powered by the OMEGA Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8806 movement, the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m Spectre Edition has 55 hours of power reserve. It can be seen via the caseback which has a black Spectre logo overlapping it. The Spectre design also forms part of the movement’s rotor.

The OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m Spectre Edition is finished with a brushed metal bracelet, and is priced at £7,200. The second version – which can only be bought in a limited edition set alongside the first version of the watch – is the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m Spectre Edition ref. 210.83.42.20.01.001.

The second Spectre OMEGA Seamaster has a 42mm platinum-gold case. It has the same features as the first, including the movement and black dial and bezel case, but the dial is made from 18K white gold, including the hour markers. The dial has a dark grey PVD gradient overlapping it which gives it a Spectre-inspired tentacle pattern.

On the caseback is a gold Spectre logo, and the watch is finished with an alligator leather strap. The boxset is limited to 77 pieces and is priced at £75,300.

As Bond’s watch partner, OMEGA couldn’t leave out the titular character, and so it also introduced two new OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m James Bond Edition watches. Measuring 42mm, the watch is crafted from stainless steel, featuring a grade 5 titanium ring on the uni-directional bezel.

The OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m James Bond Edition has many of the same features and movement as the Spectre Edition, except the dial is made from blue aluminium. The caseback has the 007 gun-barrel decoration printed on it, and the watch is finished with a mesh bracelet. It’s priced at 7,200.

The second edition – which like the Spectre watches is limited edition and only available as part of a boxset – is the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300m James Bond Edition ref. 210.83.42.20.03.001. It’s made from platinum-gold, and its blue dial has the Bond gun-barrel pattern. The caseback is also shown in blue and gold. The James Bond Edition boxset is limited to 77 pieces, and is priced at £75,300.

If you’re looking for a new watch, I’ve just hunted down the best eight men’s watch deals that you can buy right now – and they’re all under £300.

This week was the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale, which is a cheeky way to get ahead of your gift shopping before the madness of Black Friday and Christmas sales. But I have to be honest with you – you likely won’t find huge savings on watches at Amazon, unless you know where to look, that is.

To help you snag a bargain on a new timepiece, I’ve had a look through other watch sales from Beaverbrooks and Chisholm Hunter to find you the cheapest offers around.

All the watches below have been discounted to under £300, and you can find some great timepieces from Citizen, Tissot, G-Shock, Timex, CASIO and more.

Mr Jones Watches is back with two new watches that are weird, whacky and wonderful. The new launches include Chaos Window and Moonhead, both of which have been selected from Mr Jones Watches’ archives and redesigned.

The two archival watches have been revamped by two of Mr Jones Watches’ print technicians. When asked about the new designs, Eleanor Rudd, Head of Print at Mr Jones Watches, said: “The Printers Editions are a really nice opportunity for the print techs to look back through the archive, pick a design and reimagine it with the new techniques we have today."

Starting with Chaos Window, the first edition of this watch was launched in 2017. Nine years later, Giulia Cacciuttolo, senior gilding technician at Mr Jones Watches has reimagined it with metallic gilding and bright elements that overlap one another, yet still tell the time.

I’m a big fan of Mr Jones Watches, but always struggle with how to actually tell the time on them. Chaos Window is no exception, and it took a lot of staring and squinting until I realised the ‘hidden’ or ‘secret’ way the mechanical watch actually tells the time!

To read the time, the Chaos Window has a line of ships on the horizon which represents the hours. For the minutes, they are shown as flames coming out of a snake’s nostrils – yes, really – and the seconds hand is marked by a square in the middle of the window.

There’s lots of colours, patterns and shapes on the Chaos Window, and it truly lives up to its name. Limited to just 50 pieces, the Mr Jones Watches Chaos Window is priced at £495.

The second revived watch is Moonhead which first came out in 2014. Emma Prince, printmaker and illustrator has redesigned it, and I think it’s my favourite design from the new archival relaunches.

The dial of the Moonhead has a pretty lilac colour which is overlaid by space-inspired icons and patterns. At the centre is a sun that has a star illustration over one eye, a la Ziggy Stardust.

Moonhead is far easier to read the time than Chaos Window. It has a gilded moon that loops around the sun and displays the hours, while the Bertrand Russell teapot does the same but for the minutes. It’s priced at £225.

The Peanuts x Timex Expedition Acadia is down to £56.99 on Amazon, a 19% saving on an already affordable field watch. Although it isn't quite the lowest price we've ever seen, it's a lovely little watch for comfortably under £60.

Shop all Timex deals on Amazon

The star of the show is obviously Snoopy. The dial depicts him dressed as a Beagle Scout alongside Woodstock, giving an otherwise fairly traditional Expedition field watch a playful Peanuts twist.

Make no mistake: this is a proper Timex Expedition watch with a 40mm black resin case, an acrylic crystal and a black fabric strap with a simple hook-and-loop closure.

The white dial is highly legible, with large Arabic numerals accompanied by a smaller 24-hour scale. There's also a date window at three o'clock and luminous hands for checking the time after dark.

And because it's a Timex, you get INDIGLO, the brand's electroluminescent backlight that illuminates the dial at the press of the crown.

Perhaps most surprisingly for such an inexpensive and playful watch, it's also rated for 100 metres of water resistance. That makes it far more useful for outdoor adventures than its Snoopy artwork might initially suggest.

Amazon's £56.99 price isn't an unprecedented low, but it's still a decent reduction against the £70 RRP. More importantly, it's a genuinely fun field watch for less than £60, and I'd take Snoopy and Woodstock over another anonymous black dial any day.

Breitling has just launched two new versions of its Navitimer and Superocean Heritage watches, and its colour and material combinations make them the perfect gifts for the festive season – if it’s not too early to talk about Christmas yet!

The new Breitling launches include the Navitimer Automatic 36 and the Superocean Heritage Automatic 36. Both timepieces measure 36mm, and are crafted from 18k yellow gold and stainless steel. With white accents on the dial, the contrast of the cool steel and warm gold gives the watches a winter-themed look that feels very luxurious.

Starting with the Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36, its 36mm case is crafted from stainless steel and 18k yellow gold. The gold bidirectional bezel has a scallop-like pattern that frames the mother-of-pearl dial, and flows nicely into the two-tone steel and gold bracelet.

The dial of the Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36 features a time-only display which keeps the watch very clean. However, it’s far from simple as the hour markers are represented by diamonds. A black minute track loops around the dial, and the hour and minute hands are crafted from Super-LumiNova for enhanced visibility.

The Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36 is powered by the Breitling Calibre 17 automatic chronometer movement. It’s COSC-certified, and gives the watch a 38 hour power reserve. While the two-tone bracelet is the real star of the show, the Breitling Navitimer Automatic 36 also comes with a brown alligator leather strap option.

The second launch is the Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Automatic 36. The main white accents are on the dial, and the white ceramic bezel insert which features 18k yellow gold hour markers and a scalloped edge. A 18k yellow gold crown sits on the right side of the case.

More gold is on the white dial of the Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Automatic 36, including the hands and indexes which have Super-LumiNova. A date window sits at six o’clock and the minutes hand features an oversized arrow.

Powered by the Breitling Calibre 10 movement, the Breitling SuperOcean Heritage Automatic 36 has a 42 hour power reserve. The watch is finished with a stainless steel mesh bracelet or a white rubber strap.

G-SHOCK clearly thinks clicking "add to basket" has made buying watches a little too easy.

To celebrate the arrival of its new GDG-B100 MUDMAN, the Japanese watchmaker is sending a limited number of people 1,375 feet underground into an abandoned slate mine in North Wales, where they will be able to buy the new watch – if they make it there.

Successful ballot entrants will begin with a guided mountain approach before heading underground through miners' stairways, waterlogged passages and ravines.

The route also involves scrambling, zip lines and abseiling down rock faces before eventually reaching a chamber 1,375 feet below the surface.

It's there that attendees will get first access to the new GDG-B100 MUDMAN, ahead of its wider release.

Taking underground music underground

The event takes place on 15 October at Cwmorthin, in Eryri, formerly known as Snowdonia, and G-SHOCK says it will attempt to stage the world's deepest underground rave with drum and bass legend Roni Size, who will perform a one-off set inside the mine.

During the concert, vibration transducers will send parts of Size's performance directly into the surrounding slate, with geophones and hydrophones recording how the frequencies travel through the rock, mud and water.

Casio says the team has also measured the mine's impulse response using convolution reverb and incorporated the resulting recordings into the performance.

In other words, the mountain itself will effectively become part of the signal chain.

Elements captured during the experiment will create what G-SHOCK calls Eryri's "lithoacoustic signature", with the performance broadcast through G-SHOCK Radio via Starlink on 15 October.

If you won't get through the ballot, fear not: the complete set will subsequently be released on Mixcloud.

G-SHOCK also intends to submit evidence from the event for independent recognition as the world's deepest underground rave.

First dibs on the new MUDMAN

The entire stunt has been organised around the arrival of the new GDG-B100 MUDMAN, which G-SHOCK unveiled earlier this month.

It's an interesting addition to the famously rugged MUDMAN family, bringing a high-contrast Memory-in-Pixel display to the range, alongside a red LED backlight designed to preserve night vision.

You still get the toughness you'd expect from the name, including shock, dust and mud resistance, plus 200-metre water resistance.

However, the new model also adds step tracking, training features and Smartphone Link connectivity.

The GDG-B100 measures 63.6 × 49.6 × 16.2mm, weighs 66g and runs for approximately two years from a replaceable CR2032 battery.

Three versions are being released: black, dark green with orange accents, and sand with a black bezel.

Places for the Cwmorthin event are being allocated through a public ballot, with entries closing on 9 October.

Successful applicants will also need to meet G-SHOCK's age, fitness and equipment requirements.

NORQAIN has just debuted three new Wild ONE Titanium watches, and it introduces an exciting new material to the collection. For the first time, the NORQAIN Wild ONE Titanium sports watch now comes with a Grade 5 titanium top plate and pin buckle.

The use of titanium in the new NORQAIN Wild ONE Titanium gives the watches a distinctive metallic look that contrasts with the timepieces’ rubber components and NORTEQ, NORQAIN’s carbon fibre material. Titanium is also extremely lightweight, weighing 45% less than steel, and it’s highly durable and resistant to corrosion.

Alongside titanium and carbon fibre, the NORQAIN Wild ONE Titanium watches have a rubber shock absorber at the heart of the case to protect the movement, and absorb any impacts. Aside from giving the watches’ a bold and colourful appearance, the mix of materials makes them robust and ready for action.

The new NORQAIN Wild ONE Titanium watches include the Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium 39mm Limited Edition, the Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium 42mm, and a special edition Wild ONE Meteorite Titanium 42mm.

The two Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium watches have similar features, and they build on the original Skeleton design, including retaining its shock-absorbing case. Both have skeletonised dials that show off the movement, as well as hour, minute and seconds hands, and a minute track.

Both Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium watches are powered by the in-house NK26/1 4K Manufacture Calibre movement. The movement can be seen via the dial and caseback, and shows off its skeletonised bridges and mountain peak-shaped oscillating weight. The movement gives the watches a 65-hour power reserve.

On both the 39mm and 42mm versions of the Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium, the NORQAIN logo has been repositioned on the dial ring. The engraved NORQAIN Plate – which is now made from Grade 5 Titanium – is also inserted into the left case flank.

Limited to 400 pieces, the Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium 39mm comes in a light grey colour that matches the metallic shade of the new titanium material. The grey is contrasted with black on the crown and back plate, and yellow Super-LumiNova details on the hands and minute track.

If I had to pick a favourite, it would be the Wild ONE Skeleton Titanium 42mm. It comes in a mint green colour which is displayed on the dial, strap and shock absorber.

The last addition to the new NORQAIN Wild ONE Titanium line-up is the Wild ONE Meteorite Titanium Special Edition 42mm. Instead of a skeletonised dial like the previous two, this watch has an anthracite iron meteorite dial that’s made from a thin slice of iron meteorite which was found in Sweden.

The dial material has a natural Widmanstätten pattern which is made from interlocking crystals. To complement it, the Wild ONE Meteorite Titanium Special Edition 42mm has white Super-LumiNova hands and hour markers, a grey rubber strap and a sandblasted titanium case.

The Wild ONE Meteorite Titanium Special Edition 42mm is powered by the automatic NN20/1 Manufacture Calibre movement which gives the watch 70 hours of power. The oscillating weight and movement bridges are personalised with NORQAIN’s core values, and "SPECIAL EDITION, METEORITE” is engraved in the caseback.

When discussing the new Wild ONE watches, Ben Küffer, founder and CEO of NORQAIN said, “The Wild ONE has always been about pushing the limits of what a high-performance mechanical watch can be. Since we introduced it, its construction has given us enormous freedom to experiment with different materials, colours and combinations. Bringing Grade 5 titanium into its construction is a natural next step.”

The new NORQAIN Wild ONE Titanium watches are available at NORQAIN, with prices on the skeleton dials starting at £5,430. The meteorite dial is priced at £5,825.

There are expensive watches, and then there’s the most expensive watch Casio has ever made. As part of the new Blue Rose collection, I got to spend some quality time with Casio’s new MRG-D5000 ahead of its launch today, and although that extraordinary price inevitably grabs your attention first, it quickly became one of the less interesting things about the watch.

The MRG-D5000 is the result of an eight-year engineering project built around a slightly ridiculous question: can you make a G-SHOCK out of sapphire crystal and still make it tough enough to be called a G-SHOCK?

Casio first showed a sapphire crystal concept back in 2018, but at the time it couldn’t meet the company’s shock-resistance requirements. As you might know, to earn the G-SHOCK moniker, a watch must adhere to the “Triple 10” development goal and survive a 10m drop, offer 10-bar water resistance and run for 10 years on a battery.

The MRG-D5000 finally solves that problem, with the finished watch becoming the first MR-G to feature an outer case and bezel made entirely from blue sapphire crystal. And having seen it up close, this feels much more like Casio flexing its engineering muscles than simply chasing the luxury-watch market.

Making sapphire behave like a G-SHOCK

Sapphire makes perfect sense for a high-end watch in some respects. It’s extremely hard, highly scratch-resistant and, in the case of the MRG-D5000, looks spectacular. However, the problem is that hardness isn’t the same thing as toughness.

Sapphire can be brittle, which creates an obvious headache when your entire brand is built around watches designed to survive being knocked, dropped and generally abused.

Casio’s solution was to rethink the structure of the watch itself. Instead of treating the bezel and outer case as single pieces, the Multi-Guard Structure divides them into separate interacting components designed to absorb and disperse impact.

More interestingly, Casio says the construction is inspired by a traditional Japanese timber-frame technique called kigumi. Whereas traditional watch cases concentrate stress around screw holes, which can be weak points in something as unforgiving as sapphire, the parts on the MRG-D5000 use interlocking forms to fit together.

As expected, creating an all-sapphire watch is a very involved process. Casio told me it had to create new machinery and manufacturing processes during development, while the sapphire itself takes months to grow.

Only sections with the required colour concentration and transparency are selected before the individual components are shaped to help prevent chipping. The result is a translucent blue case that changes quite dramatically depending on the light. Casio confirms that the sapphire begins as ingots grown over several months, after which suitable sections are selected.

In my hands, the MRG-D5000 felt both very G-SHOCK and strangely delicate. Knowing that there are only a handful of watches of this calibre in existence, you can’t help but treat the watch carefully, even though, in the back of your mind, you know you could probably throw it to the other side of the room without it as much as getting scratched.

The sapphire case with its titanium core gives the watch a nice G-SHOCK heft. The blueness of the material really twinkles in the light as you turn it, giving it an almost ethereal look and feel. I must confess, the sapphire attracted fingerprints quite well, but I assume whoever will be the proud owner of the watch won’t let a bunch of people touch it.

Speaking of people touching the MRG-D5000, I wondered how the battery will be changed if sapphire doesn’t like being tampered with, and I was reassured the watch won’t ever need a battery change thanks to the panels that harvest not just sunlight but any light source imaginable.

The strangest G-SHOCK I’ve held

What surprised me most is that, despite all the engineering and all the money involved, the MRG-D5000 still unmistakably looks like a square G-SHOCK. Casio hasn’t tried to disguise the watch's origins by turning it into a conventional luxury timepiece (even though some MR-G models do a very good job at that).

You still have the familiar brick-pattern face inherited from the original G-SHOCK, only here it’s given a blue vapour-deposition finish. The MR-G logo, Shock Resist marking and other lettering are rendered in 24-carat gold, while the rear uses a Grade 5 titanium screw caseback with another piece of blue sapphire crystal set into it.

Even the strap received special attention. Casio developed a new Dura Soft rubber strap, with its raised pattern again referencing the brick motif seen on the original G-SHOCK.

The watch I handled was numbered 000, making it effectively a pre-production/showpiece model and not the one customers will receive. The production run consists of just 20 examples, numbered individually from 001 to 020. And yes, there is a 007 MRG-D5000, which I’m sure will delight at least some people.

Twenty watches (but surely not twenty watches’ worth of engineering)

Casio has spent eight years solving problems around sapphire construction, developing new manufacturing methods, re-engineering its shock-resistant structure and creating dedicated components for a production run of only 20 watches.

Maybe that's the end of the story, but I find that difficult to believe. Casio hasn't said whether the machinery, material expertise or structural ideas developed for the MRG-D5000 will appear elsewhere, and there's no suggestion yet that we're suddenly going to see affordable sapphire G-SHOCKs.

Still, it would be remarkable for all that R&D to lead nowhere beyond these 20 examples. The history of the project already hints at how ideas can migrate. Casio says the work on dividing the case into multiple components eventually informed the Multi-Guard Structure used on the titanium MRG-B5000 in 2022 before being further developed for sapphire here.

So although very few people will ever own the MRG-D5000, elements of what Casio learned creating it could potentially prove far more significant.

Thankfully, Blue Rose doesn’t start at £67,000

The MRG-D5000 also isn't the only watch in Casio's new Blue Rose Project. Below it sits the MRG-B5000SA-2, created to celebrate MR-G's 30th anniversary, using two two-carat blue sapphires with a custom eight-facet cut, along with a COBARION top bezel and Grade 5 titanium components. Only 500 of this model will be produced.

One step down is the considerably more attainable GMW-B5000SB-1A2, which features four round brilliant-cut blue sapphires set in the bezel, paired with a black ion-plated stainless-steel case, an inverted LCD and a black urethane strap.

All three retain the fundamentals you'd expect from the brand, including G-SHOCK shock resistance, 20-bar water resistance, solar power and radio-controlled timekeeping.

The MRG-D5000 costs £67,000 and is limited to 20 pieces worldwide, while the MRG-B5000SA-2 costs £7,600 and is limited to 500. The GMW-B5000SB-1A2 costs £680, making it by a wide margin the easiest way into Casio's Blue Rose Project.

Head over to Casio for more information on the Blue Rose Collection (and to potentially buy one of the more affordable models).

There are plenty of unusual G-Shocks out there, but very few look quite as deliberately overripe as BAIT’s new “Yamagata’s Finest” DW5600.

Created with US streetwear retailer BAIT, the new watch is finished in bright banana yellow and covered with irregular brown speckles designed to make it look like a piece of fruit at peak ripeness.

Even the tip of the strap has been darkened to complete the effect, while a cartoon banana mascot called “Shawty with Freckles” appears throughout the accompanying artwork and packaging.

There is a little more going on here than a banana joke, though.

The collaboration takes its name from Yamagata Prefecture in Japan, home to Yamagata Casio, the facility the company itself refers to as the “mother factory” of G-Shock.

The site plays an important role in developing and manufacturing some of Casio’s more technically demanding watches, so what initially looks like a novelty colourway is also a tongue-in-cheek tribute to one of the most important places in G-Shock's history.

Bananas with a purpose

BAIT has really committed to the theme by creating a yellow resin case and strap that feature brown markings.

The relatively plain silver-grey area surrounding the digital display stops the design from becoming completely chaotic.

There’s also bespoke packaging styled around the fictional BAIT Farms brand, including a special tin and box, while the backlight reveals another banana graphic when illuminated.

BAIT is releasing a matching apparel capsule alongside the watch, including a jacket, shirt, T-shirt and hat.

The DW5600 measures 42.8mm across and 13.4mm thick, uses a resin case with an integrated resin strap and offers 200-metre water resistance.

You also get the usual digital essentials including a stopwatch, countdown timer, alarm, calendar and electroluminescent backlight.

The BAIT x G-Shock Yamagata’s Finest DW5600 costs $170 (~£128 / €150 / AU$244) and is described as a limited release, although BAIT hasn’t disclosed how many examples will be made.

It launched at BAIT Santa Ana on 29 September and is going on sale through BAIT Chapter stores and BAITMe.com from 30 September.

No UK price or wider international release has been announced so far.

Louis Vuitton is paying tribute to its first-ever wristwatches with two new – and permanent – additions to its Monterey collection. The new Louis Vuitton Monterey watches come in white or green, and have a fun crown placement that make them look like mini pocket watches.

Louis Vuitton’s LV I and LV II marked the first time the luxury fashion house made wristwatches. Dating back to 1988, the watches were created in collaboration with Italian designer and architect, Gae Aulenti, and many of the features that made them unusual at the time – like the use of ceramic – have been brought back for the new Louis Vuitton Monterey watches.

The Louis Vuitton Monterey watches are the WOCR11 and WOCR21, which have the same case size, movement and dial designs, but come in different colours. Both cases measure 37mm and have a thickness of 11mm. The crown is located at 12 o’clock, giving it the appearance of a pocket watch.

The thickness of the Monterey cases are 2mm thicker than the 1988 watches to accommodate the new movement. Instead of using the original quartz movement, the Louis Vuitton Monterey watches are powered by the in-house automatic LFTMA01.02 calibre movement which is made of 174 components and delivers 28,800 vibrations per hour.

Despite being ‘hidden’ by the closed caseback, the LFTMA01.02 movement is extremely intricate. The movement has a 750/1000 rose gold rotor, colourless sapphires on the calibre, a circular grain patterned mainplate and an LV monogram – it’s a shame you can’t see it, really! The movement also gives the watches 45 hours of power reserve.

Onto the specifics of each watch, the Louis Vuitton Monterey WOCR11 has a black ceramic case and a lacquered white dial. It has brass hours and minutes hands which are crafted from red lacquer. Red is also displayed on the railtrack, and the stitching on its black leather strap. The seconds hand is covered with blue lacquer.

The second version – and my personal favourite – is the Louis Vuitton Monterey WOCR21 which has a green ceramic case and lacquered green dial. The dial has white minute and railway tracks, as well as its hour numerals, but its hours and minutes hands are displayed in yellow lacquer with a blue lacquer seconds hand.

I haven’t been able to find pricing on the new Louis Vuitton Monterey watches, and they don’t appear on the Louis Vuitton website just yet. The 2025 limited edition revival of the Monterey cost £50,000, but it was made of yellow gold rather than ceramic, so I imagine the new models will be less expensive than that.

There aren't many watches you can genuinely describe as iconic as Casio's F-91W. The tiny digital watch has been around since 1989, and its basic design has remained essentially unchanged ever since.

Shop all Casio watches on Amazon

Casio itself describes it as both a record-breaking bestseller and one of the most memorable watches in its history, and I wholeheartedly agree. It also happens to be ludicrously cheap on Amazon right now.

The online retail giant has new examples of the classic black F-91W for £15.99 with free delivery, even though the watch is priced at £19.90 on Casio's UK website. At the time of writing, Casio's own online store was showing the black model as sold out.

That's not an enormous saving in pounds and pence, admittedly, but then we're talking about a watch that already costs less than plenty of replacement smartwatch straps.

The resin case measures just 38.2 x 35.2 x 8.5mm, and the whole watch weighs only 21g. Inside is about as much technology as most people needed from a digital watch several decades ago: time and date, a daily alarm, an LED light and a 1/100-second stopwatch.

There's also basic water resistance and a claimed seven-year battery life (!), so there's very little to maintain or worry about.

Of course, nobody is buying an F-91W because they're desperate for cutting-edge horology. The rectangular case, simple LCD screen and flashes of blue, red and yellow look unmistakably retro, yet somehow haven't gone out of style.

Casio says the F-91W has become a staple worn by people around the world, including famous faces on-screen and off, while the company now sells an entire F-91 family built around that original shape.

The Casio F-91W is currently available from £15.99 on Amazon UK with free delivery. As ever with Amazon marketplace pricing, the price and seller can change quickly, so it's worth checking the listing before buying.

Citizen has launched two new limited edition watches from its The Citizen collection, and their dials are made of an unexpected material. The Citizen Tosa Washi Dial Limited-Edition line-up includes the AQ4106-00B and the AQ4100-65X, both of which display beautiful dials crafted from Tosa washi paper.

As a Japanese watch manufacturer, Citizen is known for using Japanese techniques and traditions when making its timepieces. Its new launches feature Tosa washi paper, a lightweight yet strong Japanese paper, that’s been introduced to the watches as part of the dial, and handmade by artisans in Kochi.

Both watches measure 38.3mm and have cases made from Super Titanium. They’re powered by the Cal.A060 eco-drive movement that gives them seven months of battery life on a full charge and when in power saving mode. With its quartz regulator, the watches have +5 seconds annual accuracy and can be charged with both natural and artificial light.

Starting with the AQ4106-00B version of The Citizen Tosa Washi Dial Limited-Edition, the white dial uses a Unryushi paper technique which is interwoven with gold fibres. Each dial is unique, but you should be able to see subtle gold patterns and swirls tracing across the dial.

The case of the AQ4106-00B is Sakura Pink which matches the hour markers, and hours, minutes and seconds hands. A date window sits at three o’clock, and the frame of its box is also displayed in Sakura Pink. Pretty and dainty, the AQ4106-00B is finished with a brown crocodile leather strap.

The second The Citizen Tosa Washi Dial Limited-Edition watch is the AQ4100-65X which is even more technical than the first. The red dial is made from Tosa Tengujoshi paper which is the thinnest paper in the world.

To achieve the colour, the main paper on the dial has been overlapped with a translucent crimson layer. This makes the paper look as if it's coloured, as dyeing the ultra-thin paper would be extremely delicate and difficult.

The layer gives the dial a bold red colour, but it still allows the natural texture of the paper to come through, especially when the light hits it. The AQ4100-65X is finished with a silver platinum coated case, and an integrated metal bracelet.

Limited to 300 pieces worldwide, the AQ4106-00B is priced at £2,495 while the AQ4100-65X is available for £2,795.

Breitling has teamed up with Watches of Switzerland on two exclusive Navitimer watches. Crafted from 18K yellow gold and stainless steel, the new Breitling Navitimer 18K Gold Editions have bold green dials, my favourite dial colour trend of recent years.

Breitling has described its new Navitimer 18K Gold Edition watches as "entering a new golden era”, and that they certainly do. The two versions available are the men’s Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43, and the women’s Navitimer 32, which compliment each other perfectly and show off Breitling’s popular aviation features.

Starting with the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43, this watch is the boldest model from the two launches. Measuring 43mm, the watch features a stainless steel and 18K yellow gold case which matches its two-tone bracelet. The gold case has a subtle ridged design, and the crown is flanked by two pushers, all three of which are crafted from stainless steel.

Both gold and stainless steel are present on the dial as baton hour markers, and hour and minute hands. Aside from its red seconds hand and white minute track, the main colour of the dial is dark green. It features three chronograph counters that measure ¼ second, 30 minutes and 12 hours, and a date window is ‘hidden’ in the six o’clock subdial.

The Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 is powered by the Breitling Manufacture Calibre 01 movement. With a 28,800 a/h balance frequency, the movement can be seen via the caseback, and it gives the watch a 70 hour power reserve.

Moving on to the women’s watch, the Breitling Navitimer 32 also features a stainless steel and 18K gold case, and two-toned bracelet, but it’s much smaller in size at 32mm and only has a crown on the right side. It’s much slimmer and more ‘jewellery-like’ than the men’s version, and the dial is much more simple as it doesn’t have any chronographs.

Instead, the dial of the Breitling Navitimer 32 has a black minute track, and gold hour and minute hands with a red-tipped seconds hand. Instead of baton markers, the hours are set with diamonds, and the base of the dial is a lighter mint green. It’s powered by the Breitling Calibre 77 Superquartz, an automatic, thermocompensated movement.

I’m very picky when it comes to women’s watches, as the majority of watch brands leave out exciting complications on female-focused timepieces, and overload them with gemstones and sparkles instead. But Breitling’s new Navitimer B01 Chronograph 32 shows how to do women’s watches right.

Yes, there’s still bling and diamonds on it, and it’s definitely something I’d describe more as pretty than technical, But the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 32 feels like a step in the right direction to making women’s watches more practical and less OTT.

Exclusively available at Watches of Switzerland retail brands, including Watches of Switzerland, Goldsmiths and Mappin & Webb, the Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 is priced at £12,200, while the Navitimer 32 costs £7,100.

Vacheron Constantin is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Overseas collection by introducing a new version of its Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin watch. The new timepiece features an 18K white gold case, azure dial, and comes with three strap options.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas collection launched back in 1996 – the year I was born which makes me feel very old! It’s arguably one of the most extensive collections out there, as it’s full of complications, including perpetual calendars, moonphases, chronographs, flying tourbillons and more.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is the latest perpetual calendar to be added to the range, and it marks a rare case and dial colour combination that Vacheron Constantin rarely uses. Measuring 41.5mm in diameter and 8.1mm in thickness, the case is crafted from 18K white gold which compliments the blue lacquered azure dial.

Azure was originally introduced by Vacheron Constantin in 2016, and 10 years later, it’s back in the form of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin. The blue azure colour is light, less saturated and shows off different shades and tones when hit by the light.

The dial of the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin features multiple complications, yet it doesn’t feel too crowded. The hour and minutes are shown in markers around the edge that coincide with the minute track, and feature blue Super-LumiNova to enhance visibility in low light conditions.

The perpetual calendars on the dial include date, month, day of the week and leap year, and at six o’clock, there’s a moonphase disc. The moonphase, and hour, minute and counter hour markers and hands of the dial are crafted from 18K white gold.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is powered by the Calibre 1120 QP/1 movement, which is one of the thinnest in its category. The movement itself is just 4.05mm thick which allows the watch to have an extremely slim profile and lightweight feel.

The Calibre 1120 QP/1 movement gives the watch a 40 hour power reserve, and automatically powers the perpetual calendar so it requires no adjustment until 2100. The movement can be seen via the sapphire caseback which shows off the bridges, mainplate, and 22K gold oscillating weight.

Finishing the Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is a choice of three straps which you can customise with Vacheron Constantin’s tool-free interchangeable strap system. The first is an 18K white gold bracelet, the second is white rubber and the third is denim blue rubber.

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin is limited to just 200 pieces and is priced at £119,000.

Ulysse Nardin is continuing to celebrate its 25th anniversary with the launch of two new Freak [ONE] watches. The new limited edition watches retain the Freak’s signature features, including its ‘no dial, no hands, no crown’ design, but upgrades it with a new case size, bezel and guilloche pattern on the rotating hour disc.

The new Freak [ONE] line-up now includes the Freak [ONE BLUE ENAMEL] and the Freak [ONE GUILLOCHE]. The timepieces have similar attributes, aside from the colour of their ‘dials’, and are designed to combine Ulysse Nardin’s iconic technology and materials with traditional decorative arts.

For the first time, Ulysse Nardin has crafted the new Freak [ONE] watches in a 44mm titanium case. The case is still crownless, but the upgraded bezel has been redesigned with a softer shape and fewer pronounced notches, as inspired by the manufacturer’s [Super] Freak watch.

The ‘dial’ of the Freak [ONE] watches is a rotating hour disc which completes a full rotation every 12 hours. A small arrow pointer sits on top to indicate the hours, and unlike the other Freak [ONE] timepieces, the Freak [ONE BLUE ENAMEL] and the Freak [ONE GUILLOCHE] have no numerals around the edge, but use markers instead.

The rotating hour disc is what sets the new watches apart, as this is where Ulysse Nardin has added its decorative handiwork. For the Freak [ONE BLUE ENAMEL], the disc features a sunray guilloche-flinque pattern that’s coated with blue enamel.

The Freak [ONE GUILLOCHE] also has a guilloche-flinque pattern but with a sand-toned finish that makes it look golden and almost diamond-like in texture.

The in-house UN-240 manufacture calibre movement sits at the centre of the watches, and is what tells the time. The flying carousel – which looks like it’s floating – completes a full rotation every 60 minutes, and acts as the minute hand. It also gives the watches a 90 hour power reserve which is wound via the caseback.

Ulysse Nardin’s patented Grinder winding system is present in both Freak [ONE BLUE ENAMEL] and the Freak [ONE GUILLOCHE] watches. It works to capture and convert wrist movement into energy to keep the watch powered at all times. The watches also feature a DIAMonSIL escapement, balance wheel and hairspring.

I’ve always been impressed by Ulysse Nardin’s Freak watches, and the new Freak [ONE] have definitely caught my attention. Compared to their siblings, the enamel and guilloche models are much more colourful and patterned, and while they’re still immensely technical, it’s fun to see that decoration has taken centre stage with the new launches.

Both the Freak [ONE BLUE ENAMEL] and the Freak [ONE GUILLOCHE] are finished with an integrated ballistic rubber strap, and are limited to 99 pieces each. They’re available to buy for £67,760 / $89,800 / €81,700.

G-SHOCK collaborations can get expensive quickly, especially when another watch brand gets involved, but one of Casio's more desirable recent team-ups has just received a hefty discount.

The G-SHOCK x Bamford GM-5600BWD-1 has been reduced by 30%, bringing the distinctive metal-covered digital watch comfortably below the £200 mark.

It's the third collaboration between G-SHOCK and British watch company Bamford London, founded by George Bamford and best known for putting its own distinctive spin on familiar watches.

For this version, the companies started with the GM-5600, essentially the classic square G-SHOCK formula dressed up with a stainless-steel bezel.

The predominantly black finish is punctuated by Bamford's signature aqua blue, which appears around the display, across the bezel lettering and on the strap.

Bamford branding sits prominently above the LCD, while oversized blue lettering runs along the band. It's a simple colour combination, but it works particularly well against the black ion-plated metal bezel.

The GM-5600BWD-1 is shock-resistant and offers 200 metres of water resistance, while the resin and stainless-steel construction weighs 73g. Its case measures 49.6 x 43.2 x 12.9mm, so it's substantially less imposing than many of G-SHOCK's larger models.

You also get a 1/100-second stopwatch, 24-hour countdown timer, alarm and hourly signal, a full automatic calendar, and an LED Super Illuminator backlight.

There's no smartwatch functionality or solar charging here, but the replaceable CR2016 battery is rated for around five years, so maintenance should be minimal.

Collectors also get a Bamford-branded caseback and special presentation packaging, helping distinguish this from a regular GM-5600.

Panerai is adding a new tourbillon to its Luminor collection, and the Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 might be my favourite yet. The watch combines many historical features of Panerai’s timepieces over the years, and puts the in-house hand-wound movement front and centre – and at the back, too.

Starting with the case, the Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 has a large 47mm titanium case. Calling it big is an understatement, but its size contains many different functions, including the movement, GMT function and tourbillon. The case has Panerai’s iconic crown protective bridge on the right, which fully powers the movement with 68 turns of the crown.

The movement is the centrepiece of the watch and can be seen on the open dial and caseback. Powered by the P.2005/T hand-wound calibre movement, the Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 is crafted from Grade 5 titanium bridges and plates that are finished in blue.

The blue of the dial and movement is the first time Panerai has paired the colour with a titanium case. Titanium also gives the watch an extremely light weight, despite its size, and weighs approximately 105g. The movement gives the Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 a six-day power reserve, and powers the tourbillon, GMT function and power reserve indicator.

The tourbillon on the Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 rotates in thirty seconds on an axis. Its three spring barrels and cage have a hollow central axis, and is where the power reserve display peeks through. The power reserve indicator is made of over 20 components, and is highlighted in orange.

But if you thought a tourbillon, power indicator and movement was a lot on a dial, think again. The Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 has a lot up its sleeve, including a true GMT function so you can measure multiple time zones.

The local hour hand can jump forward or backward by an hour without affecting the GMT hand, and is linked to the date. The local time hand can be adjusted while the home time stays visible, and both can blend together when not in use.

More orange is dotted around the dial, including the GMT, power reserve and AM/PM features, all of which have blue Super-LumiNova to enhance visibility. A small seconds display sits at nine o’clock and features a tourbillon indicator that turns at the same speed as the main tourbillon.

If you look closely at the dial of the Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784, you can see a grid shape just beneath the exposed movement. This is inspired by the net barriers used by naval vessels. Hour numerals and markers are shown on the rehaut so the movement is the main focus point.

The Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 is finished by a blue alligator strap or blue rubber strap. The Panerai Luminor Tourbillon PAM01784 is available to buy for £115,500 at Panerai.

I’ve been a fan of the Tissot PRX range since it was revived in 2021, a perfectly judged reimagining of some of its most distinctive watches from the late 1970s.

I grew to like the PRX family even more when I spent a week with the Powermatic 80 variant, complete with its then-new compact 35 mm case diameter and blue, waffle-like dial pattern. It was an awful lot of watch for the money back then – and now I’m even more impressed by the titanium model.

This watch arrived towards the end of 2025, retaining the smart retro design of the PRX, then adding some modern metallurgy thanks to a lightweight but perfectly sized titanium case and bracelet.

The Powermatic 80 automatic movement remains, with up to 80 hours of power reserve, and some new colours are available for the dial. The dial of the variant I tried for a week is called anthracite, but it’s much lighter than you’d think, and is joined by a set of rose gold hands and hour markers. The palette works perfectly with the natural warm grey of the titanium, or the same watch is available with a blue dial if you prefer.

What is the Tissot PRX Titanium 38mm like to wear?

What stands out immediately is the weight, or lack of it. At just 84g, this is a seriously svelte watch – and a fantastic example of what a difference titanium makes compared to stainless steel and other metals. Pair the weight with the PRX’s inherent comfort, further aided by the bracelet, and it’s a remarkably comfortable timepiece.

I really admire Tissot for using titanium here, and for retaining its natural colour. I’ve always liked it on the chassis of my iPhone 16 Pro, and think it works perfectly here too. It also adds an exotic feel to the PRX, since titanium is more commonly associated with far more expensive watches.

It looks good, should shrug off scratches and scuffs better than polished stainless steel, and delivers a bit of a shock the first time you handle it, as your brain struggles to comprehend how something so seemingly substantial can be so light.

If you’re concerned that a 38mm case will feel too small, don’t be, because the integrated bracelet design of the PRX has always made it wear slightly larger than its dimensions suggest. So in reality, 38mm feels more like a 40 – but one that sits close to the wrist, thanks to the 10.98mm case thickness, and is so light it’s easy to forget you’re even wearing it.

Other details include the bezel, which is stainless steel rather than titanium, its smooth polished finish adding a nice bit of contrast to the brushed look of every other surface.

Meanwhile, the exhibition case back shows off a nice view of the movement within, and that 80 hours of power reserve is genuinely impressive. It means you can choose to wear a different watch for three whole days – a long weekend perhaps – and the Tissot will still be showing the correct time when you put it back on.

Finally, the watch has 100 metres of water resistance and the dial is protected by a sapphire crystal, ticking all the boxes you’d expect at this price point.

Is the Tissot PRX Titanium 38mm worth the money?

At £795, this watch lands much further below the four-figure barrier than you might have expected. That’s only a £155 premium over the starting price of the slightly larger 40mm PRX in stainless steel, and makes this model feel like a bit of a bargain.

The blue dial version I mentioned earlier is also £795, but I prefer this model and think the watch world has a few too many blue dials at the moment – and I type that with a navy Tudor BB58 on my wrist.

The unusual finish of the PRX 38mm in Damascus steel (which launched alongside this titanium model) might be tempting for some. But for all of its clever manufacturing I think it’s actually a bit too busy, aesthetically, and at £960 is a significant chunk more money, while also forgoing a metal bracelet for leather.

It’s amazing to see how much the PRX family has grown in just a few years – there are now 60 variants to pick from. But for me the titanium 38mm with anthracite dial and rose gold details is among the most desirable.

You don't usually have to spend a fortune to get a decent everyday watch, but Amazon has just made the argument for buying cheap even stronger.

The Timex Expedition Acadia Men's 40mm Watch (TW4B00100) has dropped to just £31.92, representing a chunky 47% saving against its £60 retail price.

Shop all Timex deals on Amazon

That's proper cheap-Casio territory for a watch from one of America's best-known watchmakers, and considerably less than the £60 Timex itself currently charges for the same model.

If you want something inexpensive you can wear without constantly worrying about scratching, knocking, or generally abusing it, the Expedition Acadia makes a compelling case for itself.

Timex describes the Acadia as a military-inspired take on its classic Camper watches, and that's pretty much what you're getting here. It's a simple, highly legible analogue watch designed to work equally well around town and outdoors.

The 40mm case is made from resin rather than metal, which helps keep weight down to just 33.58g. It's paired with a black fabric strap using a hook-and-loop fastening, while the green dial gets full Arabic numerals and a straightforward three-hand quartz movement.

One of the best features is Timex's INDIGLO backlight, which illuminates the dial at the press of a button. The company first developed it in the early 1990s, and it remains one of Timex's wonderfully practical signatures.

It also has 50 metres of water resistance, meaning Timex rates it for light swimming as well as rain, sweat, and the usual everyday splashes. Don't expect dive-watch toughness, but for a £32 field watch, that's perfectly respectable.

And that's really the appeal here. The Acadia isn't pretending to be a luxury mechanical watch or packing in dozens of functions you'll never use. It's lightweight, readable, battery-powered, water-resistant, and cheap enough that you probably won't think twice about taking it camping, travelling or throwing it into a weekend bag.

At £31.92 on Amazon, it's currently 47% cheaper than its £60 RRP, making this one of the most tempting inexpensive Timex deals around right now. As always with Amazon discounts, the price can move quickly, so I'd expect this one to be worth grabbing while it lasts.

Has Christopher Ward beaten Rolex at its own game?! Christopher Ward has just launched its new C63 Sealander Chronograph watch, featuring three chronograph counters, large, flat pushers and a slim Light-catcher case – but I can’t decide which one I want.

Christopher Ward updated the C63 Sealander early this year, introducing Automatic and GMT versions, but now, it’s the turn of the chronograph. The watch manufacturer isn’t really known for its chronographs, but I think that’s about to change with this new launch.

If you think the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph looks familiar, that’s because it’s inspired by some of the most iconic chronograph timepieces of all time – the Rolex Daytona, TAG Heuer Carrera and OMEGA Speedmaster. In some colours, the C63 Sealander Chronograph looks almost identical to the Daytona, but it’s got some fun features up its sleeve.

Measuring 41mm, the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph sits in a stainless steel, Light-catcher case. It’s extremely slim at just 13.9mm in height, and key details like the bezel and pushers have been given a clever redesign.

Instead of a traditional bezel, the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph has a black ceramic insert with a tachymetre scale. The screwdown crown is flanked by two pushers that have been resized. They’re now larger and flatter so they’re easy to use to control the chronographs.

Speaking of, the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph has three chronograph subdials – a 30-minute counter at three o’clock, a 12-hour counter at six o’clock and a running seconds counter at nine o’clock. All the subdials are in black which stands out amongst most of the watch’s dial colours, aside from the black version where they almost blend into the background.

The colour options for the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph include black, white, pink, sky blue and pistachio. I imagine the white version will be most popular due to its ‘panda’ looks, but the sky blue and pistachio versions are my favourites.

The dial of the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph is completed by hours, minutes and seconds hands, and hour markers. The Christopher Ward logo sits just beneath 12 o’clock and stands out in stainless steel.

Powered by the Sellita calibre SW510-1 movement, the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph has a 62-hour power reserve and a frequency of 28,800vph. It can be seen via the exhibition caseback. The watch is finished with a stainless steel bracelet or a rubber strap.

Prices on the Christopher Ward C63 Sealander Chronograph start at £1,895. All colours are available to buy now at Christopher Ward.

Girard-Perregaux has teamed up with Atlassian Williams F1 Team on two exciting new watches. Both the Laureato Williams Edition 42mm and the Laureato Chronograph Williams Edition 42mm feature blue Clous de Paris dials, inspired by Williams’ 2026 race car.

The Laureato is arguably the watch that Girard-Perregaux is best known for. It was originally launched in 1975, and is most recognisable with its octagonal bezel, slim profile and integrated bracelet, features the new Laureato Williams collaboration retains.

Both the new Laureato Williams Edition 42mm and the Laureato Chronograph Williams Edition 42mm feature 42mm steel cases, and alternate between polished and satin finishes. The dials also come in the same blue Clous de Paris colouring and pattern, and red accents, which give a nod to the Williams’ 2026 car and keyline.

On both dials, a subtle ‘W’ is hidden at 12 o’clock. When you flip each watch over, a metallised Williams emblem is printed on the sapphire crystal casebacks, which also show off their self-winding movements. What differentiates the two watches is one is a chronograph, and both have different movements powering them.

Starting with the Laureato Williams Edition 42mm, this watch is the simpler out of the two. Its dial is more minimalist with the blue colour and baton-type hour markers which are rhodium-plated and have a white emission material layered over to enhance visibility. There’s also a date window at three o’clock, and the seconds hand is tipped in red.

The Laureato Williams Edition 42mm is powered by the GP1800 calibre movement. This gives the watch a 54-hour power reserve.

The second watch from the collaboration is the Laureato Chronograph Williams Edition 42mm. I love a good chronograph complication so this watch is my favourite from the launches. The dial has similar features to the first launch, including its hour markers, and hour, minute and seconds hands.

The standout of the Laureato Chronograph Williams Edition 42mm is its three chronograph counters that are framed by rhodium-plated rings. The watch’s case has its crown protected by a guard and two chronograph pushers on either side. A date window sits between four and five o’clock.

Powered by the GP3300 calibre movement, the Laureato Chronograph Williams Edition 42mm has a minimum 46-hour power reserve. Both watches from the Girard-Perregaux x Atlassian Williams F1 Team are available to buy from today.

Grand Seiko has announced its latest limited edition watch, and despite how simple it looks, there’s a lot more to it than first meets the eye. The – deep breath, everybody – Grand Seiko 9S Mechanical Manual-Winding Limited Edition with ‘Arabic Numerals’ has a minimalist dial, but its strap, movement and Arabic numerals are what make it impressive.

The new Grand Seiko 9S Mechanical Manual-Winding Limited Edition with ‘Arabic Numerals’ is inspired by the first Grand Seiko that launched back in 1960. 40 years later, Grand Seiko debuted the SBGW001 in 2001, which was inspired by the original 1960s design.

Taking design inspiration from both the first Grand Seiko and SBGW001, Grand Seiko’s newest watch is all about Arabic numerals. While Grand Seiko does use Arabic numerals on its watches, it’s quite rare, as the manufacturer prefers baton hour markers or no numerals at all.

The Arabic numeral font on the Grand Seiko 9S Mechanical Manual-Winding Limited Edition with ‘Arabic Numerals’ has been designed by Nobuhiro Kosugi, Grand Seiko’s watch designer who joined the brand in 1993. The numerals are bold and slightly rounded, almost making them look like numbers you’d see on a digital clock.

Kosugi designed the numbers in this way to harmonise with the brand’s logo which sits just underneath 12 o’clock. The base of the dial is navy blue, with stainless steel numerals, minute track and dauphine hands. A gold seconds hand stands out amongst the darker background.

Sitting in a 37.3mm stainless steel case, the Grand Seiko 9S Mechanical Manual-Winding Limited Edition with ‘Arabic Numerals’ is powered by the 9S64 calibre movement. The movement – which is visible via the caseback – gives the watch a 72 hour power reserve, and it’s accurate to +5/-3 seconds per year.

The Grand Seiko 9S Mechanical Manual-Winding Limited Edition with ‘Arabic Numerals’ is finished with a ‘Japan Blue’ crocodile leather strap that was dyed using traditional Japanese indigo dyeing techniques. It also comes with an additional grey strap.

The new Grand Seiko 9S Mechanical Manual-Winding Limited Edition with ‘Arabic Numerals’ definitely marks a change amongst the brand’s other watch designs. I much prefer numerals to markers, so this watch is a big hit with me, and I hope to see this style be introduced to more Grand Seiko watches in the future.

Limited to 600 pieces, the Grand Seiko 9S Mechanical Manual-Winding Limited Edition with ‘Arabic Numerals’ is priced at £5,000. It’s expected to arrive in the UK in October 2026.

Hublot has teamed up with Jeff Koons on a watch inspired by the artist’s iconic Balloon Dog sculpture. The aptly named Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons features Balloon Dog accents on the dial, crown and case, and has a soft domed case to make it look like the watch is inflated.

Hublot recently announced it would be collaborating with Jeff Koons, and I’m going to make the bold claim that it’s the best watch collaboration of the year. The Balloon Dog is one of the most iconic and recognisable pieces of art, and Hublot and Jeff Koons have transformed it into three limited edition timepieces.

Measuring 42mm, the Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons is available in mirror-polished stainless steel and red or blue anodised aluminium. The colours are in every aspect of the watch, from the case and dial to the strap and crown, and having seen all three in person, I still can’t decide which colour I like the most!

Based on Hublot’s Classic Fusion design, the Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons retains its H-shaped polished titanium screws on the bezel. What’s most captivating about the case is its inflated, soft domed surface that makes the watch look like it’s been blown up like a balloon (dog).

To achieve this ‘volume’, the screws, bezel and sapphire crystal have been reshaped and ‘domed’ to appear puffy. The crown on the right is oversized and crafted from rubber alongside steel or anodised aluminium. It’s designed to look like a balloon’s tip or inflation valve – or in the case of the Balloon Dog, the dog’s nose.

At 10:30 on the case is a rubber ‘dog tail’ accent. I was informed when I got to see the watch that this feature doesn’t control any part of the watch, but it’s a fun accent to have, and it’s another great nod to Koons’ Balloon Dog sculpture.

The dial of the Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons also appears to be inflated, including its hour markers which are rhodium-plated with 3D white Super-LumiNova inserts. There’s a date window at three o’clock, and if you look closely, the end of the seconds hand is decorated by a miniature Balloon Dog. Koons’ signature is also printed at six o’clock.

The Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons is powered by the HUB1710 automatic calibre movement which gives the watch a 50 hour power reserve. The movement can be seen via the caseback which shows off the tungsten oscillating weight, and an inflated-like design.

I got to see the Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons before the launch, and it’s easily my favourite watch collaboration of 2026. It has a nice weight to it and despite measuring 42mm, it doesn’t feel or look too big against smaller wrists (like mine).

It was so fun to see the intricate details up close. The miniature Balloon Dog on the seconds hand is a real stand out and the ‘inflatable’ elements are truly impressive. The crown and ‘tail’ also add more appeal to the case, and the colours are incredibly vibrant – the blue might be the one I loved the most.

The straps of the Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons really intrigued me as they have a spongy texture and bounce to them. Each strap has a rubber base and a debossed metallic insert which – again – has a voluminous inflated effect. It really shows the attention to detail that Hublot and Jeff Koons have put into this watch.

The Hublot Classic Fusion Balloon Dog by Jeff Koons is limited to 200 pieces per edition. Available in select Hublot stores, the watch is available to buy for £19,700 / $25,100 / €24,600 – if I had the money, I’d take all three!

The watch that helped establish the blueprint for the modern field watch is getting another outing, and Bulova has resisted the temptation to make it unnecessarily enormous.

The new Bulova A-11 Jimmy takes inspiration from the Type A-11 watches produced for US military personnel during World War II.

It combines suitably restrained 37mm dimensions with a modern automatic movement, sapphire crystal and some particularly nice historical detailing.

The company already sells a handsome blue-dial A-11 Hack Watch, but this latest version comes much closer to the utilitarian look of the military originals.

The stainless-steel case measures 37mm across with an 18mm lug width, while a coin-edge bezel surrounds an anti-reflective, double-domed sapphire crystal.

The combination gives it a suitably vintage profile without the fragility of an actual vintage watch.

Underneath is a matte black dial with white Arabic numerals and a high-contrast minute track, while the hands and markers receive BGW9 Super-LumiNova for visibility in low light.

There’s no date window or other clutter, either, keeping the whole thing wonderfully straightforward.

Stamped for service

Bulova has decorated the caseback with acid-etched specification, serial and part-number-style markings inspired by those found on military-issued watches.

The "Jimmy" name refers to actor and decorated WWII pilot Jimmy Stewart.

Bulova says an original A-11 “Hack Watch” appears in the motion picture JIMMY, with the new model intended to celebrate Stewart as well as the brand’s own wartime history.

Inside is a Miyota 9039 automatic calibre with hand winding, hacking seconds and a 42-hour power reserve.

The ability to stop the seconds hand is especially appropriate here, since it allowed personnel wearing the original watches to synchronise them precisely.

A beige nylon strap with a three-piece wire-style buckle completes the look, and it's rated to 50 metres of water resistance.

Interestingly, Bulova’s earlier 96A282 A-11 Hack Watch remains available with its blue dial, brown nylon strap and similarly compact 37mm case.

It uses an older automatic movement and mineral, not sapphire, crystal, but follows much the same basic formula.

The A-11 Jimmy 96A354 is available now at Bulova US for $795.

The older blue 96A282 is currently reduced to $420, making it a substantially cheaper alternative if you prefer the colour and don’t mind giving up the new model’s upgraded crystal and movement.

Victorinox has gone BIG on watches this September, introducing a completely reworked Maverick collection alongside three new additions to its ultra-tough I.N.O.X. Chrono family.

Two decades after the collection first appeared, Victorinox has effectively given the Maverick a full reboot, shrinking the case down to a much more wearable 39mm and offering a surprisingly broad selection of quartz and automatic models.

There are 10 quartz Mavericks and four automatics in total, ranging from relatively restrained black and blue versions to green dials and considerably flashier two-tone combinations.

Despite the smaller dimensions, every model gets a stainless-steel case, a unidirectional rotating bezel with either a polished mineral or ceramic insert, and plenty of lume across the dial, hands and bezel.

Tool-free interchangeable straps are also standard, making it easier to swap between bracelets and rubber straps.

More importantly, water resistance now reaches 200 metres, while Victorinox has also added double anti-shock protection.

Quartz versions use a Swiss-made Ronda 715 movement and offer magnetic resistance; the automatic Mavericks use the Sellita SW200 mechanical movement.

The I.N.O.X. Chrono gets even more adventurous

Victorinox is also expanding the I.N.O.X. Chrono with three new 43mm models.

The stainless-steel collection consists of a textured green dial, a deep-blue carbon model and, best of all, a considerably more technical titanium-and-carbon version with orange chronograph accents and an orange paracord strap.

All three use the Swiss-made Ronda 5040.E quartz chronograph movement and combine 200-metre water resistance with magnetic resistance, double anti-shock protection and anti-scratch bezel treatments.

The straps can also be swapped without tools, while the titanium/carbon model gets additional accessories alongside that chunky paracord strap.

The new I.N.O.X. models lean further into the brand's rugged, technical side made famous by the iconic Swiss Army Knives.

The Maverick, however, gives you both quartz and automatic options in a smaller form factor, making the range considerably easier to recommend.

The new Victorinox Maverick and I.N.O.X. Chrono models launch on 14 September 2026.

Visit Victorinox for the latest pricing, individual model availability, and more information.

£1,300 is a lot of money for a Timex, but the new Atelier GMT Première M1a makes a surprisingly persuasive case for it.

With a compact 38mm case, a Swiss automatic GMT movement, a sapphire crystal, an enamel dial, and some seriously handsome gold detailing, it has the specs and finish of a watch with a considerably more intimidating price tag.

The brand has paired a glossy black dial with a green-and-black 24-hour GMT scale, gilt hands and indices, while gold accents appear through the unusual skeletonised stainless-steel case and around the crown.

The Première M1a has a smaller, 38mm case, making it noticeably more compact than the existing 40mm GMT24 M1a and putting it right in the sweet spot for anyone who finds modern GMT watches a little too bulky.

Swiss power underneath

Inside is the Swiss-made Landeron 24 GMT automatic movement, with 28 jewels, a 28,800vph frequency and around 40 hours of power reserve.

Timex quotes accuracy of between +10 and -15 seconds per day, while a sapphire exhibition caseback gives you a clear view of the movement and its customised Timex Atelier rotor.

It is an office-style GMT, meaning the additional 24-hour hand is independently adjustable.

It may not appeal to frequent flyers, but it still lets you keep tabs on a second time zone and feels entirely appropriate for a watch at this end of Timex's range.

The dial sits beneath a double-curved sapphire crystal, Swiss LumiNova fills the hands and applied hour markers, and a discreet date window sits at three o'clock.

The glossy enamel dial is particularly effective here, giving the black surface far more depth than a standard painted finish.

Timex has also fitted a stainless-steel bracelet with removable links and a butterfly deployant clasp, helping keep the transition between case and bracelet looking suitably clean.

Water resistance is rated at 50 metres, which is enough for everyday wear and light swimming, though it makes this more of a refined travel watch than something built for serious water-based adventures.

The Atelier GMT Première M1a TW6A07200 is available now for £1,300 / $1,450 / €1,250 at Timex UK, Timex US and Timex EU on a stainless-steel bracelet.

Panerai has one of the longest histories within watch manufacturing, with roots dating back to the 1860s. Today, Panerai is celebrating its 100th year anniversary of its Piazza San Giovanni Boutique in Florence by launching two limited edition Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni watches.

Panerai's new Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni timepieces are inspired by its iconic Luminor ref. 6152/1. 100 years later, these new watches have similar features, including military accents, but have been given a smaller case size and a new movement which is much longer lasting than its predecessor.

The two versions of the Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni are the PAM01734 and PAM01794. Both are almost identical, except they have different case materials and dial colours. The cases have been shrunk from the original 47mm down to 44mm, and they keep the cushion-shaped case with the oversized crown and protective bridge.

Where the PAM01734 differs from the PAM01794 is its crown bridge has parallel grooves cut into the inner sides that face the crown. The PAM01734 also has a case made from Platinumtech, an alloy made from 95% pure platinum, making it more scratch resistant, while the PAM01794 has a steel case.

The easiest way to tell the difference between the two Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni are the dial colours. Both dials have a brass base, cut-out numerals and hour markers, and pencil hands with Super-LumiNova for legibility. Where the PAM01734 has a green dial, the PAM01794 has a black dial.

The casebacks of the watches are slightly different too. The PAM01734 has an open sapphire caseback which shows off its movement and 100 metre water resistance, while the PAM01794 has a closed caseback and is water resistant to 300 metres.

Both Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni watches are powered by the hand-wound P.5000 movement. The movement has a 4.5mm thickness, and is made of 21 jewels, a balance wheel and is enclosed between two broad plates. Despite being hand wound, the Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni has an impressive eight-day power reserve.

To finish the Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni, and give it a more vintage-inspired look, the PAM01734 has a black leather or green rubber strap, while the PAM01794 has a brown leather or black rubber strap.

Available in boutiques from September 2026, the green Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni is limited to just 100 pieces, while the black Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni PAM01794 is limited to 1,000 pieces. Pricing hasn’t been released, but you’ll need to be quick if you want to get your hands on the new Panerai Luminor Firenze 8 Giorni.

Orient marks a serious first with its latest release. Debuting five versions of its Mako GMT watches, the new models are the first time Orient has introduced a dual time zone function to its Mako collection.

With its new Mako GMT timepieces, Orient has combined its dive watch design with a GMT function, allowing the watch to display two different time zones simultaneously. To do this, the Orient Mako GMT has both a standard hour hand and an additional hour hand that completes a rotation every 24 hours.

The GMT (24-hour) hand on the watch operates alongside the 12-hour hand, and can be adjusted to display a second time zone via the uni-directional rotating bezel. The bezel has a 24-hour scale with 120 notches that you can comfortably adjust when needed.

Measuring 49.5mm in height and 42.8mm in width, the Orient Mako GMT has a stainless steel case and a two-tone bezel that matches the colour of the dial. It has a screw-down crown on the right side, and the case integrates into the stainless steel bracelet and screw caseback.

Aside from the GMT hands, the Orient Mako GMT has a simple diver-style dial, including bar indices, a minute scale and a date window at three o’clock. Its hour hands have an arrow shape at the tip, while the minute hand has a long diamond shape.

There are five new versions of the Orient Mako GMT watch – four regular and one limited edition. The ‘regular’ models have black, blue, green and orange dials with a metallic, sunburst texture that subtly changes colour in the light. The limited edition Orient Mako GMT has a blue gradient dial.

Powered by the F6P22 in-house automatic movement, the Orient Mako GMT has an accuracy of +25 seconds to -15 seconds per day, and a 40 hour power reserve. Prices on the Orient Mako GMT start at £424.99. The limited edition Orient Mako GMT is limited to just 4,000 pieces.