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Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501 Watch Review

Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501

Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501

Seiko are celebrating their partnership with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) by releasing a pair of dive watches dedicated to the association. Those new watches are the Prospex 4R and 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition. Both watches feature the same dial motif and so for this review we’re going to focus our attention solely on the higher spec 1965 Heritage Diver.

The element that jumps out immediately is of course that feature dial. It’s green (though in certain lighting it appears much more teal than green) with a vertical gradient that gets lighter towards 12 o’clock with some darker green patches right at the top. It creates the illusion that you’re sitting below the surface of the water with sunlight passing through the gently undulating waves. That effect is emphasised by the sunray brushed finish that radiates out from the 12 o’clock position rather than the centre of the dial as is the norm.

Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501
Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501

Green (or dark teal) is an interesting choice for a subaquatic design, as it makes the water feel murky rather than the crystal clear, tropical vibe you normally see from dive watches. It feels less like you’re above a pretty coral reef where you might have a chance of finding Nemo and more like you’re swimming over one of those dark kelp forests of thalassophobic nightmares.

Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501

That green dial is paired with a unidirectional rotating bezel in a matching shade of green. The chunky grip makes it easy to rotate without feeling loose, allowing you to keep track of your immersion time with confidence, even if you’re wearing diving gloves. Broader than that, the case is made from stainless steel with 300m water resistance. It’s styled after the 62MAS Diver from 1965, hence the name Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition.

Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501

Aesthetically, it’s quite a square design with flat flanks and bevelled corners that lead into snub-nosed lugs. At 40mm it’s not dramatically big on the wrist while also being large enough to ensure a good amount of legibility thanks to the oversize lumed hour markers and hands. It’s presented on a choice of steel bracelet, or a NATO style strap made from recycled fishing nets.

Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501

Powering the watch is the Seiko calibre 6R55, which is one of the Japanese brand’s higher spec movements as evidenced by the fact that it’s the go to movement for the slightly more prestige 39mm King Seiko series. It has a weekend proof 72-hour power reserve and features hours, minutes, seconds and date complications. The date window is positioned between 4 and 5 o’clock, it’s also particularly small but that’s not necessarily a bad thing on a dive watch where the legibility of the rest of the display is more important.

Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition SPB501

At £1,500 the Seiko Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition sits in the mid-range of Seiko dive watch prices. Considering that the Marinemaster variant is almost twice the price with lower specs across the board, it makes the PADI feel like solid value. Though if you’re concerned about price, the 4R PADI is just £560.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Seiko

Prospex 1965 Heritage Diver’s PADI Special Edition

Ref:
SPB501

Case:
40mm

diameter x 13mm thickness, stainless steel

Dial:
Green,

ocean-textured, sunburst effect

Water resistance:
300m

(30 bar)

Movement:
Seiko

calibre 6R55 automatic

Frequency:
21,600

vph (3 Hz)

Power reserve:
72h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds, date

Strap:
Stainless

steel bracelet with additional green strap from recycled fishing nets

Price:
£1,500

More details at Seiko Boutique.

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Seiko Introduce Presage Classic Series in Urushi Black with Roman Numerals

Seiko Presage Classic Series in Urushi Black SPB499

Seiko Presage Classic Series in Urushi Black SPB499

If you’ve ever wondered why some of Seiko’s most famous watches end up with nicknames like Tuna or Turtle, it’s because they have a habit of giving them full names like this: Presage Classic Series in Urushi Black with Roman Numerals. Admittedly it does tell you everything you need to know but it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Perhaps we can call it the Seiko Presage Classic Urushi Roman?

If you’ve never come across the term before, Urushi is a traditional form of Japanese lacquer made with resin from the urushi tree. My personal favourite examples of the technique come in the form of Chopard’s Zodiac cycle, which they completed in full last year. Seiko take a slightly simpler approach by using it to create rich, jet black dials.

Seiko Presage Classic Series in Urushi Black SPB499

They’ve produced several watches in the Classic Series Urushi line already, such as the GMT the difference this time being the adoption of Roman numeral hour markers as opposed to bar indices. It gives the watch much more of a traditional dress watch vibe in the style of Victorian clocks. It looks fantastic picked out in gold, reminding me of another traditional Japanese art, kintsugi, the art of repairing broken items with lacquer and gold. Though it’s actually based on Kanazawa lacquerware. Gold is also used for the 24-hour subdial and central feuille hands.

Seiko Presage Classic Series in Urushi Black SPB499

The layout of the Presage Classic Series in Urushi Black is based on a heritage pocket watch called the Timekeeper. Powering it is the calibre 6R5H, which is the 24-hour display variant of the more common 6R55. It has a 72-hour power reserve and accuracy of -15/+25 seconds per day. It’s housed inside the 40mm steel case with 100m water resistance, making it a practical daily wearer despite its dressy aesthetic.

It’s priced at £1,500, which reflects the craftsmanship involved in the creation of its Urushi dial and the 6R5H movement. If you want to discover some of Seiko’s other traditional crafts, check out their recent Arita Porcelain edition.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Seiko

Presage Classic Series Urushi Black

Ref:
SPB499

Case:
40.2mm

diameter, stainless steel

Dial:
Jet-black

Urushi lacquer, gold-coloured Roman numerals, rail track design

Water resistance:
100m

(10 bar)

Movement:
Seiko

calibre 6R5H automatic

Frequency:
21,600

vph (3 Hz)

Power reserve:
72h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds, 24h

Strap:
Black

leather

Price:
£1,500

More details at Seiko Boutique.

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Tag Heuer Launch Carrera Chronograph x Festival of Speed in British Racing Green

TAG Heuer Goodwood

TAG Heuer Goodwood

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the most well known and celebrated global motorsport events in West Sussex. For the 2025 edition of the event, they are celebrating the 75th anniversary of Formula 1. Why is this relevant to a wristwatch platform? Well, you can be certain that wherever Formula 1 is mentioned, Tag Heuer are not far away either (though they also have a longstanding partnership with the festival separate to that). In honour of the event, they have launched the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Festival of Speed Limited Edition.

Tag Heuer x Goodwood Festival of Speed

This special edition brings together the heritage of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and more generally the history of British motorsport. As a chronograph, the Carrera is the ultimate racing timepiece, a wrist mounted stopwatch that serves the same function as the original dashboard stop watches that represented Tag Heuer’s first steps into motorsport back in the early 20th century. It’s ideal for timing laps or splits in a rally or, specific to Goodwood, the iconic hillclimb competition.

Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Festival of Speed

The Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Festival of Speed Limited Edition features a textured dial with a hobnail pattern and snailed chronograph subdials in British Racing Green. It’s specifically a shade known as Goodwood Green. The tradition of national racing colours dates back to 1902 and the Gordon Bennet cup – Britain was a late addition to the competition and so the national colours of red, white and blue had already been claimed by other countries and so we ended up with green.

Structurally, the watch measures 42mm in diameter and houses the calibre TH20-00, Tag Heuer’s top tier chronograph movement introduced in 2023. It has a whopping 80-hour power reserve with automatic winding. While the movement is very modern, the watch has a bit of a retro flair thanks to the 1970s style perforated racing leather strap.

Tag Heuer x Goodwood Festival of Speed

For pricing and availability, the Tag Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Festival of Speed Limited Edition is £6,450 in a limited edition of 100 pieces. It will be available first to members of the Goodwood Road Racing Club prior to general sale. The festival takes place on 10-13 July.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Tag

Heuer Carrera Chronograph x Festival of Speed

Ref:
CBN2010-NS

Case:
42mm

diameter x 14.5mm thickness, stainless steel

Dial:
British

racing green

Water resistance:
100m

(10 bar)

Movement:
Tag

Heuer calibre TH20-00, automatic, 33 jewels

Frequency:
28,800

vph (4 Hz)

Power reserve:
80h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds, date, chronograph

Strap:
Brown

calfskin perforated leather with steel folding clasp

Price:
£6,450,

limited to 100 pieces

More details at Tag Heuer and Goodwood.

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Arnold & Son Launch New Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition with Impressive Skeleton Display

Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition

Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition

Minimalism is a popular design philosophy in watchmaking, pairing understated dials with utility focussed hands and markings that fuse function and style. However, with the Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition Arnold & Son have said to hell with minimalism. Instead, we want over engineered design and dramatic angles because, well, because we can. Take a quick glance and you’d expect the skeleton watch to be an insane grand complication. Look closer and you’ll see that it’s really a humble 3-hand watch.

Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition

There’s nothing humble though about the seven bridges that arc in from the peripheral edge to suspend the skeletonised forms of the watch’s core organs. It makes for a dramatic appearance set against a backdrop of blue PVD architecture, like a cluster of metallic stars against the early evening sky. Going around the bridges starting from 3 o’clock and heading clockwise you have the winding mechanism, the balance wheel, the small seconds subdial, the first wheel of the gear train, a power barrel, another gear wheel and lastly the second power barrel.

Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition

In the same way that a nebula is a cloud of gas and dust that slowly constitutes together to form new celestial bodies, the Arnold & Son Nebula 40 showcases the constituent parts of a movement that come together to form a watch. Though unlike the randomness of a nebula, the Arnold & Son feels laid out like a blueprint with the equilibrium between the four prominent discs of the dual power barrels, balance and small seconds.

Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition

The skeleton movement that’s on display is the calibre A&S5201. It has manual winding with a 90-hour power reserve meaning it won’t need relentless daily winding, which is the benefit of the double barrel system. The Nebula 40 isn’t itself a new watch but what is new about this edition is the addition of the blue PVD coating on the lower architecture, which lends the piece a sportier aesthetic compared to previous versions at 40mm (there was a previous blue edition at the older 41.5mm sizing).

Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition

As for price, the Arnold & Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition is CHF 16,700 (approx. £15,000) on rubber strap, CHF 16,900 (approx. £15,200) on alligator leather and CHF 17,600 (approx. £15,800) on steel bracelet. That all said, the previous Nebula 40 Steel Black Edition on bracelet is £17,400 so expect around the same for the blue. For the most complicated 3-hand watch you’ve ever seen, that makes sense.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Arnold

& Son Nebula 40 Steel Blue Edition

Ref:
1NEGS.U01A.S135D

(stainless steel bracelet), 1NEGS.U01A.C1235S (alligator strap), 1NEGS.U01A.K0243S (rubber strap)

Case:
40mm

diameter x 9.10mm thickness, stainless steel, domed sapphire crystal with double-sided AR coating, sapphire caseback

Dial:
Skeletonised,

blue PVD-treated main plate, rhodium-plated appliqués, palladium-treated bridges and wheels

Water resistance:
30m

(3 bar)

Movement:
Arnold

& Son calibre A&S5201, manual winding

Frequency:
21,600

vph (3 Hz)

Power reserve:
90h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, small seconds

Strap:
Stainless

steel bracelet, blue alligator leather or rubber strap

Price:
CHF

16,700 (approx. £15,000) – rubber strap
CHF 16,900 (approx. £15,200) – alligator strap
CHF 17,600 (approx. £15,800) – bracelet

More details at Arnold & Son.

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Get Your Watches Ready for Summer with Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex

Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex

Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex

Summer can be a particularly difficult time for watch straps for multiple reasons. The hot weather makes for sweaty wrists which can damage leather and build up grime on metal bracelets. At the same time we find ourselves outdoors more often, exposing our watches to bumps, scrapes and in the case of dive watches, chlorine and salt. Is there even a watch strap out there that can effortlessly handle such a barrage? Well, yes, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article. It’s the Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex.

The concept behind the Loop-Less HydroFlex was to create a stylish looking strap that is equipped to deal with all circumstances while retaining comfort and convenience. That’s a tall ask. However, Artem found the solution by developing their own proprietary FKM-rubber compound produced over an eight-hour mixing process with dual-stage vulcanisation at extreme temperatures, called HydroFlex.

Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex

The resulting rubber is extremely durable while also being soft and supple, giving you optimal comfort from day one while also being resistant to sweat, salt water and sun. While there are lots of rubber straps that offer similar capabilities, what sets the HydroFlex apart is its equally immaculate sense of style. It’s been designed with a fabric texture that emulates the surface of a sailcloth strap, which is the foundation Artem Straps was built on. Most rubber straps are flat, modern, sporty things in lurid colours but Artem’s has the genuine look of a fabric strap – almost like an illusion. That’s what provides it so much versatility because you can wear it in the boardroom and no one will notice that it’s rubber.

Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex

I briefly mentioned colour above and the Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex is available in a wide selection, each with a cool moniker inspired by space. For your more traditional sailcloth aesthetics you have Dark Matter and Event Horizon, which are black with either black or white stitching respectively. There’s then your classic grey and brown with Lunar Ash and Nebula Dust. You can also opt for one of the bolder, more colourful choices such as Cosmic Tide blue, Blood Moon red, Orbital Moss green, Nova Light white, Solar Flare orange, and Titan Dune beige.

Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex

We’ve talked about what HydroFlex is and the variety of colours, but there’s one more thing in the strap’s name that needs addressing. What does Loop-Less mean? In short, it refers to the fact that these are deployant clasp straps rather than your typical pin buckle. We actually recently published a complete guide to types of clasp if you want more information on the wealth of styles out there.

A deployant clasp essentially takes a folding clasp of the style you commonly see on a metal bracelet and presents it on a fabric or rubber strap. It means there’s no fiddly keeper loops (hence Loop-Less) and once you set the size to your preference, you simply slide the watch onto your wrist, shut the clasp and away you go. Artem create two styles of clasp that can be fitted to the Loop-Less HydroFlex, either in exposed steel or with a DLC coating. Alternatively, it’s compatible with deployant clasps from existing watch brands with Artem giving the example of the OEM Omega clasp.

Artem Straps Loop-Less HydroFlex

The Loop-Less HydroFlex is also available at six different sizes to fit lug widths of between 18mm – 22mm with varying tapers. It also comes with quick release spring bars, making swapping the straps onto your watch easy. All that remains is the price, £187. That’s around what you expect for a premium watch strap that should last you a lifetime with sensible use. Artem’s customers evidently thinks so as the brand have had to implement a two straps per customer limitation due to their popularity, to ensure a fair chance for everyone to purchase one.

More details at Artem Straps.

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Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Watch Review

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

Oracle Time’s second collaboration watch is here, following in the footsteps of the Dune Shoreline. However, this time our collaborative partner isn’t Christopher Ward, it’s Ball, the titan of tool watches and master of magnetism (or rather, anti-magnetism). As this is a creation we have spent a year working on it’s obviously very difficult to be objective but I will try my absolute best to be as unbiased as possible by focussing squarely on the Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle in the metal. If you’d like to learn more about some of our thoughts on why Ball are the ideal collaborative partner and the design thoughts that went into the production, check out our full cover feature article from Issue 113 of Oracle Time.

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

Taking the Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle out of its packaging, the first thing you notice is unquestionably the dial. It’s a riot of shape and colour with dynamic angles in white, grey and black. It’s also embossed, giving it a subtle three-dimensionality that really makes the shapes pop. Dazzle camouflage, upon which the pattern is based, is not a traditional style of camo because it’s not designed to hide anything – it’s impossible to hide a ship floating above the horizon line. Instead, it’s more about obfuscation, deceiving the eye like an illusion (in order to make enemy torpedoes miss or strike less valuable targets onboard) and the dial replicates that quite well.

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

Fortunately, while obfuscation is the name of the game, the Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle remains surprisingly legible. Because of the inconsistent angles of the Dazzle pattern, the consistent rectangles of the hour markers actually makes them stand out quite significantly. They’re also made from Ball’s signature H3 tritium micro-gas tubes meaning they glow in low light conditions more intensely than traditional lume without needing to be charged by light. They’re hard to miss.

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

The colour of the emission is a pale blue, which is starting to become something of an Oracle Time signature at this point. That blue colour is matched by the tips of the hour, minute and seconds hands, helping them to stand out against the dial as another safeguard to preserve the readability of the watch. I personally also find that the combination of the monochromatic dial and blue accents gives the watch quite an arctic feel, like a rocky tundra beneath the ice.

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

On the wrist, the Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle has the reassuring heft of a 40mm tool watch, produced from 904L stainless steel. That’s not to say it’s bulky because it really isn’t with a thickness of 11.5mm. It has a circular design with a smooth bezel and brushed lugs creating a nice amount of contrast between the finishes across the piece. The lugs lead smoothly into a three-link steel bracelet with butterfly clasp.

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

Undoing the clasp and turning the watch over reveals something fairly uncommon for a Ball watch, an exhibition caseback. Most Ball watches use solid casebacks in order to maintain their incredibly high anti-magnetic resistance, which means you can’t see the movement housed inside. However, as the Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle houses the lovely calibre BALL RR1101-C, we wanted you to be able to see it. Plus, the watch still maintains a magnetic field resistance up to 4,800 A/m, which is plenty for day-to-day life.

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On Caseback

In terms of specs, the BALL RR1101-C features a 56-hour power reserve, putting it just inside that weekend proof goldilocks zone, meaning you can put it down on Friday evening and it will still be ticking on Monday morning (just about). On top of that, it’s COSC chronometer certified, which means it’s undergone strenuous testing by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres to ensure a high level of accuracy and reliability in multiple positions.

Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle Hands On

The Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle is priced at £2,480 (incl. VAT) and is limited to 100 pieces. Oracle Time members will have priority access to purchase the watch from 11th June with general sale beginning on 14th June when the watch is presented at Hands On Horology. If you aren’t yet an Oracle Time member, you can sign up here to receive all the benefits including early access to collaborations, exclusive member events plus receive 10 issues of Oracle Time magazine straight to your door.

Price and Specs:


Model:
BALL

x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle

Ref:
NM9016C-S8C-BK

Case:
40mm

diameter x 11.5mm height, 904L stainless steel, anti-reflective sapphire crystal front and sapphire exhibition caseback, screwed-in crown

Dial:
Embossed

dazzle-camouflage pattern, 15 micro-gas tubes on hands and dial for night-reading

Water resistance:
100m

(10 bar)

Movement:
BALL

calibre RR1101-C, automatic, COSC-certified, shock-resistant 5,000 Gs, anti-magnetic 4,800 A/m

Frequency:
28,800

vph (4 Hz)

Power reserve:
56h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds

Strap:
Stainless

steel bracelet (blue NATO strap available separately)

Price:
£2,480

(inc. VAT), limited to 100 pieces

More details at Ball Watch.

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Oracle Discovers: Watches for June 2025

Oracle Discovers: Watches for June 2025

Beaubleu Ecce Vesperal, £710

Beaubleu Ecce Vesperal

Beaubleu have one of the most distinctive displays in the watch industry thanks to their circular hands. It’s amazing how much impact changing the shape of a hand has, and when it’s as non-traditional as this, it stands out all the more. The hands themselves feature on the dial of the Ecce, which is their sportiest and most industrial model with a steel case and broad, brushed bezel—especially in the Vesperal variant with a matching brushed steel dial. If you prefer a more luxe look, there’s also the white-dialled Lys with rose gold accents.

Available at Beaubleu.

Straum Jan Mayen Black Sand, £1,400

Straum Jan Mayen Black Sand Red

Straum have become the masters of textured dials, with the Jan Mayen available in a selection of seriously detailed and stylish interpretations. The Black Sand swaps the glacial inspiration for the arctic coast with the wavey texture of dark sand continually beaten by chill waters. Inside the Jan Mayen is the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic, one of the most highly rated third-party movements in the watch industry at the moment.

Available at Straum.

Héron Watches Mirabel GMT, £520

Héron Watches Mirabel GMT

While Héron’s recent launches have proven their skill when it comes to dive watch design, the Héron Mirabel GMT presents an altogether different style. It’s a GMT dress watch with a vintage-inspired sector dial, offering a classy and luxurious aesthetic that takes you back to the golden age of travel. It’s powered by the Miyota 9075 automatic movement, which as a ‘True GMT’ allows you to adjust just the hour hand to change time zones.

Available at Heron Watches.

Costins Watches Elysian, £395 (Early Bird) and £595 (RRP)

Costins Watches Elysian

Introducing Costins Watches, a new voice in contemporary watch design, rooted in Moldovan heritage and based in London. The debut Elysian is a study in architecture, pattern, and tradition reimagined in steel. Influenced by Ornament Moldovenesc, a traditional pattern known for its geometry, the Elysian blends heritage and refinement. It’s the first watch to draw directly from Moldova’s culture, architecture, and traditions. It makes for a unique design housed in a 40.5mm steel case powered by the Miyota 9039 automatic.

Available at Constins Watches.

Palmos Palmos One

Palmos One

The PALMOS ONE is the debut watch from Palmos, bringing a sleek integrated bracelet design to life with monochromatic dials. It measures 40mm with a thickness of 9.2mm in stainless steel. Its broad, flat bezel gives it quite a strong industrial charm. Powering it is a choice of the SOPROD M100 (A10) or Sellita SW300-1, offering a solid level of accuracy and value. In terms of colour, there’s a choice of black, olive, steel grey, or blue.

Available at Palmos Watches.

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Bianchet UltraFino Merges Haute Horology and Performance

Bianchet Flying Tourbillon UltraFino Titanium

Bianchet Flying Tourbillon UltraFino Titanium

When Abraham-Louis Breguet devised the first tourbillon at the turn of the 19th century, he could never have imagined what the device would become. What began as a practical way to counteract gravity in a pocket-watch has evolved into a modern-day showpiece, now spinning at varying speeds and angles across one, two or even three axes.

Today, the question of how well a tourbillon actually improves timekeeping has largely fallen by the wayside. Most modern examples are celebrated less for chronometry than for artistry – and artistry is precisely what Bianchet has built its entire identity on.

Bianchet G5000 Active Tourbillon

Bianchet G5000 Active Tourbillon

Bianchet appeared at an undeniably unique moment: Baselworld 2019. Launching a new brand just before a global pandemic might not sound ideal, yet the company’s debut – the G5000 Active Tourbillon – made an immediate impact. Designed to withstand shocks of up to 5,000g, it proved that a traditionally delicate complication could thrive in a true sports watch.

Bianchet Flying Tourbillon UltraFino Titanium Black

Which brings us to the new UltraFino Titanium. Integrated-bracelet sports watches are hardly new, but where most echo Gérald Genta’s designs, Bianchet has forged its own aesthetic. Its tactile, tonneau-shaped case – while sharing a basic silhouette with Richard Mille – feels uniquely elegant, with seamless crown guards that flow into the barrel profile.

Bianchet Flying Tourbillon UltraFino Titanium Black

Bianchet Flying Tourbillon UltraFino Titanium Black, CHF 55,500 (excl. taxes)

Every element underscores its sporting credentials. The 40mm case and integrated bracelet are crafted entirely from lightweight titanium – unusual in a tonneau watch and executed here with exceptional fluidity – so the UltraFino wears light yet substantial. Like the 2019 debut, it remains shock-resistant to 5,000g. That would be impressive for any sports watch, but this is a flying tourbillon, supported only from below, giving the mechanism its “floating” look while usually making it more fragile. Bianchet’s engineering keeps it robust.

Bianchet Flying Tourbillon UltraFino Movement (Front)

Bianchet Flying Tourbillon UltraFino Movement (Back)

Durability comes in part from a titanium tourbillon cage and in part from the movement’s architecture. Flip the watch over and you’ll see bridges forming two concentric circles in a 1.618 ratio – the Golden Ratio found in nautilus shells and Greek columns. Beautiful as it is, the geometry also strengthens the automatic rotor assembly, absorbing shocks that could otherwise damage the movement.

Bianchet UltraFino Flying Tourbillon

Offered either skeletonised or with a sumptuous blue guilloché dial, the UltraFino Titanium stands as one of the purest expressions of sporty haute horology: a watch that looks exquisite, performs fearlessly and was designed to be worn, not stored.

Don’t take our word for it – Bianchet will be at Hands On Horology on 14 June 2025. Try the UltraFino Titanium for yourself; you won’t regret it.

More details at Bianchet Watches.

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Paulin Reveal John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Exclusive Series

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Ok, yes, we have been absolutely hammering the Hands On Horology content recently, but frankly we’re just excited to see all these projects that have been months in the making come to fruition. Projects like the Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition, exclusives that are available only from the exhibition on June 14th, a fun and colourful collaboration between the Scottish watch brand and the Glaswegian artist.

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

John Nicol is a lecturer at the Glasgow School of Art using multidisciplinary techniques in his work including drawing, painting, sculpture, music and performance. He has a bold, abstract style that incorporates strong elements of colour and shape. Additionally he’s worked with multiple watch brands on painted dial watches including a previous series with Paulin.

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

The new series of painted watches uses the Neo as its basis, meaning the dials are housed in a comfortable 38mm steel case that’s powered by the Seiko NH35A automatic movement with a 41-hour power reserve. However, with a watch like this, the actual horological elements of the design feel almost secondary to the artwork on the dial.

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Each of the watches in the nine-piece series is completely unique. Describing them in words is virtually impossible because of the nuance of shape and colour as well as the various textural impressions they create. And anyway, art is about interpretation, so you and I may see completely different things. What I will say is that compared to Nicol’s previous Paulin watches, the designs are much more intense and maximalist with powerful stroke and a wide application of colour.

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Each watch in the Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology series is priced at £750, which for a completely unique piece of artwork built into a popular British microbrand watch is great. Avoid missing out by picking up your ticket to Hands On Horology today.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Paulin

John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Case:
38mm

diameter, stainless steel

Dial:
Hand

painted John Nicol artwork

Water resistance:
50m

(5 bar)

Movement:
Seiko

calibre NH35A, automatic

Frequency:
21,600

vph (3 Hz)

Power reserve:
41h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds, date

Strap:
Black

suede leather

More details at Paulin Watches.

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Oracle Recommends: Microbrand Watches for June 2025

Oracle Recommends Microbrand Watches for June 2025

Beaucroft Seeker Black Ice

Beaucroft Seeker Black Ice
Beaucroft Seeker Black Ice

Hands On Horology is this month and, if you don’t have your ticket by now, you may well be missing out. But just to rub that fact in a little, there’s the HoH exclusive, Seeker Black Ice. This 10-piece limited edition by Cambridge-based Beaucroft combines a fittingly pale blue dial with a blacked-out case, transforming the usually dressy Seeker into something completely different. High contrast doesn’t even come into it; this is about as punchy as a 37mm watch can get, and yet another reason to love the British brand.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Beaucroft

Seeker Black Ice

Case:
37mm

diameter x 10mm thickness, stainless steel with black PVD coating

Dial:
Ice

blue

Water resistance:
50m

(5 bar)

Movement:
Miyota

calibre 9039, automatic, 24 jewels

Frequency:
28,800

vph (4 Hz)

Power reserve:
42h

Functions:
hours,

minutes, seconds

Strap:
Black

leather

Price:
£425,

limited to 10 pieces

More details at Beaucroft.

Monceau Model 01

Monceau Model 01 Icelandic Black

Another revival of a watch name lost too soon to the quartz crisis, the modern incarnation of Monceau eschews the brand’s vintage chronographs in favour of a less complicated – but by no means simple – three-hander, the Model 01. The wavy dial is more gentle seabed than rugged sand dunes and the red and grey versions get a smoky gradient towards the edge. The white and black on the other hand get baby blue highlights.

Either way, it’s wrapped up in a sleek integrated sports bracelet and backed by a classic Sellita number. It’s not the Monceau you’ll see at your local vintage dealer, but there’s a lot to love – and worth a look on Kickstarter, where it’s running until 15th June.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Monceau

Model 01

Case:
39mm

diameter x 10.2mm thickness, stainless steel

Dial:
Icelandic

Black, Antarctic White, Atacama Grey, Riyadh Red, sand wave contour pattern

Water resistance:
200m

(20 bar)

Movement:
Sellita

calibre SW210-1 Elaboré Grade, manual winding, 19 jewels

Frequency:
28,800

vph (4 Hz)

Power reserve:
42h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds, date

Strap:
Stainless

steel bracelet with micro-adjust clasp, optional leather strap

Price:
£599

(with the “early-bird” offer) and £679 (retail price)

More details at Monceau.

Anemoic Versailles

Anemoic Versailles Concept Watch

Given their rep in the microbrand world, an endorsement from Studio Underd0g’s enough to make you sit up and take notice, but honestly, the debut design from Anemoic doesn’t need the fanfare. Created by Magnus Swann, who also had a stint at Underd0g, the Versailles aims to recapture 1970s French couture – specifically the legendary fashion showdown that was the Battle of Versailles – and does so with a jewellery-adjacent rectangular case and dramatic faceted, aquamarine crystal.

Magnus Swann

At 28mm x 39mm of stainless steel, it’s not nearly as small as you’d expect and should have some serious wrist presence. But, despite it having a solid specs sheet and a price tag of £1,900, the Versailles (and the Anemoic brand) is Magnus’ student design project, with no plans for production. Yet. We’ll need to wait and see what the reception among collectors is like, but I’d be surprised if this watch doesn’t go any further. At the very least, Magnus is killing his coursework.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Anemoic

Versailles

Case:
28mm

width x 39mm height × 7.5mm thickness, stainless steel

Dial:
Aluminum

with CNC-machined guilloché pattern, printed hour markers and logo

Water resistance:
50m

(5 bar)

Movement:
La

Joux-Perret D101, manual winding, 18 jewels

Frequency:
21,600

vph (3 Hz)

Power reserve:
50h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes

Strap:
Marine

Alran Chevre goatskin with custom stainless steel pin buckle

Price:
£1,900

(estimate price)

More details at Magnus Swann.

Nuun Official Origen N1837

Nuun Origen N1837

Rounded, porthole bezel? Check. Big, muscular shoulders? Check. Hype-infused Tiffany blue dial? Check. Far from being one of the most expensive watches ever sold, Nuun Official’s Nautilus-riffing Origen offers all the hotness of a grail watch at a fraction of a fraction of the price.

It puts its own spin on things with Eastern Arabic numerals and a blacked out case. Even if you don’t buy into the Patek hype, it offers a solid, summer-ready watch with 100m water resistance and a lightweight, durable carbon case.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Nuun

Origen

Ref:
N1837

Case:
40.5mm

x 47mm diameter, carbon with 316L PVD steel caseback

Dial:
Sand

blast finish with matte black Arabic numerals and hands

Water resistance:
100m

(10 bar)

Movement:
Miyota

calibre 1S13, quartz

Functions:
Hours,

minutes

Strap:
Nanotech

dirt-resistant rubber with quick release and TANG 316L PVD steel buckle

Price:
£249

More details at Nuun Official Watches.

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Paulin John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

When they’re not building super fun, super accessible beaters, Paulin have an artistic streak. Case in point, their reprised collaboration with John Nicol. The last run back in 2023 sold out quick, with each unique, hand-painted dial offering a different personality. Now, the partnership is back with a 10-piece run of funky pop art dials, exclusively for Hands On Horology. If you’ve not got your ticket yet, you might want to. ASAP.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Paulin

John Nicol Neo Hands On Horology Edition

Case:
38mm

diameter, stainless steel

Dial:
Hand

painted John Nicol artwork

Water resistance:
50m

(5 bar)

Movement:
Seiko

calibre NH35A, automatic

Frequency:
21,600

vph (3 Hz)

Power reserve:
41h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds, date

More details at Paulin Watches.

Palmos One

Palmos One

The debut from London-based Palmos, aptly named the Palmos ONE, distils that quintessentially 1970s flair for industrial, integrated bracelet sports watches down to a minimalist beauty. With its round, flat-planed bezel, there’s more than a hint of the IWC Ingenieur here, but without the visible screws or guilloche dial, it’s a much sleeker, calmer experience. That carries through to the dials in black, olive green, blue and a monochrome grey version (in my opinion the highlight). Backed by a workhorse Soprod movement, it’s everything you love about this sub-genre of watches in a more accessible format.

Price and Specs:


Model:
Palmos

One

Case:
40mm

diameter x 9.2mm thickness, stainless steel with anti-scratch coating, transparent caseback with sapphire crystal

Dial:
Galvanic

metal

Water resistance:
50m

(5 bar)

Movement:
Soprod

calibre M100 (A10) and Sellita calibre SW300-1, automatic, 25 jewels, accuracy: +/-4 to +/-15 sec/day

Frequency:
28,800

vph (4 Hz)

Power reserve:
42h

Functions:
Hours,

minutes, seconds

Strap:
Stainless

Steel bracelet with two additional NATO straps (Apple skin & Recycled PI)

Price:
£782

More details at Palmos Watches.

​Oracle Time 

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