G-Shock U.K. and Casio Australia now have the G-Shock GA-V01 series listed as an upcoming release. While we knew that the GA-V01 has the same functions as the GA-2100 but with an estimated 10-year battery life, the new marketing material from the U.K. and Australia explains that the watch has a new feature known as […]
G-Central G-Shock Watch Fan Blog
Sometimes it feels like brands set out to be intentionally confusing and few watches are quite so confusing to talk about than Citizen’s Citizen. Citizen being both the name of the brand and the name of the collection. So, to make it clear when we’re talking about Citizen’s 30th anniversary and the launch of The Citizen Washi Paper Dial 30th Anniversary Edition we’re talking about the watch model, not the brand. The brand can trace its heritage back to 1918 so is a fair bit more venerable than a spry 30.
There are two watches in the 30th anniversary, limited edition collection, both with distinct aesthetics but sharing the same core construction. They both measure 38.3mm x 12.2mm and are made from Citizen’s Super Titanium with coloured duratect coatings. Ref. AQ4106-00A has a sakura pink duratect coating, giving it a rose gold appearance while Ref. AQ4100-22L has the high lustre of the platinum duratect. Duratect is Citizen’s proprietary surface hardening technology that alleviates some of drawbacks of titanium including its poor scratch resistance.
Both watches also feature washi paper dials, an extremely delicate form of paper with a unique texture that makes it ideal for taking on interesting patterns and colours. What’s more, the 30th Anniversary collection is a follow up to 2024’s Nature Collection, meaning each dial is inspired by a traditional Japanese concept regarding nature. The white dial of the pink gold model is based on early spring mornings, a period of time most famous for its cherry blossom, hence the white and pink tones found across its swirling face. The second model is instead inspired by summer nights, with the silvery moonlight reflecting on clouds in the dark blue sky.
The fact the dials are made from paper and hand-dyed in the case of the indigo version, means no two dials are identical, adding to the unique desirability and exclusivity of each piece. Though that’s not the only benefit of having a paper dial. The dials naturally allow light to pass through their surfaces, making them ideal carriers of Citizen’s Eco-Drive movements that use light to maintain their power reserves, meaning they will essentially never run out of power unless locked away in a box for months on end. The movement is specifically the Cal.A060.
As for availability, both versions of The Citizen Washi Paper Dial 30th Anniversary watch are limited to 400 pieces globally. Price-wise, these are Citizen’s top end eco-drive models with rare, difficult to produce dials so they have a much higher price than the majority of Citizen watches. But it’s also at a price point we have come to expect for this collection. The rose gold, white dial edition is $3,000 and the silver cased, blue dial version is $2,900 (approx. £2,300/£2,240).
More details at Citizen.
Oracle Time
The idea of prestige dive watches has always existed but it feels like it’s becoming much more common over the past 12 months. Watches that take the basic foundation of a dive watch but twist them in some manner that makes them more or less impractical to use in serious underwater conditions. The biggest culprit of this is the Rolex Deepsea gold but I think it can be argued that the new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Worldtimer falls into the same category. Albeit for completely different reasons.
I suppose I should address my claim from the introduction immediately. Worldtimers do not belong on dive watches. It’s long been the prevailing thought that a dive watch’s dial should be as pared back as possible with minimal distractions in order to minimize any risk of the diver misinterpreting or misreading the display with potentially deadly consequences as they calculate their immersion time or decompression stops. A world time display is the complete opposite of minimalist.
Omega’s rendition of the complication, which is based on the Aqua Terra GMT Worldtimer, features two extra scales that offer no benefit while you’re underwater. A rotating 24-hour scale in the centre that serves as the second time zone indicator and a peripheral cities ring that denotes the world’s 24 time zones. On top of that, there’s a topographical map of the world in the centre of the dial which is the complete opposite of restrained or utilitarian. To my mind, all this excess information is a hazard on a dive watch.
However, if we change our perception of the watch and stop thinking about using it underwater (which very few people do anyway) and suddenly the watch makes a lot more sense. With its black ceramic case measuring an imposing 45.5mm, this is a pure status watch for global jetsetters. It’s the type of watch I can imagine David Beckham wearing if he wasn’t so closely tied to Tudor. Bold, impressive and macho. The completely blacked out bezel further leans into this visual aesthetic.
There are two versions of the Seamaster Planet Ocean Worldtimer available, the difference between them being the colour of the varnish used in conjunction with the laser ablated design on the dials. The first has a turquoise varnish and the second a grey one. The turquoise one actually reminds me of the Christopher Ward C1 Moonglow from a few years ago, perhaps showing that British design is ahead of the curve.
Beneath the surface of the dial is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 8938 with automatic winding and a 60-hour power reserve. The master chronometer certification means it has been tested by METAs to ensure accuracy and reliability in multiple positions and under diverse atmospheric conditions. You can view the movement through the exhibition caseback.
As for price, both versions of the watch are £14,000. As desk-divers I think these watches are perfectly fine. They have a cool, urban feel to them thanks to the black ceramic and the displays are impressively detailed. I just personally struggle with the idea of a watch with 600m water resistance that isn’t fine tuned for the purpose it was originally designed for.
More details at Omega.
Oracle Time
Like last year’s G-5600BG-1, the upcoming G-Shock G-5600BG-5 is an environmentally-minded watch powered by Tough Solar power and made with recycled resin scraps. The watch has an ivory-colored bezel and band mixed with recycled black resin pieces, resulting in a marble-like appearance. The G-5600BG-5 is expected to be released in April, which coincides with G-Shock’s […]
G-Central G-Shock Watch Fan Blog
Aera C-1 Shadow
Every day seems to bring about a new watch brand or other, bringing something new, be that fresh or otherwise, to the watch industry. Or at least, whatever they think is new. Most of these, let’s be honest, are jumping on the bandwagon of microbrands, turning around cheap watches with a few interesting ideas.
Despite ostensibly falling into that catchment however, seeing as they were founded as late in the day as 2022, Aera have managed to separate themselves from the crowd for two reasons: some incredibly cool designs and a story decades in the making.
Co-Founder Jas Minhas didn’t come to watchmaking on a whim or for a quick buck. His grandfather was a watchmaker in Punjab and his father Surjit, continued the tradition here in the UK, repairing watches at the kitchen table. Needless to say, he knew his way around a movement. It was enough to inspire a then very young Jas to decide he would one day own a watch brand. It’s unlikely he realised just how far away that ‘one day’ would be.
Years later, well into his job as a distributor of watch components, Jas met Olof Larsson, of Swedish retail royalty. The two hit it off immediately over a mutual appreciation of art and design, and before long decided that one day they would own a watch brand together. Another link to watches, another ‘one day. And like many conversations, it could well have ended there, a pipedream that was never going to become reality.
Flash forward 35 years. Most of us would have forgotten that conversation by now, let alone be ready to act on it. But just as Jas was between jobs and wondering what to do with himself, the idea came back to him. He met Olof, not really expecting much to happen. Instead, in all of about 30 seconds, they’d decided to jump headfirst into a new watch brand. Easy, right? After a few serious conversations, it became apparent that both men had the same vision for what their watches should look like. They should be around the £1,000 to £3,000 mark, the price point normally dominated by your Swatch Group workhorses like Hamilton and Longines. They should be tool watches and, most importantly, should be just as appealing to someone buying their first watch as to someone with a collection of minute repeaters. It was a pretty tall order.
Aera M-1 Field
Before they even got to the watches though, they needed a name. They’d toyed with the name Era, to denote the kind of timelessness they were after, but something about it just didn’t sit right. Until one day a fellow shareholder mentioned that he liked the specific A at the beginning of Aesop. After a quick bit of research, the pair realised that Aera is simply the Greek version of Era and, perhaps more pertinently, Jas’ father used to own a watch shop in Birmingham called Aero. Some things are just meant to be, and Aera was born. So then, that tricky task of actually designing a watch.
Plenty of brands, especially British brands, opt for tool watches. If you want to keep things accessible, it’s the logical place to start. The difference is that, rather than taking a template and riffing on it like, for example, something as iconic as the Ministry of Defence commissioned Dirty Dozen Aera look at what those designs are trying to accomplish. Essentially, same destination, different routes. And, of course, no shortcuts. That’s when you get watches like the M-1 Field and Blackbird.
Aera M-1 Blackbird
On a very surface level, both watches fall into that mil-spec, MoD look with high contrast dials, white on black. They’re easily read and simple enough to take a few knocks and not impact their usefulness. But Aera’s versions don’t quite feel the same as, say, Timor’s version. I’d describe them as utilitarian without being severe. What I mean by that is everything from the tactile case to the solid lume indexes to the curved dial adds up to a watch that has equal levels of charm and practicality.
It’s a difficult balance, but this is just the latest illustration in Aera’s catalogue of a similar concept. The one that really got me, for example, was the C-1 chronograph. It took the barest elements needed to read the bi-compax layout and left the entire rest of the dial blank. That’s especially striking in the Cloud, with it’s white on white look interrupted only by a sky blue second hand. Pair that with a beautifully curved 60-second bezel and you have a pretty zen chronograph. Where most watchmakers are tempted throw tachymeters and luminous highlights on them, the C-1 Cloud is an island of calm in a storm of faux-racing watches.
Aera C-1 Cloud
While it might seem that Aera’s story has only just started, it’s one that actually began at a kitchen table nearly half a century ago. It was an idea gestating over the course of decades, one that just needed the right timing, the right environment and the right people to become a reality. And now that it’s here, it looks like it’s here to stay – at least, if watches like the M-1 and C-1 are anything to go by.
More details at Aera.
Oracle Time
It’s unusual to see the newer G-Shock models being sold by Amazon itself (as opposed to third-party sellers on Amazon), but that is the case with the AWG-M100FP-1A2 ($160) and GW-2320FP-1A2 ($150), both of which are now available for pre-ordering directly from Amazon.com with a release date of March 31, 2025. Both models are also […]
G-Central G-Shock Watch Fan Blog
Breva Geneve is an independent watch brand that was founded in 2010 with a flurry of excitement and activity including a GPHG nominationin 2013 for the Genie 01. Sadly, the brand wound down operations after only a handful of limited releases leaving us to wonder if their haute horology creations would ever make a return. Short answer, yes! Breva are back with their revival launch, the Segreto di Lario, a visually impressive timepiece with a dual retrograde power reserve indicator.
Starting with the case, the Breva Segreto di Lario is a prime example of classical dress watch design with some retro flair. It measures 41mm in diameter in rose gold with an angular cushion shape that makes if feel right out of the early 20th century. Despite its fairly broad proportions, emphasised by the cushion shape, it remains quite svelte with a thickness of just 11.1mm. It’s also stylishly finished with circular brushing across the watch’s shoulders and polished lugs.
However, what really makes the watch stand out is the display on the dial. At six o’clock is an intriguing array of crossed hands, like fencers’ blades meeting in gentlemanly combat. This is actually the dual retrograde power reserve indicator. On the left is the days power reserve indicator showing six out of the seven days of the Segreto di Lario’s power reserve. The reason it only shows six days is that the second power reserve indicator on the right is a 24-hour scale that shows only the final day of the reserve. In a manual-winding watch it essentially means if you see the 24-hour hand moving, you should wind the watch pretty sharpish.
In the centre of the dial are the hands for hours and minutes, which point to a peripheral 60-minute scale in a traditional style. Below 12 o’clock is a retrograde seconds counter. Retrograde counters, if you’re unfamiliar, are a style of watch scale with a hand that follows a linear path. Meaning that instead of being an infinite circle, the hand follows from one end to the other before jumping back to the start.
As for style, it’s very elegant like the case but there’s also a modern, quasi-industrial quality to it. The dial is split into two sections with the bottom-most section below the power reserve showing a sliver of the exposed movement with Côte de Genève finishing. Above that, and held in place by exposed screws, is a blue plate with vertical brushed finishing.
It gives the piece quite a maritime aesthetic, reminiscent of the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur. It makes you want to take a cruise on an alpine lake, which is half the point because the name Breva is a reference to the warm breeze found on Lake Como. Though with only 50m water resistance, you’ll want to keep the Segreto di Lario away from too much spray.
The movement beneath the dial is a specially adapted version of the Chronode C101 developed for Breva by Chronode’s prestigious watchmaker Jean-François Mojon. It was he who developed the dual retrograde power reserve indicator complication and how it works is perhaps best explained in his own words: “The power reserve indication from the base movement is split into two kinematic chains, each carrying a dedicated cam. Two rake feelers, one per cam, transmit the information to each hand, and two hairsprings maintain tension to ensure constant contact between the cam and feeler. This original 7-day power reserve reading is both intuitive and precise”.
While the launch of the Segreto di Lario is a new start for Breva, they want to retain the exclusivity and class of the originals. Which means it’s a limited edition of just 25 pieces at a price of CHF 58,000 excl. taxes (approx. £51,000). It was also announced as a soucription model, meaning that collectors are able to reserve the watches ahead of production in order to help alleviate some manufacturing costs.
More details at Breva.
Oracle Time
Watchmaking is about chronometry, complications, and technical craftsmanship, resulting in a wrist-worn device that tells the time of day. Or is it more about centuries-old craftsmanship and time-honoured skills? We are not disputing the pure function of a wristwatch, but enjoying wristwear is about so much more than time itself. In high-end watches, supporting micro-engineered accuracy is a flourishing hand-crafted art covered by the simplistic term, dial finishing.
This encompasses everything from metal engraving to the rich lustre of a deep enamel finish and elevates a watch. Sure, you can tell the time on the dial of a hand-enamelled Jaquet Droz wristwatch, distracted by the lifelike automaton bird flapping its wings. However, it is increasingly about the knowledge-based art involved, techniques passed down from 18th and 19th-century craftsmen who possessed infinite patience and hand control, unknown to today’s tech-dependant workers.
The ancient art of enamelling started as a century-old technique for embellishing jewellery, containers and even tableware. Vitreous or Grand Feu (big fire, natch) enamel has a delicate, deep lustre that comes from its glass-like appearance, which is literally a kind of soft glass. The raw material is often heated in a melting pot until it forms a colourless liquid and is fired in a high-temperature kiln. Various intense hues can be obtained by adding cobalt for blue, chromium for green and other variants, which will set like a glass-like plate after cooling. An alluring and more complex variant of enamelling is Cloisonné, a high end form of watch dial finishing.
This technique comes from the French term cloisons, meaning compartments, and is another technique from the world of colourful jewellery. A watch dial or even pocket watch case back is prepared by affixing silver or gold wires or thin strips to mark a motif or pattern and will remain visible in the finished piece. Enamel or inlays are placed within the marked areas, often with several colours, and then fired in a kiln. When combined with gemstones, these are applied after being cut or ground into the shape of each cloison, creating a beautiful glass-like tapestry of colour.
Winner of the 2024 GPHG prize for Time Only watches – one of the most competitive categories in the Oscars of watchmaking – Moser & Cie’s Streamliner ticks every box with its aqua blue fumé enamel. Three different coloured pigments are melded together over a textured pattern for one of the few dials I’ll ever unironically call captivating. 2 The fact that it’s on one of my favourite modern watches helps, of course.
Sunken enamelling is hard, given you need to potentially ruin the outer dial to inset another. Double sunken is therefore twice as hard, which makes this bold red and white number almost miraculous for its price point. But then, this is what Ematelier do, accessible enamel dials that put some of the larger watch houses to shame. Cool, colourful and distinctly modern, it’s a world away from the plain white grand feu you see on most classical watches – and all the better for it.
Proving that Chinese watches don’t need to be cheaply made, Celadon have taken an artistic approach to artisan crafts and watch dial finishing, doubly so with their Cloisonné interpretation of Van Gough’s famous Starry Night. Every swirl and brush stroke of enamel is framed in gold in maddeningly painstaking fashion. The movements are actually very pretty too and the semi-cushion case with an inset crown is cool, but everything is going to play second fiddle to a dial like that.
This art form originated many centuries ago in furniture design and the alluring world of wooden jewellery – and cigar boxes. Marquetry is the craft of inlaying small, thin, and often frail pieces of wood that are then sanded down together with the main surface and lacquered for protection. We rarely see marquetry in watchmaking except on the design of the actual box carrying the timepiece. One could argue that inlays of mother-of-pearl and meteorites within part of a dial are a kind of marquetry, but prime examples usually include thinner-than-paper slivers of wood or straw.
We have seen it to good effect this year, and the natural beauty of the materials lends a refined air of exclusivity to what, in essence, is an instrument of time. There is something particularly fascinating about seeing organic materials from the world around us applied to artwork, especially on such a minute scale. Marquetry also encompasses thin, fragile slices of stone like malachite. Lately, there has been a resurgence of stone dials, and the combination of natural patterns in the stone and cut shapes make artful magic.
British brand Isotope apparently has a self-imposed mandate to make metiers d’art accessible, and along with enamelling of all stripes, that includes marquetry. Hidden in the surprisingly versatile cushion case of the mercury, Isotope’s marquetry dials are things of beauty. The showpiece is the malachite-coloured series of circles, but given each dial is made to order, the possibilities are limitless. Rarely has straw looked this good.
At first something as traditional as marquetry might seem at odds with Ulysse Nardin’s particular breed of avant garde watch dial finishing and design. But it’s all in how you use it. The Blast Freewheel, with its scattered movement elements, leaves plenty of space for the striking vari-blue lines of geometric marquetry and the result is anything but traditional. In fact, that pattern isn’t even made from wood or straw, but silicon, for what might be the coolest twist on the technique in all watchmaking.
One of the most visually stunning marquetry dials at any level, let alone at Louis Erard’s signature level of accessibility, the Excellence Marqueterie is made up of a series of shaded cubes made from different gradients of wood. The result is a tessellating stunner that’s part metiers d’art, part magic eye picture. Signed by artist Bastien Chevalier, it’s something that he should be very, very proud of.
Often combined with engraving, the painstaking time it takes to learn and master this remarkable skill is part of why we see some haute horology on offer with prices equalling an average UK mortgage or two. And like many other artisanal techniques we know of, it cannot be done by a computer-programmed machine. Micro painting has been perfected for centuries, enriching pocket watches from as early as the 18th century and jewellery even earlier.
The skillset required to perform at the level required means having a rock steady hand to guide the smallest of paint brushes, often under a microscope, and for many hours. But the resulting motifs, whether figurative or abstract, bring a deeper sense of art to any watch dial or case back that makes the elevated price point entirely justified. And when combined with Cloisonné techniques and even the mechanical movements of an automaton, the result is as breath-taking as it can be lifelike in appearance.
Not all painted dials need to cost the Earth, especially when this one’s determined to leave it. IFL are an odd proposition; they don’t build watches, but they do paint dials. So, their collection consists of the quintessential accessible cool staples like the Citizen Tsuyosa and Tissot PRX, with shiny new hand-painted dials. This particular version takes the Tsuyosa and adds Steamboat Willie (not Mickey Mouse) claiming the moon for freedom. But honestly, there are almost too many different designs to choose from, all oozing charm and wallet-pleasing accessibility.
Take a sea view with you wherever you go courtesy of Chinese brand Halcyon. You shouldn’t be surprised to hear that last part when it comes to hand-painting, given that Halycon is based in Jingdezhen, home to China’s tradition of porcelain painting. The watch dial finishing – which is of course also porcelain – is a masterclass in the craft, with a subtle palette of blue and white depicting a misty day at the cliffs, spray in the air. It’s beautiful, a motif inspired by traditional Chinese fabrics, and should make the Swiss maisons a touch worried, especially when attached to a rather nice, slim bezelled dress watch.
It’s genuinely hard to upstage an automaton, especially when said stage is hosting a miniaturised set from the Rolling Stones. But the backdrop to Jaquet Droz’s tribute act does it with aplomb. A painstakingly hand-painted recreation of the Some Girls cover art, it turns a pop art icon of rock into one of the most eye-catching dials ever put onto a watch. It’s a unique piece for a very, very good reason.
Nothing brings a stronger sense of craftsmanship to a watch movement or even the case itself than the time-honoured detail of engraving. It can be deep-cut or whisper shallow in its execution, and sometimes lacquer-filled like the personalised body of a Purdey shotgun, and most often unique. Brands offering engraved details as part of their movement decoration can often trace a single engraved piece back to its craftsman. More often than not, the strokes and cuts are intensely personal and usually recognisable, like an artist’s signature, and the smallest of imperfections will only make it more evocative, easily setting it apart from machine-made or stamped equivalents.
Engraving can sometimes be seen on watch cases, with flamboyant results bringing life to miniature creatures or even cityscapes. Within watch movements, larger flat areas like three-quarter plates or bridges sometimes compete with the sharpest bevelling for attention. For traditional brands, the curved balance cock is a favourite playground for the cutting tools of the best engravers in the trade, a tradition we can trace back to British watchmaking in the 19th century.
Not all engraving needs to be overly ornate; the heavy metal tantalum dial on Sartory Billard’s latest has an incredibly delicate, feather-like engraving too it, far too soft and organic for machine turning a la guilloché. Paired with an otherwise sharply faceted dial – especially those indexes – it adds texture more than it does some kind of artistic image, a general use case for the watch dial finishing. We’ll get onto the other end of the scale later. The result is a seriously cool yet accessible metiers d’art timepiece.
There’s a good reason Grand Seiko’s white Birch is close to unseating their Snowflake as their flagship dial; the hand-engraved nuances of the bark-like texture embody their naturalistic approach to watchmaking. It’s evocative, detailed and downright gorgeous. Paired here with the precision of a Grand Seiko sports watch, it’s the Rolex of Japanese watchmaking doing what they do best.
The Les Cabinotiers Récits de Voyages offers a grand tour across the world from Switzerland to far east Asia. Each stop on the tour is depicted with glorious multi-level engraving in precious metals. They showcase Vacheron Constantin’s historic Geneva offices, Angkor Thom, the Old Summer Palace in Beijing and the Entrance Gate to Confucius Temple and Imperial College Museum, also in Beijing – each rendered in stunning detail.
Guilloché is one of the oldest ways of decorating a dial, and in some cases, bridgework, dating back to the 1770s. It’s believed to be named after the French engineer Guillot, who invented a tool for a mechanical lathe. Today it is seen as evocative metal-cutting artistry, while one of its more prosaic uses was to increase grip on smooth pocket watch cases, similar to knurling on a crown or control knob. Guilloché can be formed through stamping metal dial blanks, but nothing beats the skills involved in hand-cutting guilloché on a lathe. The decoration produced by a rose engine lathe creates flower patterns and symmetrical, multi-lobed geometrical patterns.
Its poetic name comes from tools used to create the patterns, rosettes, which are interchangeable discs with milled edges. They produce wave-shaped patterns we know from traditional watchmaking, such as barleycorns, basket weaves, moires, drapes, and many others. A straight-line guilloché is also made on a different lathe configuration, which offers a more formal design through straight cuts. Typical examples are miniature pyramid shapes, light-catching hobnail and piquè patterns, and even straight, cut lines on the metal dial surface. A staple of watch dial finishing.
Chinese maker Atelier Wen took the watch world by storm with their beautiful Perception back in 2022 and made good on that promise with this stunning purple version last year. The mix of purple and titanium is rich, regal and with that écaille de poisson (fish scale) pattern makes for a serious statement watch. While this edition is understandably sold out, the standard Perception is still a looker, and there will likely be more to come. You’ll just need to keep your wallet handy.
The colourful chiming of the Bel Canto already disrupted the watch industry with its unique twist on the jump hour, but last year Christopher Ward hammered home its classical credentials with this aptly-named guilloché version. The quartet of colours make ample use of the technique, albeit using laser etching rather than traditional engine-turning machines. The result is a regular, precise and immediately arresting fish scale-like pattern. It’s not going to push down the intense demand for the Bel Canto any time soon.
We can’t talk about guilloché without touching on the fact that last year, Rolex launched their first ever engine-turned dial. It’s a stunner, even if it doesn’t feel very ‘Rolex’, so I’m hoping for another addition or two this year. As it stands, the ice blue rice grain motif of the platinum-cased Perpetual 1908 is a stunner and a potential new, albeit much more classical flavour of Rolex watchmaking.
As with many types of artisanal watch dial finishings, tremblage can be found machine-made, but its uniform hammered texture is wildly alluring in its handmade state, bearing the emotional traces of its maker. This engraving technique is incredibly time-consuming and based on the craftsman wielding a sharp tool called a burin over the metal surface, making tiny indentations that will eventually cover and decorate a large metal part, even a complete dial. As with all forms of hand-crafted finishes, it creates an organic pattern that captures the light on a dial, and the unevenness captured in a loupe of what from a distance appears to be a uniform-grained texture is all part of the allure of collecting.
Easier to explain that say, Lange’s Handwerkskunst line is all about the hand crafts and metiers d’art. Each one is different and each is intensely exceptional. Their 25th anniversary piece takes their beloved Datograph and covers the entire dial and subdials in tremblage. It’s more subtle than their fully engraved number from last year, but in my mind more appealing for it. It’s pure German refinement – otherwise known as pure Lange.
Simply named after the engraving technique found across its dial, the Moritz Grossman Tremblage is a classic example of the design. It’s technically the brand’s anniversary model from 2021 and the dial is made from German silver, another nod to the brand’s heritage as they are from Glashütte, the watchmaking capital of Germany. The numerals and logos are not applied as they may seem, instead the rest of the dial is cut away leaving them in relief before the tremblage is applied.
While H. Moser don’t use the term tremblage in their description of the Endeavour Centre Seconds Concept Lime Green that is what the watch dial finishing is. Hammered metal with a delicate grainy texture. The difference here is that H. Moser have gone a step further and added a layer of enamel on top of the tremblage, which is not only insanely difficult to achieve but also looks fantastic. Considering that enamel is prone to fracture and crack at the best of times, the undulating surface of tremblage is not conducive to an easy manufacturing process.
Oracle Time
British Watchmakers’ Day 2025 has quickly become a highlight in my watch calendar. Launched last year, it proved the growing thirst for British horology and the value of a live, London-based event.
This year, Oracle Time had a media partner stand, promoting our own upcoming event, our expanded membership, and our latest collaboration watches. Manning the stand and handing out publications, I spoke with collectors from all over at this second gathering. I also found time to connect with brands, fellow journalists, and content creators—conversations that offered insights only possible through face-to-face interaction
With a strong turnout of 50 brands, it’s clear that creativity in British watchmaking is reaching a crescendo. Whether it’s Studio Underd0g’s clever marketing campaign (put together by Andrew Morgan Watches), Beaucroft’s collaboration with artist Penfold, or Mr Jones’ artistic partnership with illustrator Mister Phil, independent brands are pushing boundaries and fulfilling the appetite of passionate collectors.
This creativity was on full display in the event-exclusive special editions. Schofield’s artistic enamel casebacks, designed by Benjamin Guffee, and Christopher Ward’s C1 Moonphase Mission to Maidenhead, which humorously planted a British flag on the lunar surface, showcased the willingness of British watchmakers to experiment with bold concepts.
Tickets were like gold dust—across multiple watch-collecting WhatsApp groups, people were scrambling for last-minute access. This proves that live watch shows remain in high demand. The ability to meet the makers, hear the stories and experience watches firsthand is what makes these events special.
One brand that embraced the live theme more than most was Bōken, unveiling its Breacher collection with a live dial painting by The Dial Artist—an experience that truly had to be seen to be appreciated. We’re looking to build on this momentum with Hands On Horology, our own event launching on June 14th in London.
Time+Tide showcasing their donut watch cases a BWD, image credit: Time+Tide
From Time+Tide selling donut-shaped watch cases in their signature dynamic style to Bark & Jack’s expansion into coffee and high-quality merch, content creators are leveraging their influence to build legitimate businesses. Their ability to blend storytelling with commerce is shaping new business models within the industry.
These creators are also becoming miniature celebrities in their own right, with people queuing for Andrew Morgan Watches badges or a selfie with Andrew McUtchen, the man behind Time+Tide.
Morgan Stanley’s latest Watch Industry report highlights declining sales for major ‘mid-tier luxury’ brands (excluding the top five), partly due to economic conditions but also a shift in consumer preferences. Enthusiasts are moving towards niche, independent designs that offer exclusivity, affordability, and increasingly competitive quality. With improved after-sales care and a personal touch, small brands are starting to rival mid-tier luxury watchmakers.
I was fortunate enough to purchase a Fears x Studio Underd0g Gimlet at the show and was pleasantly surprised to find that this purchase granted me a lifetime membership to the Fears Club, despite it being half another brand. Examples like this are driving the shift towards more independent brands.
There’s a reason Instagram’s collaboration post option is so popular. Creativity in watchmaking is increasingly being driven by partnerships. Whether it’s the paradigm-shifting Studio Underd0g working with the classical Fears, or the numerous brands working with artists and illustrators, if you’re not collaborating you’re missing out on access to whole new audiences. On top of this, collectors are collaborating also.
I met at least a dozen people showcasing their very own limited-edition or bespoke projects on their wrist at the fair, enticing fellow collectors with real life prototypes. This trend has been growing over the past few years, particularly among the watch communities on WhatsApp and Telegram and I think it’s here to stay.
More details at British Watch and Clock Makers.
Oracle Time
G-Shock Sessions (g-shock.co.uk/sessions), sponsor of live music events in the U.K., is hosting a mysterious event on March 20, 2025, featuring a special guest at a secret location in London. Tickets are available by contest (for those age 18+) by registering at g-shock.co.uk/secretlinkup, and the location will be revealed to winning entrants. Winners will be […]
G-Central G-Shock Watch Fan Blog