Independent watch news and in-depth reviews covering new releases, heritage models, and modern tool watches—reported with context, history, and perspective.
Independent watch news and in-depth reviews
The Fears Brunswick 39 Perpetual Calendar and the price of moving upmarket
By Brent Robillard Fears’ first solo high complication is beautiful, compact, and exceptionally expensive. Its most interesting feature may be the debate it opens about how collectors value independent watchmaking. How much is independence worth? Fears made my job difficult with the Brunswick 39 Perpetual Calendar. I went into my Geneva appointment ready to scrutinize… Continue reading The Fears Brunswick 39 Perpetual Calendar and the price of moving upmarket
Benrus Sky Chief: A 36mm Chronograph Reborn
By Brent Robillard Pilot’s chronograph Benrus, originally founded in New York City in 1921 by three Romanian brothers—Oscar, Benjamin, and Ralph Lazrus—was a pioneer in many domains. It was not only the first watch brand to make a woman CEO (Alice Christian who managed the brand from Switzerland for nearly three decades) but also one… Continue reading Benrus Sky Chief: A 36mm Chronograph Reborn
Hands on with the Micromilspec Fieldmaster: A Modern Field Watch Shaped by Military Feedback
By Brent Robillard Thirty serving personnel spent three years testing the watches that led to the Fieldmaster. In Geneva, I finally had the opportunity to see what their feedback produced. Back from the field The last time I wrote about the Micromilspec Milgraph, I joked that Theo de Turckheim and I would always have Geneva… Continue reading Hands on with the Micromilspec Fieldmaster: A Modern Field Watch Shaped by Military Feedback
Hands on with the Voxel Meridion VX01-E: A Dial That Changes with the Day
By Brent Robillard Voxel’s first watch switches its hour display from 12 to 24 at 1 p.m., then changes back at 1 a.m.—a practical complication inside a distinctly angular debut A difficult first act New watch brands usually make life easier by beginning with a familiar movement and a familiar display. Voxel has chosen a… Continue reading Hands on with the Voxel Meridion VX01-E: A Dial That Changes with the Day
Erebus Origin 40 Gen 2 Hands-On Review
Article by Marc Levesque; photography by Bob Allaby More Than the Sum of Its Parts When Erebus first launched, you could tell that the people behind the brand had handled countless watches and knew exactly what they wanted to bring to the table. The term “spec monster” immediately came to mind. The original Origin was… Continue reading Erebus Origin 40 Gen 2 Hands-On Review
Best GMT Watches Under $1,000: 13 Watches We Actually Recommend
by Brent Robillard Have watch, will travel The GMT watch has always carried a bit of romance. Even before most of us had a legitimate reason to monitor another time zone, that fourth hand suggested departures, arrivals, unfamiliar cities, and the possibility of being somewhere other than home. For many years, however, buying a mechanical… Continue reading Best GMT Watches Under $1,000: 13 Watches We Actually Recommend
Sero Watch Company Golden Signature: A Review I Didn’t Plan on Writing
By Stephen Nichols Break out the macro lens When I photograph most watches, I go into macro mode because I like it. Some watches demand macro and actually earn it. This Sero Watch Company was one of those. The kind that should ship with a loupe so you can properly admire the engraved Breguet numerals,… Continue reading Sero Watch Company Golden Signature: A Review I Didn’t Plan on Writing
Tertia Odyssey: A Dive Watch Done Right
by Russ Michaud Out of the blue Tertia Watches kind of hit the social media scene out of the blue. No history, no brand prestige, and no appearance at the watch meets and conventions. It didn’t appear to be anything special that other dive watches don’t, but as I soon found out, that’s what really… Continue reading Tertia Odyssey: A Dive Watch Done Right
MAD-Haus: The Mad Watch Collector x Hanhart
By Wesley Wright MAD Preventor HD12 If you have been anywhere on watch YouTube over the past few years, you will undoubtedly know The MAD Watch Collector. Known for his light-hearted, honest reviews and bold personality, his videos have been viewed millions of times for opinions and humorous views on these little machines we all… Continue reading MAD-Haus: The Mad Watch Collector x Hanhart
anOrdain Model 1 Porcelain
By Brent Robillard With a handmade porcelain dial, custom typography and beautifully judged proportions, the anOrdain Model 1 Porcelain encourages a different kind of watch collecting Tea cups. That is what I think of when someone says “porcelain.” Ming Dynasty vases, blue-painted dinnerware and the Chinoiserie that found its way into European homes during the…
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Longines returns to its roots with the Master Collection Chrono Monopusher
By Brent Robillard Hands-on with the two new Longines Master Collection Chrono Monopusher models in frosted blue and ivory There are certain complications that feel inseparable from the brands that helped develop them. Mention the flyback chronograph and Longines should be part of the conversation. The company was producing monopusher wrist chronographs as early as…
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Hands-On: The New OMEGA Speedmaster 38mm Reconsiders the “Reduced” Formula
By Brent Robillard Seven new references bring the compact automatic Speedmaster closer to the Moonwatch There are seven new OMEGA Speedmaster 38mm references being released today. Before the launch, only two travelling carnet models made their way into Canada. One of them—the new silvery opaline dial in steel and 18K Moonshine™ Gold—spent the past week… Continue reading Hands-On: The New OMEGA Speedmaster 38mm Reconsiders the “Reduced” Formula
Best Microbrand Field Watches Under $1,000: 13 Watches We Would Actually Recommend
by Brent Robillard In praise of independents For much of their history, field watches were modest instruments. They were compact, legible, durable, and inexpensive enough to be issued as equipment. Decoration was secondary. Complications were generally unnecessary. The watch had one job, and it needed to perform that job reliably. That basic formula remains intact,…
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Hands-On with the Elliot Brown Arne California “The Woodie”
By Brent Robillard California dreaming The moment I saw the press release for Elliot Brown’s new California Arne Collection, I emailed my contact at the brand: “Wow, that Woodie model is really something.” Fast-forward a few weeks and there it was at my door: a 38mm field watch with a genuine wood dial, warm gold-PVD… Continue reading Hands-On with the Elliot Brown Arne California “The Woodie”
Longines HydroConquest vs Omega Seamaster Diver 300M: Is the Omega Worth the Extra Money?
By Brent Robillard What do you want from a watch? There is an obvious answer to the question posed in the title. The Omega Seamaster Diver 300M costs considerably more than the Longines HydroConquest because it occupies a different place in the Swatch Group hierarchy. It has a more sophisticated movement, METAS certification, stronger anti-magnetic… Continue reading Longines HydroConquest vs Omega Seamaster Diver 300M: Is the Omega Worth the Extra Money?
Exploring space time with Canuck Timepieces and The 4th Dimension
By Wesley Wright Euclidean geometry I started following Canuck Timepieces a few months ago after the Vancouver Timepiece Show while scrolling my feed and seeing a few posts about the Wormhole piece they had released. I thought it was a very interesting way to tell time through a theme of space and adventure. Little did… Continue reading Exploring space time with Canuck Timepieces and The 4th Dimension
Best Dive Watches Under $5,000: 12 We Actually Recommend
by Brent Robillard Summer is winding down You can feel it in the chill of the evening air, in the morning mist hanging over the lake, and in that first moment when getting out of the water requires a little more courage than it did a few weeks ago. As does getting in… There is… Continue reading Best Dive Watches Under $5,000: 12 We Actually Recommend
The Toronto Timepiece Show Returns for Its Third Edition With a New Focus on Artisanal Horology
By Brent Robillard Good times The third annual Toronto Timepiece Show returns to the Meridian Arts Centre from September 25–27, 2026, with Friday reserved for media, creators, and VIP guests before the doors open to the public on Saturday and Sunday. Weekend passes are now available through Ticketmaster. Buy Toronto Timepiece Show Tickets In its… Continue reading The Toronto Timepiece Show Returns for Its Third Edition With a New Focus on Artisanal Horology
Hands-On with the Rado Captain Cook x European Cricket
By Brent Robillard An interesting collaboration Let me just begin with this: Cricket is a mystery to me. I am only somewhat comforted by the fact that I am not alone. It is widely considered to be one of the world’s most complex sports. But it is also one of the world’s most watched and… Continue reading Hands-On with the Rado Captain Cook x European Cricket
Omega Seamaster Diver 300M vs Planet Ocean: Two Very Different Visions of the Modern Dive Watch
By Brent Robillard Looking Back, Looking Forward Over the last couple of years, Omega has revisited two of the most important dive watches in its catalogue. What is interesting is how differently it approached them. The Seamaster Diver 300M received its latest update in 2024. Calling it a redesign would be stretching things. The familiar… Continue reading Omega Seamaster Diver 300M vs Planet Ocean: Two Very Different Visions of the Modern Dive Watch
Longines Dive Watches Compared: HydroConquest vs Legend Diver vs Ultra-Chron
By Brent Robillard Which Longines dive watch is right for you? Longines makes a lot of watches. Spend enough time with the brand’s catalogue and you can wander from aviation to horse racing, dress watches to chronographs, GMTs to high-frequency movements. But my own fascination with Longines started underwater. The HydroConquest, Legend Diver, and Ultra-Chron… Continue reading Longines Dive Watches Compared: HydroConquest vs Legend Diver vs Ultra-Chron
Longines HydroConquest GMT vs Spirit Zulu Time: Which Longines GMT Is Right for You?
by Brent Robillard Two Longines GMTs, two very different personalities Shortly after the Longines HydroConquest GMT arrived in 2023, I started receiving messages asking me a deceptively simple question: Which would I buy—the Longines Spirit Zulu Time or the HydroConquest GMT? I understood why people were asking. Here were two jumping-hour GMTs from the same… Continue reading Longines HydroConquest GMT vs Spirit Zulu Time: Which Longines GMT Is Right for You?
The Best Dive Watches Under $1,000: 24 Watches We Actually Recommend
by Brent Robillard In search of value There was a time when $1,000 USD represented a fairly substantial budget for a dive watch. Then prices began creeping upward. Mechanical movements became more expensive. Sapphire crystals and ceramic bezels became selling points. Watches that once occupied the enthusiast-friendly middle of the market started drifting into four… Continue reading The Best Dive Watches Under $1,000: 24 Watches We Actually Recommend
Citizen Fujitsubo vs Seiko SPB147: Two Japanese Dive Watch Icons Compared
by Brent Robillard The same, but different? Like most watch enthusiasts, I am always chasing after the next best thing. But what if the next best thing has been out there under your nose for years already? Spend enough time looking at dive watches in the $1,000 range and sooner or later you are going… Continue reading Citizen Fujitsubo vs Seiko SPB147: Two Japanese Dive Watch Icons Compared
Longines Spirit Zulu Time vs Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT: Which GMT is Right for You?
by Brent Robillard Zulu Time or BB 58 GMT? There is a point in almost every watch purchase when the shortlist gets very short. For anyone shopping for a Swiss GMT somewhere between entry-level luxury and the considerably more expensive offerings from brands like Rolex and Omega, two watches have become particularly difficult to ignore:… Continue reading Longines Spirit Zulu Time vs Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT: Which GMT is Right for You?
Bravo Watch-Palette Pool Party
by Brent Robillard Watch storage gets a splash of colour There is an irony to watch collecting that becomes increasingly obvious as a collection grows: eventually, you need somewhere to put all these things. Watch storage tends to fall into a couple of familiar camps. At one end are inexpensive boxes that do the job… Continue reading Bravo Watch-Palette Pool Party
This Week in Time (August 1st-6th)
Welcome back to This Week in Time. Your time matters to us, and we’re committed to keeping this space sharp, thoughtful, and easy to read. Below, you’ll find a quick, curated summary of everything we’ve published this week—your ready-made guide to the conversations, releases, and reviews shaping the watch world right now… and a little more.… Continue reading This Week in Time (August 1st-6th)
Hands-on with the YEMA Superman Bronze CMM1.0
by Brent Robillard The power of patina Every time I receive a bronze watch in for review—particularly a dive watch—I am reminded just how satisfying the material can be. Unlike stainless steel or titanium, it refuses to remain unchanged. It records the passing of time, slowly developing a patina that reflects the places it has… Continue reading Hands-on with the YEMA Superman Bronze CMM1.0
Beyond the Object: How Stories, Time and Craft Shape Desire
by Silvia Bonfanti Some objects enter our lives because of what they are. Others remain because of everything they gradually come to represent. After years spent writing about watches, design, and the objects that accompany our lives, one aspect has always fascinated me: the objects we remember most are rarely defined only by their technical… Continue reading Beyond the Object: How Stories, Time and Craft Shape Desire
Christopher Nolan’s Vision of Time: From Homer’s Odyssey to Hamilton’s New Myth-Inspired Timepiece
by Silvia Bonfanti A journey through cinema, mythology and watchmaking exploring time not only as a measurement, but as memory, anticipation and transformation. Among the recurring themes in Christopher Nolan’s filmography, time occupies a central role. It is not simply the dimension in which his stories unfold, but a narrative element through which the director… Continue reading Christopher Nolan’s Vision of Time: From Homer’s Odyssey to Hamilton’s New Myth-Inspired Timepiece