BuyingTime Daily - January 12, 2026
Weekend watch news sets the tone for 2026: Bell & Ross goes rally racing, Seiko celebrates 145 years, and a Ulysse Nardin tourbillon tests auction reality.
Time Graphing today’s watch universe
The watch world came out of the weekend with plenty to talk about, and we open the week with a mix of hard news, thoughtful features, and a steady drumbeat of new releases that sets the tone for 2026. One of the more visible developments over the weekend was Bell & Ross formalizing its role as official timing partner of the Defender Rally World Rally-Raid Championship for the upcoming season. It is a partnership that feels very on-brand, pairing the BR-X3 Black Titanium with one of motorsport’s most punishing environments and reinforcing the company’s long-running association with purpose-built, instrument-style watches tested outside the showroom.
Not all of the weekend’s headlines were celebratory. News out of Singapore about a boutique employee running a nearly $500,000 waitlist scam involving promised access to Rolex and Patek Philippe watches rippled quickly through collector circles. Even in a market that prides itself on trust and relationships, the episode served as a timely reminder that scarcity plus urgency is still the most effective trap in the secondary market. Meanwhile, at the corporate level, Richemont quietly reshuffled U.S. leadership at Panerai, IWC, and Piaget, a move that preserves institutional knowledge inside the group but risks short-term friction with retailers accustomed to long-standing personal relationships. In the independent space, Biver used the weekend to announce Ace Jewelers as a new European retail partner, signaling a slow, deliberate expansion strategy built around like-minded retailers rather than broad distribution.
Product news and reviews filled much of the weekend reading list. New releases ranged from Ball expanding its Roadmaster Marine GMT line with meteorite dials and travel-forward functionality, to the highly limited Kortela Valta Toka, a deeply artisanal Finnish project built around a restored vintage Omega movement. Seiko dominated the mid-market conversation, previewing the Presage Classic SPB537 ahead of its February launch while also unveiling four limited editions to kick off its 145th anniversary year across King Seiko, Prospex, Presage, and Astron. Synchron added a compelling value-driven diver to the mix with the Sealab Ti300M, blending titanium construction, serious water resistance, and an accessible price point that feels well judged for the current market.
Reviews over the weekend spanned nearly every tier of watchmaking. Hands-on coverage of the A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Date in pink gold revisited one of modern horology’s most confident mechanical statements, while independents like Awake and heritage revivals like L. Leroy illustrated just how wide the creative spectrum has become. Tool-watch credibility remained front and center with practical testing of Doxa’s Sub 250T GMT, and comparison pieces pitted titanium divers from Baltic and Certina against each other in a reminder that strong choices now exist well below traditional luxury price thresholds. Guides and essays tied it all together, from mountaineering watches and polar-white winter picks to broader reflections on why mid-size cases are back in favor and how collectors might think more carefully about price, value, and originality heading into the year.
The weekend also brought renewed focus to the auction market. The featured watch heading into Monday is the 2020 Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon in white ceramic, a modern, architectural piece whose secondary-market pricing continues to sit well below its original MSRP. With a full set, strong condition, and a current bid that remains firmly sub-retail, the auction encapsulates a broader theme emerging in early 2026: opportunity increasingly lives where design ambition and market realism intersect, rather than in headline-driven hype.
Taken together, the news flowing out of the weekend feels like a reset rather than a rush. There is momentum, but also more context, more caution, and more curiosity about what actually endures. As the new week begins, the watch world looks busy, reflective, and quietly confident—an encouraging way to start January.
–Michael Wolf
News Time
Bell & Ross Becomes Official Timing Partner of Defender Rally World Rally-Raid Championship 2026
Bell & Ross has partnered with Defender Rally as the official timing partner for the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2026, aligning its brand with the Defender D7X-R team in one of motorsport’s most demanding environments. The collaboration spotlights the BR-X3 Black Titanium, a watch engineered to withstand extreme rally-raid conditions while delivering precise timing. Built from grade 2 titanium and powered by a COSC-certified movement, the BR-X3 reflects the shared values of toughness, exploration, and reliability between Bell & Ross and W2RC. This partnership further embeds Bell & Ross within the high-performance world, offering real-world validation of the watch’s technical and aesthetic design for collectors and enthusiasts.
Singapore watch boutique employee’s waitlist scam cheats victims of almost $500,000
In Singapore, watch shop employee Soh Jian Kun has admitted to defrauding 14 victims of nearly $500,000 through a fake staff purchase scheme that promised access to rare luxury watches. He fabricated an illusion of insider access to brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe using forged documents, fake receipts, and phony chat screenshots. Rather than securing any watches, Soh used the funds to pay off personal debts, turning the scheme into a Ponzi-style operation that eventually collapsed. The case has unsettled the watch community, serving as a reminder—even in a low-crime environment—to stay vigilant when presented with “too good to be true” opportunities in the secondary market.
Richemont rotates USA watchmaker brand presidents
Richemont is reshuffling its leadership in the United States, rotating brand presidents for Panerai, IWC, and Piaget as part of its broader management strategy. While this rotation can offer career development and centralized control for the group, it risks disrupting long-standing relationships between retailers and brand executives, and may dilute accumulated expertise in local markets. Philippe Bonay, who led Panerai’s U.S. operations for 14 years, departed at the end of 2025 and has yet to be replaced. In the reshuffle, Charles Dubos steps into the top role for IWC in the U.S., while outgoing IWC leader Stanislas Rambaud moves within Richemont to head Piaget’s American operations, preserving his experience inside the group.
Biver expands retail partner network with Ace Jewelers securing the fledgling indie
Biver has strengthened its presence in Europe by appointing Ace Jewelers as an Authorized Retail Partner, making the Amsterdam-based retailer only the third partner on the continent alongside Bucherer and À l’Émeraude. Ace Jewelers, known for championing independent high-end brands, plans to thoughtfully integrate Biver’s artisanal timepieces into its existing portfolio. The collaboration is built on shared values of family ownership, transparency, and long-term vision, with both parties positioning the partnership as a foundation for sustainable growth. Ace’s owner, Alon Ben Joseph, believes demand for carefully crafted independent watchmaking is a lasting movement rather than a passing fad, and intends to serve a global clientele while respecting Biver’s existing ambassador network and collector base.
Feature Time
Unconventional Ways Watches Can Relay Time Without Traditional Hands
Watches originally depended on bell towers and rudimentary mechanical clocks, which were often wildly inaccurate, but advancements like the pendulum and minute hands gradually refined timekeeping. Even so, watchmakers have long experimented with alternatives to standard hour and minute hands, from 19th-century jumping hour displays by Josef Pallweber to wandering hour and digital-style readouts. Modern brands such as A. Lange & Söhne and URWERK push these concepts to extremes with intricate mechanisms, while independents like Mr. Jones focus on playful, art-driven designs. Across price points, these unconventional displays prove that telling time can be both technically inventive and visually expressive.
Weekend Reads: Five Essential WCL Editorials to Start Your 2026 Watch Collecting Journey
This piece curates five in-depth editorials meant to set the tone for a thoughtful collecting year in 2026. The selected articles explore themes like why titanium matters in serious watchmaking, how brand trade-show strategies are evolving, and why independent watchmakers deserve closer attention. Together they connect material choices, market structure, and collector psychology, encouraging readers to align their motivations with smarter tactical decisions. By revisiting prior-year debates and tracking which ideas actually stuck, these essays help collectors separate genuine horological progress from mere hype.
Read More >
Fratello’s Top 5 Watch Brands To Keep An Eye On In 2026
This feature spotlights five brands poised to shape the 2026 watch conversation, each for different reasons. Breguet, fresh off its 250th anniversary, is expected to build on recent Marine and high-complication releases, while Tudor’s centenary raises expectations after a relatively restrained 2025. Parmigiani Fleurier and Gérald Genta are framed as creativity engines, combining strong design languages with technical ambition that can shift enthusiast tastes. Rolex, with major anniversaries for lines like the Day-Date and Milgauss, looms in the background as the brand most likely to send shockwaves through the market with a single surprise launch.
The Servicing of a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968A
Servicing the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968A is a painstaking, multi-week operation reserved for highly trained watchmakers. The movement is completely disassembled so every chronograph component can be cleaned, lubricated, and inspected, with special tools used to avoid even microscopic damage. After reassembly, the watch undergoes extensive quality control, including tests for accuracy, winding efficiency, and water resistance that can span more than a week. Patek’s eight-to-ten-year service interval is designed to preserve long-term reliability, effectively returning the watch to near-new performance with each overhaul.
A History and Guide to Tissot
Tissot’s story begins in 1853 in Le Locle, where father-and-son founders initially assembled watches from local parts before evolving into a true movement manufacturer by 1918. The brand weathered crises like the 1929 crash and World War II through strategic partnerships, notably with Omega, which laid groundwork for the modern Swatch Group era. Postwar, Tissot became known for mixing mainstream appeal with technical experimentation, including forays into plastic cases and accessible sports watches. Today, with hits like the revived PRX line, Tissot sits comfortably in the middle of the market, offering Swiss-made designs that balance heritage, value, and contemporary style.
Recommended Reading: Two Tactile Page Turners On Rolex, Plus A Deep Dive On Heuer Chronographs
This article recommends three reference books that dig into Rolex and Heuer history at different levels of depth. “The Rolex Legacy” takes a curated, object-focused approach, tracing the brand’s evolution through 120 rare pieces, many of them off the usual beaten path. “The Watch Book Rolex Next Generation” offers a broader, updated survey of the brand’s milestones, product families, and cultural footprint. Complementing those, “Heuer Chronographs” zeroes in on the racing-infused 1960s–1980s era, cataloging each chronograph series with rich imagery and historical context for motorsport fans.
Across the Universe: Explaining the Allure of Meteorite Dials
Meteorite dials draw their appeal from both aesthetics and origin, pairing striking Widmanstätten patterns with the romance of material that began life as planetary or asteroid fragments. Recent advances in cutting and finishing techniques have made these dials more stable and more available, moving them from ultra-rare curiosities into broader segments of the luxury market. Their non-repeating crystalline structures cannot be faked convincingly, which gives collectors confidence in authenticity and a sense that each dial is genuinely one-of-a-kind. At a symbolic level, wearing a meteorite dial is framed as carrying a small piece of the cosmos on the wrist—a blend of luxury, narrative, and perceived luck.
The 7 Best Watches of the Week, From Chris Pratt’s Hublot to the Rock’s IWC
This roundup tracks seven notable celebrity wristwatches spotted on red carpets and at film events over the past week. Dwayne Johnson’s IWC Portugieser, with its perpetual calendar, and Jacob Elordi’s Cartier Tank LC with a green lacquer dial underscore the continuing appeal of dressy, smaller pieces on larger wrists. Chris Pratt’s Hublot Big Bang Unico Titanium and Stephen Graham’s Rolex Daytona bring a sportier, high-impact energy, showcasing skeletonized dials and in-house calibers. Together, these choices illustrate how stars mix heritage-heavy icons with bold, modern statements, reinforcing trends toward classic proportions paired with distinct materials and complications.
Founded Out Of Passion, ZLTD Wathes Offers Something Different
ZLTD Watches grew out of co-founder Z.L. Toh’s self-taught watchmaking experiments, which began with online tutorials and resulted in the first Series 1 watch. The brand’s partnership with Raf Dzwonek brought additional technical expertise and a strong emphasis on traditional finishing, including black polishing and heat-blued components that give their designs a handcrafted feel. Series 2 introduces an in-house movement with a 20-degree inclined balance wheel and a semi-skeletonized architecture, paired with either anodized titanium or hand-guilloché dials. ZLTD positions itself as a small-scale, iterative independent, committed to limited production, continuous refinement, and close engagement with the enthusiast community.
Editorial Time
Essays: My 2025 In Watches, A Whirlwind Year Without a Pause
This essay looks back on 2025 as an exhausting yet defining year in watches, both for the industry and for the author’s own growth as a full-time writer. It recounts how maximalist, ultra-complicated releases from maisons like Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet shared the stage with price hikes and an overwhelming flood of product launches, creating more “noise” than narrative. Amid that chaos, factory visits, bench time, and encounters with humbler pieces like the Swatch Sistem51 served as grounding counterpoints to haute horlogerie. The piece ultimately argues for more focused storytelling and a more inclusive, less snobbish watch culture going into the new year.
Watch Anniversaries 2026: Key Watches and Brand Milestones
This editorial surveys the major brand and model anniversaries that will shape watch conversations in 2026. It highlights Gallet’s 200th anniversary within Breitling’s new “House of Brands,” Tudor’s centenary and evolving identity beyond a Rolex understudy, and milestone birthdays for icons like the Rolex Oyster, Day-Date, Milgauss, Patek Philippe Nautilus, and IWC Ingenieur SL. The piece also notes important dates for Ulysse Nardin, Montblanc, Parmigiani Fleurier, Chopard Manufacture, and complications such as Patek’s Annual Calendar, forecasting a crowded field of commemorative editions. Together, these milestones frame 2026 as a year when heritage, marketing, and genuine innovation will collide in limited editions and reimagined classics.
The Latest Time
Ball
Ball Roadmaster Marine GMT
Ball expands its Roadmaster Marine GMT collection with new meteorite-dial models in 40mm and 42mm titanium cases, priced from about $3,999 and up (with the SGD 5,600 configuration working out to roughly $4,350). These watches pair lightweight titanium with ceramic bezels and tritium gas tubes for exceptional low-light legibility. The BALL RR1203-C movement is COSC-certified and, together with the patented quick-set GMT pushers, lets the wearer easily track three time zones. With 300 meters of water resistance and a robust tool-watch build, the Marine GMT is aimed squarely at travelers and adventurers who want both durability and visual drama from a genuine Gibeon meteorite dial.
Kortela Valta
The Toka, Finnish Indie Watchmaking Duo Kortela Valta’s Next Chapter
The Toka is a highly limited piece from Finnish independents Roope Kortela and Rene Valta, combining a Grand Feu enamel dial with a vintage Omega Calibre 266 movement. Compared with their earlier Eka, the Toka adds more hand-finished components, an in-house free-sprung balance wheel, and a sculptural German silver balance bridge. Only 12 pieces will be made, each priced at €25,500 (about $29,600) before VAT, in a 38.5mm stainless steel case with black or blue champlevé enamel dial options. The result is a classically sized, deeply artisanal watch that emphasizes traditional craft and mechanical architecture over mass production.
Seiko
Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB537
The Seiko Presage Classic Series SPB537 is a new tonneau-shaped Presage launching in February 2026 at $1,600. It features a polished stainless steel 35.9mm case, the automatic 6R5H movement with a 72-hour power reserve, and a white enamel dial with Roman numerals, railroad minutes, and blued feuille hands, plus a 24-hour sub-dial for a vintage feel. A curved sapphire crystal, 50 meters of water resistance, and a five-link stainless steel bracelet with push-button clasp round out the package, while Seiko’s super-hard coating boosts scratch resistance. Some dial details may divide opinion, but overall the SPB537 is pitched as a refined, versatile dress watch with modern specs.
Seiko Kicks off their 145th Anniversary Year with Four Limited Editions - Read More >
Synchron
The Synchron Sealab Ti300M
The Synchron Sealab Ti300M is a 300-meter dive watch in a brushed Grade 5 titanium case, measuring 41mm and notably thinner than previous Synchron divers. It pairs a flat, AR-coated sapphire crystal and a 120-click unidirectional bezel with a vivid orange dial, applied markers, and X1 Super-LumiNova for strong legibility, plus a clean black-on-white date. Inside is the La Joux-Perret G100 movement with a 60-hour power reserve, and the watch is offered as a $990 limited edition of just 500 pieces on pre-order. With its mix of vintage-inspired aesthetics, modern movement, and lightweight titanium construction, the Sealab Ti300M targets enthusiasts who want serious specs at a relatively approachable price point.
Wearing Time - Reviews
A. Lange & Söhne
Hands-On With The A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk Date In Pink Gold
This review explores how the Zeitwerk Date in pink gold fuses traditional Saxon watchmaking with a radically modern, mechanical digital display. Its three-disc jumping hours-and-minutes layout is backed by a hand-wound caliber with 516 components, a constant-force escapement, and a generous power reserve, all housed in a substantial 18K pink gold case. The sterling silver dial is pared back yet intricate, with a sculptural bridge that frames the digital windows and balances the sub‑seconds and power‑reserve indicators. Despite its assertive dimensions, the watch wears as a refined statement piece that distills A. Lange & Söhne’s technical ambition and design clarity into a single, contemporary package.
Awake
Awake Sơn Mài Fragments Watch Blends International Techniques For A Standout Dial Spectacle
The Awake Sơn Mài Fragments centers on a richly layered lacquer dial that combines Vietnamese Sơn Mài techniques with Japanese raden, using crushed mother‑of‑pearl to create a shifting, light-catching surface. Sharp, polished hands and indices float over the artwork, while a 39mm stainless steel case and 50-meter water resistance make the piece practical for daily wear. Inside, the Swiss La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement delivers a robust 68-hour power reserve and solid performance. Limited to 100 pieces across green, blue, and purple colorways and priced at €2,700, it marks a confident step for Awake into the realm of art-driven, high-spec independents.
Doxa
Hands-on With Doxa’s Sub 250T GMT Sharkhunter Vintage
The Doxa Sub 250T GMT Sharkhunter Vintage updates the brand’s dive-watch heritage with a travel-ready dual-time complication. Its 40mm cushion case, vintage-style fumé gradient dial, and classic unidirectional bezel retain the familiar Doxa silhouette while improving legibility with strong lume and clear layout. In real-world testing in the Pacific, the watch proved both robust and comfortable, with its stainless steel bracelet, secure crown, and reliable GMT function holding up under genuine diving conditions. The result is a tool watch that appeals equally to divers and collectors who want Doxa’s historical design language paired with modern practicality across time zones.
L. Leroy
Hands-On: L.Leroy Osmior Bal du Temps, Sounding the Return of a Famed Name
The L.Leroy Osmior Bal du Temps signals the comeback of a historic French maker, drawing inspiration from the opulence of Louis XVI’s court. Offered in red gold, platinum, or titanium, it pairs a theatrical dial layout with a minute repeater and flying tourbillon that dominate the watch’s visual identity and acoustic character. Its hand-wound movement packs 321 components, a 90-hour power reserve, and a carefully tuned chime that varies subtly with case material. With limited production and pricing estimated between €200,000 and €300,000, the Osmior Bal du Temps is positioned as a statement-level haute horlogerie piece that reintroduces the Leroy name at the very top of the market.
Comparing Time
Sunday Morning Showdown: Baltic Aquascaphe Titanium Vs. Certina DS Action Diver Titanium 38mm
This head-to-head comparison looks at two 300-meter titanium dive watches with automatic movements and tool-watch credibility. The Certina DS Action Diver Titanium 38mm, priced at CHF 925 on a titanium bracelet, leans into a contemporary, high-spec feel with a strong Swiss Group movement behind it. The Baltic Aquascaphe Titanium, at €883.30 on rubber, wins praise for its cohesive, vintage-inspired design and more niche character. In the end, both are compelling, and the choice comes down to whether you value the Baltic’s charm and heritage cues or Certina’s modern execution and industrial backing.
9 of the best mountaineering watches for those looking to reach new heights
This guide rounds up nine watches suited to serious altitude, blending rugged specs with distinct personalities. It opens with the Casio G-Shock Rangeman GW9400-1, highlighting its accessible price and sensor-rich digital toolset, then moves through GPS- and health-tracking options like the Garmin Instinct Crossover Solar. Mechanical choices such as the Seiko Prospex Alpinist SPB507, Tudor Ranger 36, and Norqain Neverest Glacier emphasize reliability, heritage, and, in Norqain’s case, charitable ties. Higher up the price ladder, pieces like the Oris ProPilot Altimeter, Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen The 8000, Rolex Explorer 40, and vintage Smiths Everest bring mechanical altimeters, expedition-ready construction, and historical Everest lore together in one mountaineering-focused lineup.
Six Of The Best Polar White Watches To Battle The Winter Cold
This article surveys six “polar” watches that visually and technically suit harsh winter conditions. It ranges from the iconic Rolex Explorer II 226570 and the more approachable Tudor Black Bay Pro Polar, to the IWC Pilot’s Chronograph TOP GUN Lake Tahoe in scratch-proof white ceramic and a clean, compact Longines Legend Diver 39mm. On the more accessible side, the Earthen Co. Summit delivers a full-ceramic, winter-friendly look at a relatively modest price point. At the opposite extreme, Urwerk’s UR-230 Polaris offers futuristic mechanics and ultra-exotic materials, demonstrating how the polar-white theme can span from toolish practicality to avant-garde haute horlogerie.
Something new: Six watches from relatively uncommon brands to kickstart 2026 :
Here the focus shifts to six watches from lesser-known brands, encouraging collectors to look beyond the usual suspects. The Citizen Zenshin Mechanical Gents and Orient Star M45 F8 Mechanical Moon Phase anchor the list with robust specs and refined design at competitive prices. Collaborations like Watch Ho & Co x Selten add visual drama, while the Raymond Weil Toccata Heritage shows how a familiar name can still surprise with a well-executed dress piece. Experimental designs such as the Kollokium Projekt 01 and the bespoke-friendly Sartory-Billard SB04-E round out the selection, demonstrating that originality, quality, and personality often flourish away from the mainstream.
Best American watch brands
This piece charts the resurgence of American watchmaking across a wide price and prestige spectrum. It starts with accessible makers like Brew, Bulova, Monta, Oak & Oscar, Lorca, and Weiss, highlighting retro charm, travel-ready designs, and adventure-focused everyday watches. It then moves to more rarefied names such as RGM and Devon, which preserve traditional craft or pioneer unconventional tech like time-belt displays. At the very top, artisans like Keaton P. Myrick and J.N. Shapiro represent the pinnacle of U.S. independents, producing handmade pieces with intricate guilloché and in-house movements that put American horology back on the global map.
Watching Time - Videos
When Smaller is Better: Why are “Mid-Size” Watches Making a Comeback?
This video looks at why collectors and casual wearers are gravitating back to mid-size watches after years of oversized pieces dominating the market. It explains how these more compact dimensions balance comfort, proportion, and vintage-inspired aesthetics. The discussion highlights how mid-size watches work well across a range of wrist sizes and dress codes, from casual to formal. Overall, it frames mid-size as the sweet spot for contemporary taste, where practicality meets understated elegance.
Up and up: What is going on with watch prices?
Here the focus is on why watch prices have climbed so sharply and what is driving the broader trend. The video walks through factors such as rising demand for luxury goods, shifts in consumer behavior, and macroeconomic conditions. It also considers the role of investors and flippers, along with supply-chain and brand-strategy pressures that keep prices elevated. Viewers come away with a clearer sense of whether current pricing looks sustainable and what it might mean for their buying decisions.
Independent Watchmaking vs Rolex — The Miami Watch Club Perspective
The Miami Watch Club breaks down how independent watchmakers differ from a giant like Rolex in philosophy, product, and ownership experience. Independents are presented as ateliers of creativity and craft, producing small runs with strong emphasis on handwork and narrative. Rolex, by contrast, is discussed as a benchmark of industrialized excellence, consistency, and global brand power. The video invites viewers to appreciate both sides while nudging them to look more closely at the passion, risk-taking, and individuality behind independent horology.
Watch Predictions 2026! Rolex, Tudor, AP
This episode looks ahead at what 2026 might hold for Rolex, Tudor, and Audemars Piguet, from potential model launches to design tweaks and strategy shifts. It speculates on anniversary pieces, possible updates to core lines, and how each brand might respond to changing market tastes. The conversation ties these predictions to past behavior and recent releases, giving viewers context for which ideas feel realistic versus wishful thinking. It is aimed at fueling discussion among enthusiasts about what would truly excite them in the coming year.
Patek Philippe’s Most Expensive Watches Are a Trap
This video questions the assumption that ultra-expensive Patek Philippe pieces are automatically smart buys or safe stores of value. It explains how hype, scarcity, and brand mythology can tempt collectors into paying huge sums without fully understanding market risk. The host explores how tastes shift, liquidity can dry up, and certain reference prices can fall out of favor, leaving buyers exposed. The takeaway is a call for caution, research, and collecting for love of the watch rather than blind faith in appreciation.
The Best Watches from 2025 - Over 18 Watches Mention (with a Top 3)
This roundup revisits the standout watches of 2025, covering more than 18 notable releases before zeroing in on a personal top three. It highlights trends in design, materials, and complications, showing how brands large and small tried to differentiate themselves over the year. The format blends quick-hit overviews with deeper commentary on why some pieces rose above the rest. Viewers get both a recap of the year’s key moments in watchmaking and a clear sense of which models the host considers future classics.
These 6 New Watches Are Absolute Fire!
In this video, six fresh releases are spotlighted for their standout design and buzz factor. Each watch is framed as a “must see” piece that combines eye-catching aesthetics with solid specs or clever technology. The host explains what makes each model special, from dial work and case shapes to movements and value propositions. It is positioned as a fast-paced hit list for anyone wanting to know which new drops are genuinely worth a look.
What $5,000 Buys You in 2026
Here the host uses a $5,000 budget as a lens to explore what that sum can realistically purchase in 2026. The video walks through different categories—from watches and tech to travel or experiences—to illustrate shifting prices and priorities. It underscores how inflation and changing expectations affect the sense of what feels “premium” or “good value.” Viewers are encouraged to think strategically about how they allocate a budget of that size in light of their own goals and lifestyle.
Four Married Men (For Now) Episode 4: Are Modern Watches Lacking Creativity?
This conversational episode centers on whether today’s watches have become too safe and formulaic. The hosts argue that many current releases lean heavily on proven templates, incremental updates, and crowd-pleasing specs rather than bold ideas. They contrast this with earlier eras when design risks and artisanal flourishes were more common, and ask whether commercial pressures are stifling experimentation. The discussion pushes viewers to examine their own expectations of creativity and to seek out brands that still prioritize genuine originality.
Why Casio Is Cool Again
This video explains how Casio has transformed from a purely utilitarian name into a surprisingly hot brand again. It traces the renewed interest in classic G-Shocks and retro digital models, linking it to nostalgia, streetwear culture, and smart collaborations. The host also touches on how Casio has folded modern tech and fresh colorways into familiar formats without losing its core identity. The result is a portrait of a company that has reconnected with both long-time fans and a new wave of style-conscious buyers.
How To Beat The Rolex Waitlist (And Other Watch-Buying Tips)
This piece lays out practical strategies for navigating Rolex waitlists and improving the odds of getting in-demand models. It emphasizes building real relationships with authorized dealers, understanding allocation realities, and being flexible about references. Beyond Rolex, the video offers broader advice on researching brands, reading the secondary market, and recognizing quality and long-term appeal. Together, these tips aim to help buyers make smarter, less frustrating decisions across the watch landscape.
FINALLY, A Dress Watch That Isn’t Boring — Mu:n Orion Review
This review positions the Mu:n Orion as a dress watch with enough character to avoid the usual “plain and polite” formula. It highlights design details that give the watch presence—whether in the dial, case lines, or proportions—while still keeping it appropriate for formal settings. The host also discusses build quality and comfort, arguing that the Orion can move easily between office, evening, and casual contexts. It is presented as an option for people who want elegance without sacrificing personality on the wrist.
Talking Time - Podcasts
ABTW Weekly Podcast #204: Seiko Pricing Roulette, Tantalum Tantrums, And One Vacuum To Suck Them All
This episode of the aBlogtoWatch Weekly podcast ranges widely across watch-industry quirks and frustrations. It opens with a debate over using the word “master” in watch names, quickly spiraling into humorous geopolitical asides, then moves into a game of guessing prices on new Seiko releases that exposes how erratic the brand’s pricing can feel. From there, the hosts dig into material choices, sustainability claims, and overcooked marketing stories, especially around under‑explained “special” watches. They also weigh in on Omega’s celebrity strategy, ultra high-end independents, and even compare industrial design in vacuum cleaners to watches, illustrating just how chaotic and contradictory the watch world can be.
Listen Now >
BuyingTime at Auction
A few select current auctions that caught our eye on Grailzee and Bezel
[Friday’s auction watch, the 2025 Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 42MM Blue Dial Leather Strap (5224R-001)- was bid to $19,500 but did not meet its reserve. The watch has a market value of $43,029 and a MSRP of $73,549 - make an offer]
2020 Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon 45MM Skeleton Dial Rubber Strap (1723-400)
Auction Report: The White Blast: A Ceramic Skeleton Tourbillon With Real-World Pricing
The watch on the block tonight is the 2020 Ulysse Nardin Blast Tourbillon, ref. 1723-400/00, a 45mm statement piece that wears its engineering on the outside and its intent on its sleeve. The seller represents this example as being in very good condition, and it comes as a proper “full set” with inner and outer boxes, additional items, and papers—exactly the kind of completeness that matters when you’re shopping in the modern high-horology, high-design lane.
A little history is useful here, because the Blast wasn’t just another skeletonized remix—it was a clean-sheet, Geneva Watch Days-era declaration from Ulysse Nardin in 2020, built around a new movement and a new case language. Hodinkee’s launch coverage pegged the White Blast (T-1723-400/00) at a $46,000 MSRP when it debuted, with production constrained to roughly no more than 100 pieces per reference per year. That limited-throughput reality is part of why these are not especially common in the wild, even if they are not formally “limited editions.”
Design-wise, this reference —the white ceramic case with titanium bezel—lands squarely in the “ice” side of the Blast family aesthetic: bright, technical, angular, and intentionally modern. The dial is essentially a façade for the architecture underneath, anchored by the X-shaped bridgework and the flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock, which becomes the watch’s visual punctuation mark every time it spins through a minute. Revolution’s early coverage also called out the caliber’s silicium components (escapement wheel, anchor, and balance spring), reflecting the brand’s long-running comfort with silicon as an enabling technology rather than a purity-test controversy.
Under that skeletonized view is the manufacture automatic Caliber UN-172: a 72-hour movement beating at 18,000 vph (2.5 Hz), designed from inception to be openworked, not carved out after the fact. The “automatic” part matters because it broadens the wearable use-case for a tourbillon that otherwise could be filed under “special-occasion complication.” It is also paired to a rubber strap here, which is exactly the right choice for a watch that’s more architectural object than dress token—practical, comfortable, and visually consistent with the industrial, faceted case language.
On value, the story is straightforward and, for buyers, appealing. While MSRP on launch sat at $46,000 for the White Blast, secondary-market asking prices for the same reference family commonly appear well below retail—often in the mid-to-high $20,000s, with some listings presented around the low $20,000s and others nearer $30,000 depending on completeness and condition. That spread is exactly why “very good condition” plus box and papers matters: the closer you get to a clean, complete example, the more defensible the price becomes relative to the broader market range, and the easier the watch is to move later if your tastes (or wrist tolerance for 45mm) evolve.
The auction ends tonight, Monday, January 12, 2026 at 7:38 PM Eastern. If you like the idea of modern, aggressive skeletonization but want it delivered with a legitimate manufacture tourbillon movement and a coherent materials story—white ceramic and titanium, not just “black PVD everything”—this Blast is one of the more compelling ways to do it, particularly if the closing price stays anchored in that sub-retail secondary-market band.
Current bid: $5,000