BuyingTime Daily - October 31, 2025
Gen Z boosts Cartier, Miami rises as a watch hub, and orange dials go year-round. Moser taps Saquon, AP goes big in print, and a quirky Patek 6006G hits auction.
Time Graphing today’s watch universe
Time Graphing Today’s Watch Universe — October 31, 2025
Halloween arrives and suddenly the watch world is awash not in pumpkins, but in taste shifts, Gen-Z validation, and yes, even orange dials that refuse to stay seasonal. Over at Cartier, Gen Z has decided dressing like a Parisian poet is cooler than flexing steel sports bracelets like their slightly older, crypto-scarred cousins. The Crash remains the aesthetic North Star, while Cartier’s buy-back strategy keeps supply just tight enough to spark FOMO. Whether this marks a true generational pivot or just another TikTok cycle remains to be seen—but for now, smaller, slimmer, and a little mysterious is winning the wrist war.
Not to be outdone, Miami is trying very hard to remind everyone it exists beyond Art Basel. The first-ever Miami Watch Summit drops November 6–7, bringing the likes of F.P. Journe, Bulgari, and Vacheron Constantin to The Moore. Panels, culture-talk, rooftop parties—the whole “art-meets-horology-meets-sunset-champagne” thing. Miami wants back into the luxury conversation, and this looks like an elegant way to say, “We’re not just yachts and EDM, thank you very much.”
In New York, anOrdain founder Lewis Heath will talk grand feu enamel at HSNY, reminding us that before computers and collabs, watchmaking was molten glass, wrists full of burns, and a workshop aesthetic best described as “romantic hazard zone.” On the bookshelf front, Audemars Piguet goes big—almost 600 pages big—with a new tome diving into 150 years of savoir-faire, while NFL star Saquon Barkley has joined H. Moser & Cie. as the latest athlete to prove that football and independent Swiss finishing are now spiritually aligned.
Meanwhile, a friendly rivalry heats up in the affordable space: is Bulova the underrated gem next to Seiko’s reliable titan status? One commentator swears it’s time to give Bulova its due. And speaking of color—orange has officially transcended “October only.” Rugged divers, sleek dress pieces, and everything in between are glowing carrot-bright, signaling confidence, fun, and possibly a subconscious need for vitamin C.
HSNY’s archive nod reminds us of the romantic overlap between horology and meteorology—because apparently if you were a brilliant watchmaker in 1900, you also needed to know when to bring an umbrella. On the hard luxury front, Richard Mille expands its CPO experience in London with a Georgian-mansion boutique called Ninety. Trade-ins, micro-rotor dreams, warranty serenity—RM continues to play in a different gear. And Favre Leuba’s catalog return shows a thoughtful mix of retro-cool and modern muscle, including a tourbillon that refuses to play shy. For serious heritage, Vacheron Constantin’s Harrods exhibition celebrates 270 years of excellence, featuring celestial charts and miniature enamel artistry that make you wonder why you ever settled for stick markers.
Fresh releases are plentiful, from Alpina’s new California-dial Alpiner Extremes to Bell & Ross adding a compass to a GMT (because apparently you can get lost in airports). CIGA Design channels Everest with titanium drama, D1 Milano sprays Cerakote and skeletons a budget-friendly dial, and Farer triples down on moonphase artistry—Eisenkiesel stone and Eastern Arabic numerals included. Favre Leuba lands a handsome Sea Sky revival, Nomoscleans up beautifully with the new Metro 38 Date, and Yema brings shimmering mother-of-pearl bezels to the sports category because why not be elegant at depth?
Hands-on reviews include Audemars Piguet’s RD#5—tourbillon, chronograph, ultrathin—all wrapped in titanium and modern brilliance, a reminder that haute engineering is alive and well in Le Brassus. Fossil and Nick Jonas drop stone dials for $350 (yes, you can have malachite without selling your car). Hanhart returns to aquatic drama, Jacques Bianchi drops titanium diver grit, and YouTube serves the usual lineup of “Top 10 Watches Right Now” and “I reviewed 100+, here’s the one that broke me emotionally”-style content.
Auction energy stays high—yesterday’s Rolex GMT-Master II Batgirl settled at $16K, proving demand for blue-black bezels is alive even when the moonphase cycle says otherwise. And on deck, the Patek Philippe 6006G-001 Calatrava with its quirky pointer date and micro-rotor brilliance marches toward its finish. Graphic, asymmetric, and low-key genius—it’s the sort of Patek that tells time and tells people you read architecture magazines.
As October wraps, taste has shifted light, playful, artisanal, and occasionally neon. Gen Z is rewriting the wristwear rules, Miami is back on the map, enamel is suddenly hot again, and orange is the new black—literally. Tomorrow we begin November, the final sprint to gift season, auction madness, and inevitable year-end lists. Pace yourselves. It’s about to get horologically festive.
News Time
Cartier rides a wave of Gen Z demand for dressier watches
Cartier is gaining market share with Gen Z as interest shifts toward smaller, dressier watches and away from the steel sports aesthetic popular with older buyers. Strategic moves like stock buy-backs helped stabilize supply while social media and celebrity visibility amplified the brand’s appeal. Vintage models such as the Cartier Crash have further fueled excitement, raising questions about whether this represents a lasting shift in taste or a cyclical moment.
Exclusive: First-ever Miami Watch Summit to launch this November
The inaugural Miami Watch Summit will be held November 6–7 at The Moore Private Members Club, aiming to re-establish Miami as a nexus for luxury and design. Brands including F.P. Journe, Bulgari, and Vacheron Constantin will anchor panels, showcases, and collector experiences. Programming spans Swiss watchmaking’s future, craftsmanship, and cross-cultural creativity, capped by boutique activations and a VIP rooftop celebration.
Happenings: Lewis Heath To Lecture At The Horological Society Of New York
anOrdain founder Lewis Heath will present a lecture on grand feu enameling at HSNY on November 3, 2025, exploring techniques and the craft’s artistic draw. He will trace his path from early fascination with enamel to building a Glasgow-based watchmaking workshop. The event is free with tickets, held at the General Society Library in Midtown, and recorded for later viewing.
News: Audemars Piguet ‘The Watch - Stories and Savoir Faire’. A Nearly 600-Page Book for its 150th Anniversary.
To mark its 150th anniversary, Audemars Piguet partnered with Flammarion on a nearly 600-page reference on mechanical watchmaking and haute horlogerie. The book blends archival material, anecdotes, interviews, and over 700 images to illuminate the techniques and artistry behind fine watches. Designed to serve both newcomers and seasoned collectors, it underscores how tradition and innovation intersect at the workbench.
NFL Star Saquon Barkley Joins H. Moser & Cie. As A ‘Friend Of The Brand’
Saquon Barkley has become a “Friend of the Brand” for H. Moser & Cie., following his Met Gala appearance wearing a Moser timepiece. The partnership grew organically from shared design sensibilities and values around relationships and craft. Barkley hopes to collaborate on a watch that resonates with fans as the NFL increases its global footprint.
Feature Time
Bulova vs. Seiko: Are Affordable Watch Fans Sleeping on Bulova?
This piece argues that Bulova deserves more attention from budget-minded collectors who often default to Seiko. It highlights Bulova’s blend of innovative tech, thoughtful design, and value that can rival better-known options. The comparison encourages enthusiasts to reassess assumptions and consider Bulova’s strengths alongside Seiko’s storied reputation.
Orange watches aren’t just for Halloween, especially this year.
Orange has moved from niche accent to full-on statement, energizing both sports and dress watches. A curated set of six pieces shows how the hue signals confidence and personality, from high-luxury gems to rugged, adventure-ready designs. The selection underscores that orange now reflects innovation and year-round style, not just seasonal novelty.
Reading Time at HSNY: You Don’t Need a Weatherman — Horological Society of New York
HSNY spotlights books and archives on scientific instruments, revealing deep ties between timekeeping and meteorology. From multifunctional masterpieces like the Leroy 01 to the Henry J. Green Company’s weather gear, the collection maps a shared lineage of precision craft. The survey even explores weather vanes’ role in art and culture, widening the lens on how we’ve measured the elements.
Richard Mille’s Certified Pre-Owned Boutique in London: Ninety
Ninety, Richard Mille’s CPO boutique in Mayfair, offers rare references with rigorous authentication, in-house servicing, and a renewed two-year warranty. Housed in a Georgian mansion, it provides a tailored, trade-in-friendly experience for discerning collectors. On-site expertise underscores a focus on service quality and preserving the brand’s exacting standards.
Taking A Look At The Current Favre Leuba Catalog
Favre Leuba returns with a catalog that nods to its heritage while adding modern engineering and aesthetics. Deep Raider revives Deep Blue with upgraded water resistance and movements, while Sea Sky fuses dive and aviation cues. The Chief line spans date, skeleton, chronograph, and a standout tourbillon, signaling momentum and ambitions for future releases.
The Quest: 270 years of Excellence
Harrods hosts Vacheron Constantin’s exhibition celebrating 270 years of craft, featuring miniature painting, engraving, and the double-sided “Tribute to the Quest of Time.” Limited to 20 pieces, the watch blends artistic handwork with mechanical sophistication like dual retrograde indications and a celestial chart. Historic celestial-themed pieces round out a narrative of time, astronomy, and enduring savoir faire.
The Latest Time
Alpiner
Alpina Expands the Alpiner Extreme Collection with Two California Dial Variants
Alpina adds warm sunburst brown and deep pine green California dials to the Alpiner Extreme Automatic lineup, pairing Roman numerals up top with Arabic numerals below for quick legibility. The compact cushion-shaped steel case measures 39 by 40.5 mm, is water resistant to 200 meters, and includes a date at 3 o’clock. Inside is the AL-525 automatic movement beating at 4 Hz with a 38-hour power reserve, and each watch comes on a black rubber strap for versatility from trail to city.
Bell & Ross
This GMT Watch Has an Extra Tool That Makes It Especially Apt for Travel
The BR-03 GMT Compass adds a navigation-ready compass function to a travel-focused GMT, letting wearers set solar time for directional readings. Its 42 mm stainless steel case, rotating bezel, and 100-meter water resistance balance utility with everyday style. Limited to 500 pieces, it houses an automatic movement and includes interchangeable straps for flexible wear.
CIGA Design
Introducing: The New CIGA Design Everest Summit Central Tourbillon
CIGA Design returns with a cleaner, sharper take on its Everest concept, centering a manual-wind tourbillon with a 120-hour power reserve. The 45 mm Grade-5 titanium case features a raised, lume-filled Everest relief for legibility and drama. A dial of genuine Everest bedrock, sapphire crystals, and 50 m water resistance round out a package aimed at accessible high mechanics.
D1 Milano
Hands-On: D1 Milano Skeleton White Sketch Watch
D1 Milano evolves its playful Sketch series with a metal case in white Cerakote over steel and a skeletonized dial that highlights the automatic movement. At 40.5 mm wide with 50 m water resistance, it’s built for daily wear while keeping the collection’s graphic aesthetic. Power comes from the Seiko TMI-derived NH70L with roughly two days of reserve, delivering value at a $795 price point.
Farer
Farer Makes A Return Trip To The Moon with two new models
Farer expands its Moonphase line with the Stratton and the limited Burbidge Eastern Arabic Edition, both featuring hand-painted moonphase discs with luminous moons. The 38.5 mm cushion cases pair sapphire front and back with 50 m water resistance and polished-bezel detailing. Powered by the Swiss Sellita SW288-1 M manual movement, they offer a 45-hour reserve, with the Stratton at $2,075 and the Burbidge Eastern Arabic Edition at $1,895.
Introducing: Farer Expands Its Moonphase Collection with the Stratton and Burbidge Eastern Arabic - Read More >
This Affordable Moonphase Watch Borrows a Rare Rolex Feature - Read More >
Favre Leuba
Welcome back: Favre Leuba Launches the Sea Sky Revival in a Cool Color Scheme
Favre Leuba revisits its heritage with a green-dial chronograph that channels 1980s vibrancy and 1960s roots, complete with black counters and sunburst finishing. A 40 mm steel case houses the self-winding caliber FLC01, made with La Joux-Perret, offering a 60-hour reserve and column-wheel chronograph control. Tachymeter and telemeter scales, plus luminous details, emphasize functional authenticity backed by polished movement finishing visible through the caseback.
Nomos
First Look: The new Nomos Metro 38 Date
The Nomos Metro 38 Date distills the brand’s modern minimalism into a 38.5 mm steel case with wire lugs, a domed crystal, and crisp, cosmopolitan details. Classic blue accents, a red small seconds hand, and a 6 o’clock date window refine legibility. The in-house DUW 4601 brings a 52-hour reserve and stop-seconds, elevating everyday function at EUR 2,780 as a permanent collection piece.
Yema
I’ve Never Seen a Dive Watch With This Stunning Feature
The Navygraf Pearl CMM.20 marries retro dive DNA with elegance via a mother-of-pearl dial and bezel in a 39 mm steel case just 9.75 mm thick. Limited to 200 pieces in blue, it also comes in a darker non-limited version, each offered on multiple strap options. Yema’s micro-rotor CMM.20 movement delivers 70 hours of power and strong accuracy, with prices starting at $2,190 and $2,549 for the limited edition.
Introducing: The Yema Navygraf Pearl CMM.20 Flaunts a Mother-of-Pearl Dial and Bezel - Read More >
Wearing Time - Reviews
Audemars Piguet
Hands-On: A Technical and Practical Deep Dive On The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak RD#5 – The Most Extreme “Jumbo” Ever
Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak RD#5 blends a tourbillon and a chronograph into an ultra-thin 39 mm “Jumbo” case just 8.1 mm thick, limited to 150 pieces. Its sophisticated movement uses a hybrid clutch for the chronograph and a clever reset mechanism for jumping counters, wrapped in futuristic materials like titanium and palladium. The watch balances classic Royal Oak elegance with modern engineering, wearing exceptionally light and comfortable on the wrist. While the CHF 260,000 price sparks debate, the RD#5 stands as a landmark in the brand’s technical evolution.
Fossil
Watch Review: Fossil And Nick Jonas Team Up For Stone Dial Machine Luxe Watches
Fossil’s collaboration with Nick Jonas introduces three stone-dial Machine Luxe models in malachite, black marble, and aventurine, each in stainless steel and priced at $350. The design pairs a hobnail bezel with a gender-inclusive look, powered by reliable Japanese quartz movements. Playful diner-themed packaging adds to the collectability, and each watch is individually numbered to elevate presentation. Though more fashion-forward than spec-driven, they offer an accessible entry to the stone-dial aesthetic.
Hanhart
Review: the Hanhart Aquasphere “Ocean Fade”
The Aquasphere “Ocean Fade” leans into bold, late-’90s and early-2000s style with a gradient blue-to-black dial, stenciled numerals, and red accents. A 42 mm case, helium escape valve, and a precise 60-click bezel give it serious dive credibility, though some may find the toolish design polarizing. Strap options underwhelm, with the rubber’s comfort and the bracelet’s aesthetic pairing drawing criticism, alongside QC notes like weak bezel lume numerals. It’s a fresh, distinctive option that would benefit from strap refinements and tighter quality control.
Jacques Bianchi
Hands-On: The New Titanium Jacques Bianchi JB300 Profonde x Deepsea.edc
Limited to 150 pieces, the JB300 Profonde uses stonewashed grade-5 titanium in a 41.5 mm case with a left-side crown and a matte, highly legible dial. Heritage cues nod to Navy diver helmets, while a 300 m rating and included rubber and fabric straps emphasize practicality. The Swiss Soprod P024 automatic movement offers 38 hours of power reserve for dependable daily use. Priced at USD 1,350 on pre-order, it blends modern tech with robust vintage charm.
Watching Time
I’ve Reviewed 100+ Watches. These are the best ones:
Top 10 BEST New Watches Right Now!
This New French Microbrand Made an Elegant Pilot Watch with 200m Water Resistance
Drop #250 - Anniversary Drop! Holy Trinity, Rolex, JLC, Cartier, a Balloon & much more
The Viral Seiko Modder Who Built His Own Watch Brand
Is This Seiko Alpinist Homage Any Good? Milfortic
Talking Time
No new episodes today
BuyingTime at Auction
A few select current auctions that caught our eye on Grailzee and Bezel
[Thursday’s auction watch, No Reserve - 2019 Rolex GMT-Master II “Batgirl” 40MM Black Dial Jubilee Bracelet (126710BLNR)- was bid to and sold for $16,000.]
Patek Philippe Calatrava 39MM Black Dial Leather Strap (6006G-001)
Auction Report: The Graphic Calatrava With a Secret—Patek Philippe 6006G-001
Patek’s Calatrava 6006G-001 is one of those watches that makes collectors smile twice—first at the quirky dial, then at the movement it quietly celebrates. Introduced in 2017 as a refresh to the 6000-series and to mark the 40th anniversary of Patek’s ultra-thin micro-rotor caliber 240, it kept the off-beat small seconds between 4 and 5 o’clock and added a pointer date that skates around the outer track, all inside a 39 mm white-gold case that wears flatter than the number suggests.
Behind the dial is the caliber 240 PS C, an automatic with a 22k micro-rotor, Gyromax balance and Spiromax spring, running at 21,600 vph with roughly a 48-hour reserve—exactly the sort of slim architecture that let Patek push the seconds subdial off the usual axis and keep the watch elegantly thin. It’s a technical package that looks simple at a glance but is anything but.
This reference has now left the catalog, which has nudged it into that sweet spot where design outliers start feeling collectible. The look—bold numerals, concentric tracks, skeletonized hands—remains unmistakable Calatrava by way of “graphic designer’s desk,” and the pointer date adds genuine everyday utility. Multiple specialist reviews confirm the reference is discontinued, and dealer listings today typically note earlier production years only.
On value, the market has been rational. Broad pricing data pegs current pre-owned trading around the mid-$20Ks, with WatchCharts showing an estimated market price hovering near $22.7K as of late October 2025. Auction comps reinforce that picture: a 6006G with accessories realized $22,680 at Christie’s, while Sotheby’s has repeatedly guided 6006G examples in the $10K–$25K estimate band depending on year and completeness. Retail when new sat around CHF 27,000 / ~$29,000 in the last catalog years.
For this specific watch, the seller states good condition, wrist fit up to 8 inches, and no box or papers. Lack of provenance typically trims 10–20% versus “full set” examples, all else equal, and Patek deployant clasps and factory straps can also swing pricing if missing or worn. Given the comps and the no-papers status, a sensible hammer-price expectation sits roughly in the $19,000–$23,500 window, with upside into the mid-$20Ks only if condition proves exceptionally crisp and the clasp is original Patek. Christie’s and Sotheby’s results suggest that once you cross the $25K threshold, buyers usually expect a full set or near-mint presentation.
As a piece of Patek history, the appeal is solid. The 6006G isn’t a dress watch trying to be invisible; it’s a quiet flex about movement architecture dressed in Bauhaus-meets-instrument graphics. It marked four decades of the caliber that helped define modern thin automatics at Patek, and it wears like a design object that just happens to keep very, very good time. For a collector who loves the Calatrava line but wants something less staid than a hobnail 5196 and more intellectually satisfying than a simple three-hand date, this is the lane.
With the auction ending at 10:00 pm on Saturday, November 1, 2025, here’s my take. If the case edges, dial print, and hands show clean, even wear and the movement is healthy, bidding into the high teens is defensible; pushing above $22K without papers should be reserved for an outstanding example with the original 18k Patek folding clasp and a fresh strap. If you can land it in that $19K–$21K pocket, you’ll own one of the most thoughtfully odd Calatravas of the last decade at a price that reflects both its discontinued status and the realities of provenance.
Current bid: $3,700