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WatchGecko •

Time To Watches 2025 Round-Up and Brand Highlights

Seventy-seven brands. Forty-two podcast interviews. Six days of near-relentless sun. The fact I’m still awake and able to type is a miracle. Sleep-deprived and mentally overloaded, I find myself looking forward to the wonderful experiences of Time to Watches 2025 settling in my mind. At the moment, the memories are so loud, colourful, and jumbled, that making sense of what just happened is tough sledding. With a little distance, however, I am sure we will come to say that this edition of Time to...
WatchGecko •

Five Hype Watches and Alternatives You Should Buy Instead

Now, not all of these colours (Coral/Yellow/Green/Turquoise Blue/Candy Pink) are still available, and even fewer are available in all OP case diameters, but no doubt you’ll remember the buzz they caused when they dropped a couple of years back.
The Coral and the Yellow have checked out of the collection (which is a great shame), but the other major hype beast among them, the Turquoise Blue, is still “available”.
Although it is getting easier by the day to pick up previously unobtainable Rolex wa...
WatchGecko •

Introducing the Christopher Ward C12 Loco (Review)

As a watch journalist, this is what you dream of. It happens less often than I’d like to admit, but when an email lands in your inbox containing images of a new timepiece so striking that you sit bolt upright in your chair before lurching toward the screen for a closer look, your ragged breath caught in the back of your throat, you know you are in the virtual presence of something special.
I began typing this article as my intercity train to Copenhagen rolled out of Hamburg HbF. As someone who l...
WatchGecko •

Top 5 Budget Watches for New Collectors Under £1,000

So, you've dipped your toes into the world of watches with a solid budget-friendly pick, and now you're ready for the next step. Maybe your first watch sparked a deeper appreciation for mechanical movements, or perhaps you've realised that a well-made timepiece does more than just tell the time—it tells a story. With a budget of £500 to £1,000, you're entering a space where craftsmanship takes a noticeable leap forward, materials improve, and brand heritage starts to play a bigger role.
This is...
WatchGecko •

Introducing the Monceau Model 01: Hands-On Review

Who needs another microbrand, eh? I ask myself that question almost every day. To be honest, it’s partly why I haven’t started my own, but every time a new name comes on the scene and does it right, I’m reminded of how stupid a line of questioning it is.
The answer is something along the lines of, “There is always room for more quality products”. And while it’s fair to say that there isn’t a huge amount of true novelty in the sub-1k bracket due to the exorbitant cost of developing anything mater...
WatchGecko •

Introducing: the Ulysse Nardin Blast [Amoureuxpeintre]

It may be hard to believe, but even I sometimes feel my enthusiasm for watchmaking waning. Over the past few years, there have been several occasions upon which I found myself jaded to the point of apathy. Dull new releases. Underwhelming events. Tone-deaf messaging. You name it. The laziness of the Swiss watch industry was getting too much for me to take. I thought, in those weaker moments, that it might be time to call time on my obsession with time.
But it turns out, the industry is not quite...
WatchGecko •

The 5 Best Thin Watches You Can Buy In 2025

Qualifying exactly what constitutes a thin watch is no easy task. To tackle this assignment, I arbitrarily decided to set the maximum thickness allowed at 9.9mm (so anything under a centimetre qualifies).
While that may be a bit of a slap in the face for the masters of ultra-thin watchmaking such as Piaget and Bvlgari, their models do still fit within the category, but given the almost comical thinness of many record-setting pieces, they aren’t the most relevant watches when it comes to picking...
WatchGecko •

Arcanaut Arc II — Liberty Green for Collective Horology

I (Rob) am a co-owner of Arcanaut and work with the company as its head of brand development. The following is a presentation of our latest collaboration Arcanaut Arc II Liberty Green for Collective Horology that WatchGecko kindly consented to publish to help spread the word about our continued research into new and unusual materials that can be applied to watchmaking.


Over at Arcanaut, we’ve been busy working on the assembly of our Experimentals collection, which includes the Bo...
WatchGecko •

AVI-8 Hawker Hurricane Ink Dial Chronograph Limited Edition

If you want a good example of how to establish a popular micro brand, study AVI-8’s trajectory very closely. This is a brand that started off with a very clear concept and focused on achieving excellent execution on a shoestring budget. Extremely affordable models with character sell in large volumes because, when you sit them next to their price point competitors, they often look either materially better or simply more interesting.
Before we discuss the latest collaboration with British watch a...
WatchGecko •

Reviewing The Mitch Mason Maelstrom Tales Of The Sea

A great colourway can transform a product entirely. Don’t believe me? Maybe the NOMOS Glashütte Tangente Super 31 series can illustrate my point succinctly. That’s the same watch, 31 times over, with the only difference in the colours and their application.
Similarly, the deft handling of textures can define not just a watch, nor even a collection, but potentially an entire brand. If that sounds like hyperbole, consider the transformative effect the Grand Seiko Snowflake had on the way Seiko’s b...
WatchGecko •

Introducing the Arcanaut ARC II — DArc Roast Limited Edition

I (Rob) am a co-owner of Arcanaut and work with the company as its head of brand development. The following is a presentation of our recently released Arcanaut D’Arc Roast model, the latest addition to our composites collection. WatchGecko kindly allowed me the platform to present this, our “tastiest” watch yet...


The Arcanaut Arc II — D’Arc Roast Limited Edition blends our love of watchmaking and fine coffee by utilizing a ground bean composite dial, brewed to perfection…
Althou...
WatchGecko •

What Is So Special About Cartier Watches?

As one of the most visible and recognised brands in the world (within and without the watch industry), there can be no doubt that Cartier has been doing a lot of things right since its foundation in 1847. The simple answer to the question, “What makes Cartier watches special?” would be “heritage”, and while that is one pillar of the brand’s success, there’s a little more to it than that.
While it’s true that simply surviving for a long period of time adds immense weight to the regard in which a...
WatchGecko •

Introducing the Xeric Timeline Retrograde: Hands-On Review

Every classroom has its clown. It may have been you. I’m equally pleased and embarrassed to say mine was occasionally me. And when I think back on those days and the highlights of my brief stand-up career, I remember the reactions of my peers more than anything. Sometimes they would go along with the joke, and I’d go home on top of the world, and other times, my hijinks would be greeted with stoney-faced disapproval. So why was that the case? Why did effectively the same thing sire two completel...
WatchGecko •

The Best Digital Watches for Every Budget in 2025

When it comes to digital watches, the sheer variety out there is enough to make your head spin. From bargain bin legends to futuristic masterpieces, while some of them are simple, no-fuss timekeepers, others are so wildly overengineered they genuinely make you wonder if you’re wearing a watch or a spaceship’s control panel. But, whether you’re spending less than the cost of a few monthly streaming subscriptions or dropping serious cash on something that looks like it fell out of Blade Runner, I...
WatchGecko •

Top 5 Fears Watches in the Collection Right Now

There are some brands that give the impression of not having to try. For others, the exact opposite is true. For the former, the result of this apparent easiness is a palpable air of calm and grace; for the latter, you can almost feel the brand and its representatives straining every sinew to remain relevant. It’s a discomforting, really rather sad feeling. It elicits a sense of pity rather than peace (which should be the goal).
One British brand that has succeeded in reaching this peaceful plai...
WatchGecko •

What's So Special About TAG Heuer? | WatchGecko

One of the great privileges of being a watch journalist is time. Not just the appreciation of it and the magnificent machines our more practical peers within the industry dedicate their lives to crafting, but also the time we get to spend studying brands, their history, their messaging, and, of course, their products. Being professionally engaged in a pursuit I would obsess over as a hobby were it not my livelihood means I don’t just have the opportunity and access to learn about every brand as...
WatchGecko •

The Best American Watch Brands for Every Budget

For a nation that once had a thriving watch industry and still, to this day, boasts one of the highest concentrations of wealthy watch collectors outside of the Middle East, great American brands aren’t always easy to call to mind. There are plenty, of course, but the idea of “American” watchmaking and what it means is a bit hazier than it once was in the heyday of brands like Hamilton, Waltham, and Elgin.
Still, it wasn’t too difficult to choose my picks for the Best American Brands for Every B...
WatchGecko •

What Is So Special About Omega? | WatchGecko

At the end of the day, as much as the wide-eyed dreamers among us, who see so clearly a future of true novelty, innovation, and daring design would like to believe it needn’t, heritage does matter. Owners of new brands that know the industry are aware of this and do what they can to compensate for their unavoidable lack of history with evermore creative sales models, transparency commitments, and strong value propositions, but try as they might, I’m sure they’d all freely admit that having a gra...
WatchGecko •

Louis Erard Régulateur Gravé Hands-On Review

For a brand more and more known for its collaborations than its core offering, Louis Erard impresses with this solo effort. Le Régulateur Gravé Noir is a sleek, stylish, sympathetically sized watch that veers very much in the dressier direction while retaining enough presence and subtlety to be worn on a daily basis. The watch packs a lot of punch given its modest 39 mm diameter, but its visual impact is enhanced by a couple of key elements that result in it being a watch that oozes confidence i...
WatchGecko •

The Arcanaut Arc II — Bonehead Limited Edition Experimenta

I (Rob) am a co-owner of Arcanaut and work with the company as its head of brand development. The following is a presentation of our recently released Arcanaut Bonehead, which is one of two pieces that currently occupy our “Experimentals” collection. WatchGecko kindly consented to publish this look behind the scenes of the watch’s development to help spread the word about our continued research into new and unusual materials.


There aren’t too many luxury watches whose origin story be...
WatchGecko •

The Best Japanese Watch Brands for Every Budget in 2025

Let’s face it—when it comes to watches, the Japanese know what they’re doing. Whether you’re just getting started with your first timepiece or you’re deep into the rabbit hole of collecting, there’s a Japanese brand out there that’s perfect for you. From fun, wallet-friendly options to serious, jaw-dropping craftsmanship, this list has something for everyone. So, grab a coffee, sit back, and let’s take a stroll through some of the best Japanese watch brands for every budget.


It may b...
WatchGecko •

Introducing Arcanaut Arc II — Tiger Sh’Arc Limited Edition

I (Rob) am a co-owner of Arcanaut and work with the company as its head of brand development. The following is a presentation of our recently released Arcanaut Tiger Sh’Arc model, which is one of two pieces that currently occupy our “Experimentals” collection. WatchGecko kindly consented to publish this look behind the scenes of the watch’s development to help spread the word about our continued research into new and unusual materials.


Sometimes, a watch almost designs itself. Those...
WatchGecko •

Top 5 Budget Watches for New Collectors [UPDATED 2025]

It’s always easy to gripe about the problems in the watch industry. It’s especially easy to do so in January. The weather is grim, the festive season is in the rearview mirror, and our pockets are barer than old Mother Hubbard’s Cupboards. But even though whinging about the skyrocketing prices of once-attainable core collection pieces from heritage brands like Rolex and Omega may seem cathartic in the moment, remember, revenge is a dish best-served cold.
So save your hot-collared convulsing for...
Revolution Watch •

Felipe Pikullik Introduces An Openworked Regulator Watch In The FPSK25

Berlin-based watchmaker Felipe Pikullik proudly unveils his latest creation, the FPSK25. This is the fifth collection of skeletonized watches this talented young artisan and his team has produced since he set up his solo workshop in the German capital eight years ago at the tender age of just 23. While exceptionally young to have branched out on his own, Pikullik benefited from exceptional tutelage, learning at the knee of GPHG-winner Stephan Kudoke and Dresden legend Rolf Lang, as well as incre...
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