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Articles by Dave Sergeant
The New Hublot Classic Fusion Tributo Takes Us Back To 1980
Forty-six years ago, Carlo Crocco put a gold watch on a rubber strap, and everyone told him he was mad. Now, Hublot has brought it back as the Classic Fusion Tributo. I sat down with him in Nyon, a week before his 82nd birthday, to hear where it really came from. Picture the showroom at Hublot’s manufacture in Nyon just two weeks ago.
Fratello Talks: Sylvain Berneron
Today, in a special episode of Fratello Talks, Nacho and Lex are in Geneva for a chat with independent watch designer and entrepreneur Sylvain Berneron. The conversation kicks off with Berneron’s career in design, his time at major watch companies, and his decision to establish a brand of his own. Berneron’s background is somewhat unusual for an independent watchmaker.
Red Hot And Ready To Chime: The Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater
I got a sneak preview of the new Jacob & Co. Palatial Flying Tourbillon Minute Repeater during Geneva Watch Days last month. Now, anyone who knows me will know that I’m not generally a fan of the color red. As a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, it’s almost a matter of principle. Tottenham till I die, unfortunately for me. However, I have to admit that the particular shade of red Jacob & Co. has chosen here really works.
Fratello Talks: The Vintage Watches We’d Buy Under €5,000
Vintage watches can seem intimidating when you first start looking. There are unfamiliar references, decades of production changes, questions about originality, and the ever-present possibility of an expensive service bill. But you don’t necessarily need a huge budget to get into vintage watches. In fact, €5,000 opens up a surprisingly broad selection.
Lancaster Watch Weekend Returns September 25–27, And I Think You Should Go
There’s a version of the watch calendar that only contains Geneva, and I understand the appeal of that version. It’s the one we see, read, and hear about on the regular. But some of the best days I’ve had around watches haven’t been in a fair hall at all. They’ve been at smaller, community-run events where the person handing you the watch is the person who made it, and where nobody is watching the clock on your appointment slot. Lancaster Watch Weekend is one of those.
A Real Gold Rush — Swatch’s Apollo 11 MoonSwatch Sets A Wild New Record: 1.2 Million Applicants For 1,969 Pieces
If you thought MoonSwatch madness had finally cooled down, think again. Swatch CEO Nick Hayek has pulled off another headline-grabbing marketing masterclass, leaving the watch world in equal parts awe and amusement. To commemorate the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Swatch quietly opened applications for an ultra-exclusive edition of the MoonSwatch. The catch?
Five High-End Watch Collaborations I’d Love To See Happen
When I went hands-on with the Ulysse Nardin × Urwerk UR-Freak late last year, I walked away genuinely surprised, and that doesn’t happen to me much anymore. I never saw that partnership coming. Ulysse Nardin had never made a collaboration watch in its modern history, and Urwerk has always felt like a creative universe of exactly two people. Yet the moment the UR-Freak existed, it seemed inevitable.
Every Second Belongs To Someone: Inside Silverstone With H. Moser & Cie.
My team finished dead last. We had one job — or three, technically, which turned out to be the whole point. During a visit to Enstone, the Alpine F1 team’s factory, with H. Moser & Cie., the team ran a pit-stop challenge for the visiting journalists — teams of three, one tire, against the clock, with one person on the wheel gun, one pulling the old tire off, one fitting the new one. I started on the gun. One of my teammates was struggling with the tire’s weight, so we swapped.
Remembering Jean-Marie Schaller, One Of Watchmaking’s Brightest Characters
We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Jean-Marie Schaller, the owner and creative force behind Louis Moinet. Jean-Marie passed away peacefully on May 16th at the age of 66. I wanted to share a few personal words about Jean-Marie because he was someone I came to know not only through watches but also through the friendship that grew around them. For me, the watch industry has lost one of its brightest characters.
The Delugs Micro-Adjust CTS Deployant Clasp Is A Small Upgrade That Makes A Big Difference
I reviewed some Delugs straps back in 2024, and since then, I’ve added a decent selection of the brand’s rubber CTS straps and sailcloth straps to my rotation. In fact, I recently bought a couple of sailcloth straps for some of the newer watches in my collection.
The UR-10 Spacemeter Is the Most Traditional Urwerk Yet… Sort Of
Calling an Urwerk traditional feels a bit ridiculous, but here we are. The new UR-10 Spacemeter gets closer to that territory than just about anything the brand has done before. And yes, we did get a traditional Urwerk before we got Grand Theft Auto VI. Sure, Urwerk has used hands in pieces like the EMC and AMC, but this feels different. This is the first time a mechanical Urwerk has leaned on centrally mounted hour and minute hands as the main event.
Gagà Laboratorio’s New Aqualab Pulls Off A Tricky Design Brief
When I heard Gagà Laboratorio was launching its first dive watch, the Aqualab, I was skeptical. The brand’s distinct identity made me question how it would translate into a sportier, tool-oriented direction. That’s a testament to how unique its design language is—not a criticism of its existing watches. The Labormatic, for example, always struck me as a sportier take on something that still felt rooted in a more classical and slightly dressy world.
How HTD’s New Phantom Finally Keeps The Pilot Watch Formula In Check
Pilot’s watches have a habit of getting carried away with themselves. Some lean so hard into the heritage side that they end up feeling more like costume pieces than modern watches. I don’t know about you, but I’m not interested in cosplaying as a WWII fighter pilot. Others go big for the sake of it, as if sheer size is still enough to sell the whole instrument-watch fantasy. That’s probably why the new HTD Phantom stands out.
The New WRK ACF-03 Is Cleaner Than I Expected And Better For It
When I recently wrote the story of why WRK’s ACF-03 needed to happen, the watch itself was still mostly a question mark. There was enough there to suggest where WRK was heading but not enough to properly judge the watch itself. Now that it’s officially here, I think the picture is much clearer. And I intend to judge it. What WRK has done with the ACF-03 is interesting because it would’ve been very easy to get this wrong.
The New Bianchet UltraFino Maserati — One Of The Better Car-Watch Collaborations I’ve Seen In A While
Honestly, I usually take car-watch collaborations with a pinch of salt. Too often, they feel like the easy and somewhat lazy option. Add a logo, pull in a color, mention “performance” a few times, and somehow, that’s meant to be a job well done. While that may be enough for the marketing side of things, it isn’t for people who truly care about watches — you know, us. That’s why the new Bianchet UltraFino Maserati caught me a little off guard.
Qian GuoBiao’s New Skylight Models Might Just Be My Favorite Watches From Him Yet
There’s something very satisfying about seeing a watchmaker push a familiar idea a little further without losing the thing that made it appealing in the first place. That was my first reaction to the new Qian GuoBiao Skylight Original and Skylight Sun. On paper, the concept is simple enough. This is Qian GuoBiao’s first partially skeletonized wristwatch. It’s offered in two versions, both using the hand-wound AB-05 caliber.
ArtyA’s Uber-Complex Complexity Debuts For Watches And Wonders
Some watches hit you with the spec sheet and leave you to make sense of the rest later. The new ArtyA Complexity doesn’t really feel like one of those. Yes, the headline is big, and yes, it was always going to grab attention at Watches and Wonders next week. Still, the thing that stood out to me straight away is that it doesn’t feel built around one dramatic talking point and then hot air. That’s pretty important, as a lot is going on here.
Inside WRK: The Road To The ACF-03
Independent watchmaking is rarely neat. From the outside, it can sometimes look that way. A launch lands, the renders look polished, the photography is sharp, and everything appears to have gone exactly as planned. In reality, it rarely works that neatly. That’s part of what makes it so interesting, and it’s also one of the reasons I’ve found myself drawn to WRK Timepieces over the last couple of years.
Introducing: The Bianchet UltraFino Rotondo — The Brand’s First-Ever Round Watch
A round case is hardly a radical idea in watchmaking. For Bianchet, though, it absolutely is. At Watches and Wonders 2026, the brand will present the UltraFino Rotondo, and while it clearly belongs to the same family as the watch we’ve previously known as the UltraFino, this isn’t just a simple reshaping exercise.
ArtyA’s Curvy Tourbillon Gets A Cosmic Twist In Moissanite
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that ArtyA watches tend to reward the experience of seeing them in person. Photographs rarely tell us the full story. The brand’s fascination with unusual materials and unconventional case designs often produces pieces that behave very differently in person. Rest assured, the new Purity Moissanite Curvy Tourbillon will be one of those watches you need to see in person to truly appreciate everything it has to offer.
Have Watch Boxes Gotten Out of Control?
When the accessories become the hobby Naturally, where there’s enthusiasm, there’s opportunity. In the last five years, the accessory market has exploded. Brands like Delugs, Wolf, and Bosphorus have transformed watch cases into luxury goods. We’re seeing limited editions, exotic leathers, and influencer collaborations. Some collectors talk about their boxes the way they’d discuss an F.P. Journe, material choices, stitching, “provenance”.
Cutting Through The Noise With The Quiet Side of High Horology
High horology in 2026 often comes wrapped in noise — big launches, dramatic case shapes, exposed mechanics, and a constant push to be the most talked-about watch of the week. Yes, I do enjoy that world. Modern, design-led independence is where much of the creativity happens. But there’s another tier of luxury independent watchmaking running quietly alongside it, and that’s what I want to highlight today.
Making A Case For Desk Clocks In A World Obsessed With Watches
There’s something slightly ironic about spending most of your day surrounded by watches yet rarely checking the time on your wrist. I’m guilty of often checking my phone rather than my watch. But when you work at a desk, the object that quietly governs your day isn’t the watch you chose that morning. Rather, it’s the clock that never moves. It sits there, always visible, never asking for attention, marking time in a way that feels steadier and more permanent. A watch comes on and off.
The Problem with Watch Nicknames
This situation also creates additional confusion. What one part of the world calls a “Bart Simpson” another might call “Gilt Chapter Ring” or just “that weird old Sub.” There’s no official naming convention (just ask Rolex), so we’re left with a messy collector dialect that changes depending on what forum or YouTube channel you frequent. It can make watch conversations feel like inside jokes. To me, that’s not a great look if we’re trying to expand our hobby and make it more inclusive.
Fratello Talks: Different Approaches To Buying Your First "Serious" Watch
For many of us, there’s a clear line between the watches we liked and the first one we considered “serious.” Maybe it was the first mechanical piece we bought with our hard-earned money. Maybe it was the first watch that required actual research, comparison, and a deep breath before hitting “confirm order.” In today’s episode of Fratello Talks, Thomas, RJ, and Nacho discuss the different approaches to buying that first “serious” watch. Should you go safe and classic? Should you follow your heart?
Introducing: The Bianchet UltraFino Monaco — More Than Just A New Colorway
The latest addition to Bianchet’s UltraFino lineup is closely tied to the world of electric powerboat racing. In practice, though, the UltraFino Monaco stands comfortably on its own. Even if, like me, you don’t actively follow the E1 Series or Team Monaco’s exploits on the water, there’s plenty here to appreciate about the UltraFino Monaco as a watch. This feels less like a niche collaboration piece and more like a confident evolution of a platform that has already proven its worth.
Why My First Speedmaster Had To Be The Calibre 321
Having been a part of the Fratello team for more than five years, I suspect some people might find it mildly shocking that it’s taken me this long to add a Speedmaster to my collection. With Fratello being so closely associated with the mighty Speedy, not owning one almost felt sacrilegious. The truth is simpler. I always knew I would own a Speedmaster one day, but I just never knew which one. That’s the blessing and the curse of the Omega Speedmaster. There isn’t just one.
Why Can’t Brands Just Give Us Better Straps?
Ken believes this gap is actually an opportunity. “When a brand is deliberate about its strap choices, it immediately stands out and elevates the entire watch,” he says. “A great example is Konstantin Chaykin’s Joker series, where the strap plays a key role in reinforcing the character and personality of the watch.
Hands-On With Qian GuoBiao’s Split-Seconds Chronograph
This was the first time I had ever seen one of Qian GuoBiao’s watches in real life. I’d never seen one at watch shows, quickly behind glass, or even in a passing moment at a collector event. I’ve long admired Master Qian’s watches through my laptop screen, but this encounter with his Split-Seconds Chronograph was truly my first time with his work in hand. That context matters. Master Qian’s watches are not pieces you can fully absorb at a glance.
A Retro-Futuristic Chronograph
There’s a certain kind of satisfaction that only a chronograph can offer — the tactile click of the pushers, the sweep of the seconds hand, the quiet excuse to time things that probably do not need timing at all. You know exactly what I mean; we all do it. The problem is that many chronographs either feel too precious for everyday wear or too expensive to enjoy without a little anxiety. That is where the fun little Vostra Vector steps in.
Introducing: Project Tai Yu By Independent Atelier
Independent Atelier is a brand-new name, but its first project arrives with a sense of depth that immediately sets it apart. Rather than launching with a contemporary design or a statement piece designed to grab attention, the platform has chosen to begin with research — more specifically, with a watch rooted in a chapter of independent watchmaking that remains largely out of reach. Project Tai Yu is the result, and it offers a clear indication of what Independent Atelier intends to explore.
Inside The Mind Of David Lowinger: Five Wild Concepts From A German Independent Watchmaker
There are watchmakers, and then there are people like David Lowinger, who seem to operate in a world of their own. I honestly cannot remember exactly when we started speaking. It was some time, a good few years ago, after I stumbled across his work on Instagram and reached out. What began as a casual exchange turned into one of those ongoing conversations that surface every couple of months, usually sparked by something new he has been sketching or prototyping on his bench.
Hands-On: A Week In Rhodes With The Alcadus Voyager Worldtimer GMT
There’s something quietly satisfying about wearing a GMT watch when you travel. It adds a bit of ceremony to the start of a trip, even if you are only hopping across Europe. I took the Alcadus Voyager Worldtimer GMT on holiday with me to Rhodes simply because I liked the look of it and wanted something straightforward for a week in the sun.
Introducing: The New Atelier Wen × Revolution Ancestra Yáo
Atelier Wen has spent the last few years building a very different picture of Chinese watchmaking. After the recent launch of its flagship Inflection collection, the brand has shifted attention back to the Ancestra line, which was always meant to serve as the more artisanal counterpoint. That timing feels deliberate. The Inflection models reintroduced Atelier Wen’s modern design language, and now the new Ancestra Yáo shows how far the brand can push the craft-driven side of its identity.
Audemars Piguet Brings Innovation To Dubai Watch Week With The Intelligent Watch Box
Dubai Watch Week has built a reputation for giving brands the freedom to do more than show new watches, and Audemars Piguet has taken full advantage of that. The House of Wonders exhibition forms the core of its presence this year. It is a traveling setup that blends history, design, and the landscapes of the Vallée de Joux, giving visitors a clear look at how the Manufacture developed its identity.
Hands-On With The New Ulysse Nardin × Urwerk Ur-Freak [Live Photos]
Some watches catch you off guard, and then there are the ones that genuinely stop you in your tracks. The Ulysse Nardin × Urwerk Ur-Freak belongs firmly in the latter camp. I first saw it during Geneva Watch Days a couple of months back, inside Ulysse Nardin’s boutique, when someone slid a non-disclosure agreement across the counter. That might sound like standard practice, but it isn’t. Most of the time, new releases are shown behind closed doors, based on trust and discretion.
Hands-On With The Bell & Ross BR-03 GMT Compass — A Smartly Executed Tool Watch With A Twist
Bell & Ross has always leaned into its aviation DNA, and few collections embody that identity more clearly than the BR-03 series. With its square case, four exposed screws, and cockpit-instrument aesthetic, it’s a design that’s instantly recognizable even across the room. The latest model, the BR-03 GMT Compass, keeps that familiar geometry but brings a little more functionality and a surprisingly playful twist for the observant eye.
Hands-On With The Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic Azzurro
Some watches need a paragraph to explain what they are. The Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic Azzurro doesn’t. With one glance, you already know it’s Italian. From its flowing pebble-like shape to the bold blue tones and playful use of geometry, it wears its design language proudly. It’s confident, expressive, and a little unconventional, and that’s exactly why it works. I took the Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic Azzurro with me on a recent holiday to Rhodes to see how it would fare in a real-world setting.
CIGA Design Scales Higher With The New Everest Summit Central Tourbillon
When CIGA Design first released the Everest Central Tourbillon, it caught plenty of us off guard. Here was a young Chinese brand taking on one of horology’s most challenging mechanisms while doing it in a watch that actually felt emotionally grounded. Brad’s hands-on review from last year summed it up nicely: this was a watch that didn’t just look good in photos but also had a story worth telling.
Introducing: The Bell & Ross BR-X3 Night Vision — Carbon, Lume, And Tactical Cool
Bell & Ross’s X series has been one of the brand’s most interesting evolutions to follow. The BR-X1 was pure concept-watch territory, a showcase for skeletonized tourbillons and high-end engineering that pushed the brand into experimental horology. Then came the BR-X5, a more accessible, sporty, and urban expression of the same design DNA. The BR-X3, which arrived last month, lands squarely between the two.
Bianchet Goes For Gold With The UltraFino Skeleton At WatchTime New York
Every once in a while, a small change makes a big difference. For Bianchet, that change comes in the form of 18K rose gold. The new UltraFino Skeleton Rose Gold Edition, launched at WatchTime New York, takes one of the brand’s most technically impressive watches and gives it an entirely new personality. I had a sneak preview of it back in Geneva, long before the lights of WatchTime New York, and it instantly stood out.
Spinnaker And Scottish Watches Team Up For The Nessie Pearl Diver
There is something about a watch tied to a good story. Whether it is a mythical creature, a historical figure, or a place that sparks the imagination, the right narrative can elevate a watch beyond being just another diver in the lineup. Spinnaker has leaned into this idea more than once, but its latest release might be one of the most playful yet. The brand has joined forces with the team at the Scottish Watches podcast to create the Fleuss Automatic Nessie Pearl Diver Limited Edition.
Introducing: The Nicolas Delaloye Renaissance In Tantalum
Independent watchmaking is often most interesting when it balances tradition with something fresh. That is exactly what Nicolas Delaloye has done with the Renaissance. On paper, it’s a classical dress watch with an enamel dial and a hand-wound movement. However, the case is made of tantalum, one of the most intriguing and difficult metals to work with in watchmaking. The combination gives the watch a certain quiet drama, making it feel familiar and unexpected at the same time.
Hands-On With The CIGA Design Moon Walker
The Moon has always been fertile ground for watch design. From classic moonphase displays to bold tributes, brands have tried to capture the Moon’s mystery and symbolism in different ways. CIGA Design takes a more literal approach with the Moon Walker, a watch that puts a miniature astronaut on your wrist and lets him wander across a detailed lunar landscape. It’s bold, unconventional, and not the sort of thing you’d call a traditional daily wearer. But in the right context, it’s also a lot of fun.
My Highlights From A Week In Switzerland For Geneva Watch Days
It’s always a pleasure to return to Geneva. The lake, the atmosphere, and, of course, the watch industry coming together make it feel like home for a week. Compared to Watches and Wonders, Geneva Watch Days has a different rhythm, feeling a little more relaxed but no less important. For me, it’s as much about catching up with old friends as it is about seeing new releases. This industry still runs on face-to-face relationships, and that’s one of the aspects I enjoy most.
Meet The New Bell & Ross BR-X3 — A Watch Built For Extremes
I have long had a soft spot for Bell & Ross’s X series. The BR-X1 chronographs were some of the most technically ambitious pieces the brand has ever produced, and the BR-X5 models proved that this ultra-modern side of the catalog could also deliver good looks. With that in mind, it was only a matter of time before the BR-03 received the same treatment. Now, on the 20th anniversary of the brand’s iconic square case, Bell & Ross has unveiled the BR-X3.
From Concept To Reality: My First Hands-On With The WRK Timepieces ACF-02
Just before Geneva Watch Days kicked off, I joined the team from WRK Timepieces for a rather special moment. Caroline and Nasko, the husband-and-wife duo behind WRK, were about to receive the very first fully functioning prototype of their latest creation, the ACF-02, and they invited me along with them. The delivery took place at Télôs SA in La Chaux-de-Fonds, the movement manufacturer responsible for bringing this ambitious project to life.
Introducing: The Echo/Neutra Averau 42 — Ceramic Meets Titanium In A Tool-Ready Package
Echo/Neutra has been carving out its little corner of the watch world since 2018. The brand’s founders, Nicola Callegaro and Cristiano Quaglia, blend Italian design sensibilities with Swiss-made execution, and the catalog has steadily grown from vintage-inspired field watches to elegant titanium dress pieces. The new Averau 42, however, is a different beast altogether. It’s modern, it’s technical, and it leans into materials not often seen at this price point. The Averau 42 comes in two versions.
Behrens And Vianney Halter Team Up For The KWH Watch
I have said it before, and I will happily say it again: Behrens is one of the most exciting independent brands working today. Few companies make me lean forward in my chair when their emails pop into my inbox, but Behrens is one of them. The Shenzhen-based team has built a reputation for making watches that are equal parts playful and mechanically inventive. I even own a few, which is probably the clearest sign of how much I enjoy the brand’s work.
Introducing: The Bianchet UltraFino Sapphire — A Transparent Take On The Ultra-Thin Tourbillon
Sapphire-cased watches have crept up on me lately. I used to think of them as fragile showpieces, destined for safes rather than wrists, but something has shifted. It probably started with the ArtyA Luminity Wavy collection, which made me stop and think about how sapphire can do more than just look flashy. Now, with Bianchet’s latest release, that spark of curiosity grows stronger.
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