Audemars Piguet, Ulysse Nardin, Zenith, and More | Hodinkee Podcast | Watches and Wonders - Day 4

Summary

HODINKEE Podcast - Watches and Wonders Day 4

Episode: Audemars Piguet, Ulysse Nardin, Zenith, and More
Date: April 18, 2026
Participants: Hodinkee Team (Hosts), Andy Hoffman, Jamie (Vice Editor, Hodinkee Australia), and live audience
Setting: Live from Watches and Wonders, Geneva, Day 4

---

Episode Overview

Day four of Watches and Wonders finds the Hodinkee team a little sleep deprived but energized by a live audience and an array of exciting new timepieces from the world’s leading watchmakers. The episode covers highlights from prominent brands, discusses trends in the Australian watch scene, breaks down technical marvels from both established and independent horology houses, and offers candid reactions to standout innovations and surprises at the show. The panel moves quickly, spotlighting new releases, technical breakthroughs, and regional developments while maintaining a relaxed, conversational tone.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Australian Watch Scene & Hodinkee Australia Launch

00:31 – 03:29

• Jamie discusses how Australia and New Zealand’s watch culture has matured, with better access to both vintage and high-end contemporary watches.
• Regional tastes are influenced by the outdoorsy Australian lifestyle, but there’s also a growing “mature intellectual collecting culture.”
• Sydney and Melbourne now boast a surprising number of luxury watch boutiques.

“To be right at what I feel is the precipice of Australia being a really proper watch country feels great. Feels really good.” (Jamie, 02:40)

2. Norqain – Playful High-Performance Sports Watches

03:37 – 05:42

• Norqain’s Wild One series featured, including the new “Sprinkles” Enjoy Life chronograph with Luminova-filled sprinkles and a playful, emoji-decorated date wheel.
• Appreciated for combining fun with technical robustness: lightweight, carbon composite case, rubber interior, high shock resistance, and affordability.

“They balance the levity with actually some pretty cool watchmaking.” (Jamie, 05:26)

3. Audemars Piguet’s Triumphant Return to Watches and Wonders

05:42 – 09:00

• Jamie praises AP’s booth, dense with vintage highlights (including Schwarzenegger movie watches), and three new tributes to the brand's historical étable sage system.
• New pieces:
  1. Jewelry watch inspired by Lac du Joux pebbles, featuring an asymmetrical shaped movement
  2. Secret peacock-shaped watch (releases dial with a button, fully gem-set)
  3. Contemporary reimagined table/pocket watch
• Significance: AP’s return is a major boon for the show, foreshadowing more brand participation and possible expansion up to 100 brands at Watches and Wonders.

“It’s really important that AP is back participating in this type of event.” (Andy, 08:49)

4. Ulysse Nardin’s “Super Freak” for the 180th Anniversary

10:09 – 12:13

• The “Super Freak” boasts 511 components, 97.5% of which are moving, making it the most complicated time-only wristwatch ever.
• World’s first: running seconds on the minute hand in a Freak; required complete reengineering.
• The engineering feat: “The watch was assembled, disassembled, and then reassembled again, which is a feat of engineering that, again, I can't fully comprehend.” (Host B, 11:57)

“It is a very apt name, the Super Freak, because it is a freaky watch.” (Jamie, 12:12)

5. Laurent Ferrier – Sport Traveler in Slate Gray

12:45 – 15:45

• New Sport Traveler praised for comfort, symmetry, and Lume contrast.
• Unique touch: the number of letters in “Sport Traveler” matches “Laurent Ferrier”—reflecting the brand’s obsession with balance and detail.
• Laurent Ferrier lauded for substantial weight and elegant robustness, whether in titanium or gold, and for having asymmetrically-placed movements while maintaining a symmetrical dial.

“No matter what metal they're working with, they all feel very substantial, reassuringly substantial.” (Jamie, 14:22)

6. Zenith – Continuing After a Big Anniversary

15:45 – 20:26

• After last year’s celebrated GFJ Calibre 135, Zenith releases their first tantalum watch featuring baguette diamond markers, onyx and mother-of-pearl dial, and a ruthenium movement finish.
• The new Chronomaster Sport clasp with micro-adjustment is a functional upgrade attracting positive consumer feedback.

“The GFJ is here to stay and it’s really exciting. It shows that Zenith has plenty of ideas on what to do to celebrate and showcase the historical... movement.” (Andy, 18:49)

7. Frederique Constant – Value and In-House Complications

20:26 – 21:31

• Their slimmed-down World Timer from the Manufacture collection is highlighted for value and technical merit.
• “Less than $10,000 world timer from Frederic Constant. One of my personal favorite from this year as well.” (Host B, 22:16)

8. Gerald Charles – Complications Meet Playfulness

22:28 – 24:41

• Launching a Maestro Perpetual Calendar; the signature “bump” at the bottom of the case now serves a functional role in the calendar display.
• Emotional connection to original models signed by Gerald Genta, and playful expansion with new colorways (including all-white for Wimbledon).
• The Perpetual Calendar (“QP”) offers 200 meters of water resistance, blending utility and complexity.

“There aren’t actually that many watches you can play tennis with because the amount of g-forces and stuff that you’re exerting on the Watch is insane.” (Jamie, 24:03)

9. Zinn – Tool Watch Innovation at the Fair

24:48 – 25:48

• German brand Zinn is newly attending Watches and Wonders, showing off a value-driven, time-only steel watch (the 544), with white/orange hands, under €2,000.
• The brand welcomes the exposure and elevated experience at the fair:

“They are super happy with their experience so far at the fair. They weren’t always at this fair, they were at other places and they’re enjoying the upgrade for sure.” (Andy, 25:46)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Australian market:
  “It’s a bit of a cliché, but we’re outdoorsy and I think that does influence the kind of pieces people like. But then equally we’re seeing the emergence of a real mature intellectual collecting culture...” (Jamie, 01:55)

• On AP’s booth and historical reverence:
  “The booth is spectacular...they’ve curated this amazing experience with lots of vintage pieces, some real heavy hitters.” (Jamie, 06:01)

• On Ulysse Nardin Super Freak:
  “If you’ve not seen it, it’s unbelievable. 511 components...of the 511 components, 97.5% of them are moving parts, which to me is...my mind can’t comprehend that.” (Host B, 10:59)

• On Zenith’s technical prowess and design:
  “How do you improve upon perfection? Well, first of all, you case it in tantalum. It’s Zenith’s first tantalum watch and there are still not that many watchmakers really working with tantalum.” (Jamie, 16:52)

• On industry trends:
  “Once you step inside the PAL Expo here, you’re in a completely different world. It’s a luxurious world. It is a comfortable world. It’s a welcoming world. It’s an enthusiastic world. You know, it is removed from the troubles and the concerns that might be outside.” (Andy, 09:33)

---

Timestamps for Essential Segments

• Australia Watch Market & Hodinkee Australia: 00:31 – 03:29
• Norqain Sprinkles/Enjoy Life/Technical Overview: 03:37 – 05:42
• Audemars Piguet: Booth & New Releases: 05:42 – 09:00
• Watches and Wonders Expansion & AP Return: 09:00 – 10:09
• Ulysse Nardin Super Freak: 10:09 – 12:13
• Laurent Ferrier Sport Traveler: 12:45 – 15:45
• Zenith Innovations (GFJ, Chronomaster Clasp): 15:45 – 20:26
• Frederique Constant World Time & Value: 20:26 – 21:31
• Gerald Charles Perpetual Calendar/Brand Playfulness: 22:28 – 24:41
• Zinn – New to Watches & Wonders: 24:48 – 25:48

---

Episode Tone and Style

Casual, conversational, and enthusiastic—punctuated by good-natured banter about sleep deprivation, coffee quality, and lively audience participation. The hosts blend personal admiration, technical analysis, and industry insights, making the episode both informative and approachable for all levels of watch enthusiasts.

---

Summary Takeaway

This lively episode of the Hodinkee Podcast from Watches and Wonders 2026 delivers rapid-fire insights into the year’s most notable horological achievements, while painting a picture of a growing, inclusive global community of watch fans. The panel offers deep dives into innovation, design philosophy, and the stories behind both legacy and independent brands—making it an essential listen for anyone keen on the pulse of modern watchmaking.

Transcript

[A]

Discover the new chapter of Octo Finissimo. From ultralight titanium to the warmth of 18 karat yellow gold, the new 37 millimeter profile is the definition of Italian sprezzatura. Thanks so much to Bulgari and back to the show.

[B]

We're back. It's day four of Watches and Wonders and we're all a little tired, but we're here. We're filming a little earlier today because we're trying to bring the energy. And you know what, we've got a live studio audience today. Can we get a little round of applause? Yeah. Oh, yeah. We're gonna need your energy throughout, so

[C]

just feel free to.

[B]

Feel free to he. Feel free to comment as necessary. But we're joined today by Andy Hoffman, of course, and we have Jamie, vice editor of Hodinkee Australia, which we're excited to talk a little bit about today. Let's just kick off with that. Jamie, first of all, how's Watches and Wonders been?

[C]

It's been good. I think I said yesterday I got over the jet lag and just got into regular sleep deprivation. Look, it's always a pleasure. It is a long way to come for us Aussies, but good thing we like watches. And again, I think these days in Australia, the offerings, like the watches you can see, both vintage and new, is so much better than it used to be 10 years ago. But for some of the really high end pieces and independent brands, the only chance that we often get to see them is in Geneva. So if you want to see Oroshepis or you want to see Berneron, that sort of thing, you need to be here and it's such a pleasure to be here. You know, we all whinge about the journey. This is a joy and a joy to be bringing Hidinki to Australia as well.

[B]

Yeah. So tell us a little bit more about that.

[C]

Yeah, so it was a pretty straightforward one. So my boss, Alex and Ben have known each other for a while and Alex is pretty close to the Japanese team. And the timing's right for Australia and New Zealand. You know, it's the tyranny of distance isn't what it used to be. Even though, you know, again, I just talked about how long the flight is. But Australia is really maturing as a watch market. There are some of the most passionate collectors in the world in Australia. Some truly amazing people, amazing pieces. If you walk down some of the main streets in Sydney and Melbourne, you'd be shocked by how many watch boutiques there are. As a born and bred Sydney boy, it's kind of crazy, but it's good. And it is a different region. You know, I love the stories on the main site. I love Japan. I love the stories they get told in Japan. But Australia's its own thing. We're part of Asia, but we also have our own tastes. It's a bit of a cliche, but we're outdoorsy and I think that does influence the kind of pieces people like. But then equally we're seeing the emergence of a real mature intellectual collecting culture in Australia. So to be able to be right at what I feel is the precipice of Australia being a really proper watch country feels great. Feels really good.

[B]

Yeah, it's really exciting. Andy, have you been down in Australia before?

[D]

I have been to Australia. I've been a few times. I've been to Perth, Australia, at the

[C]

far end, the most isolated national capital on earth.

[D]

Indeed. Yeah, it's a beautiful country. And when I do watch tours and manufacturer visits, you know, with certain brands, there's always a contingent of Aussies and Kiwis and indeed, you know, these are, are passionate collectors. It's a great watch culture in Australia, so it's awesome. Once you're on board, I want to

[C]

get you all to Sydney at some point.

[B]

I can't wait. I've never been really. I've never been. So now I've got a great excuse

[C]

to go down there, come for summer, mate.

[B]

Come to the beach. I can't wait. We look forward to seeing everything that Hoeniki Australia produces this year and beyond. But let's get into some watches today, gents. Andy. Norqain.

[D]

Norqain. So Norqain is a Swiss brand. They're about nine years old. It's an independent brand. They basically want to be known as the Swiss mechanical watchmaker, Sports watch watchmaker. And so, you know, it's a family business. Ben Kufer is the CEO. I was just talking to him and he was showing me the new stuff. What they're known for is the Wild One. And the Wild One is their take on a modern sports watch. And you're supposed to be able to wear it anywhere, do anything. But, you know, their whole spirit is about having fun and about, you know, making the most of life. And so last year they did this Enjoy Life chronograph. And you know, it was just a really light hearted fun watch. So now they've got a new version of that and it's called the Sprinkles. Same light hearted, fun feel, but the sprinkles themselves on the dial are filled with Luminova to keep you happy.

[C]

And does this one also have the emojis and the date wheel?

[D]

Yes, it does, I think. I think it does, yeah. You've seen it.

[C]

I've seen. I've seen the previous one and I love that tie through where you have the sub dials and then they're the colours of the scoops of ice cream. But I think to your point, it's a brand I'm a fan of because they are light hearted and they don't take themselves too seriously. But at the same time, the Wild One is an incredibly impressive watch. It's got this really interesting case structure where you have like a carbon composite outer with a rubber interior which the movement is mounted within. And it's incredibly shock resistant, I think to 5,000 GS or something. And yet this is a watch that's sub five figures. You know, it's a level of watchmaking, technical watchmaking, exciting, sporty watchmaking that's yet still quite accessible. So they balance the levity with actually some pretty cool watchmaking.

[D]

Totally. They are really quite interesting in trying to be different. And, you know, with their new releases, they're certainly doing that. They also have a Wild One skeleton that they also released this year.

[B]

That's fantastic. And there's so much stuff going on out there in the walls of the PAL Expo. And there's one brand that I haven't had a chance to see yet myself, but I think it made headlines this year. Returning back to Watches and Wonders and it's Audemars Piguet. Jamie, you had a chance to take a look at that. What'd you see?

[C]

Well, I think first of all, the booth is spectacular. Most of the watches there are not fresh for the fair, obviously. AP had their first first semester novelty launch in February where they kind of went a bit nuts, you know, with the Negoframe jumping hour, the 150th Heritage pocket watch, which was incredibly complicated, as well as a slew of royal oaks, including those with the new QP movement. But in the booth, they've curated this amazing experience with lots of vintage pieces, some real heavy hitters. Arnold Schwarzenegger's watch from what's the film in the 90s?

[D]

Predator?

[C]

No, it's, I want to say the Living Daylights, but that's a Bond film.

[B]

Throw it out if you know it.

[C]

Yeah, in the audience. Sorry. No, it's not Commando, it's Keep going, we're almost there.

[B]

This is fun.

[C]

Oh, it's the one with the harrier I think so. But it's.

[D]

It's the. This is great audience participation.

[C]

It's the black DLC Offshore with the yellow numerals.

[B]

Kindergarten cup. Everyone say your favourite Schwarzenegger movie on three.

[C]

But there are some other amazing vintage pieces there. There's the piece that inspired the Ring.

[D]

Ah, it's true.

[C]

We'll get there by the end of the podcast. But yeah, they're the piece that Inspired the remastered O2 which came out. But there are three new pieces that they have for the fair which are all a sort of tribute to the etable sage system which defined the Maison for most of its existence. God, you can tell the Watches Wonder, sleep deprivation really is kicking in.

[B]

Yeah, we need some espressos over here.

[C]

We need some coffee. As an Aussie, real coffee snob, the coffee here is terrible, but I think

[B]

we all agree on that.

[D]

Wow.

[C]

But no, those three pieces, we have the. And I'm not going to try and butcher the French, but the first piece is a jewellery piece inspired by pebbles from the Lac du Joux near the manufacture in Le Bressieux. And it's got beautiful natural stones, but the thing I like most about it is that it's a shaped movement, a really interesting asymmetrical shape movement. Great jewellery piece. The second piece as well is a secret watch and the head's shaped like a peacock and you press a button and it exposes the watch head within. It's fully gem set. It's pretty crazy. And then the last one is a pocket table watch with a really interesting sort of angular form and faceted. I think they're filled with lacquer on top. So to see a very traditional concept of a table clock, but imagined in quite a contemporary form with a sort of elongated angular shape is very nice. I was nervous that they might not bring anything to the fair because they had so many releases in February. But I'm glad to see they've done something and really cared. They're really beautiful, interesting watches that show what they can do.

[D]

It's really important that AP is back participating in this type of event. You know, they haven't been at Watches Wonder. They left SIHH a few years ago. It's really incredible for the event that they're back.

[B]

Andy, just kind of following up on that. Do you think with AP being back, do you think we're gonna see more brands come in because of that?

[D]

Well, we've certainly heard from the leadership here that that is the intention. Right. I mean, they have. I think we're at 65 brands this year and they have the capacity to get to about 100. Really? Yeah. So, you know, obviously there are some groups that don't participate, but I mean, you know, it's all about the experience here. And we were just talking to some collectors who are experiencing it for the first time. And it really is, you know, once you step inside the PAL Expo here, you're in a completely different world. It's a luxurious world. It is a comfortable world. It's a welcoming world. It's an enthusiastic world. You know, it is removed from the troubles and the concerns that might be outside. And so, yeah, the show itself is growing. They are looking to. To get even bigger.

[B]

Yeah, the walls of the Powell Expo are vast and you never know what you're going to get. And I think that I saw something this year that I think has never been at Watch the Wonders and y' all may have seen it on social media. I saw some robots.

[C]

All the Ulysses robots.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. You all seen those robots hanging out? Yeah.

[C]

They'll have a dance with you if you go over.

[B]

Yeah. It's crazy. I went to take a selfie with one and the robot put their arm around me, which was a little terrifying. But what's inside of that booth got me really excited and I couldn't wait to see it. It's the 180th anniversary of Elise Ardan. It is the 25th anniversary of the freak. And so with that, we've kind of been expecting something big from the brand. And my goodness, they delivered with the super freak. The super freak. If you've not seen it, it's unbelievable. 511 components. The stat that I kept coming back to is of the 511 components, 97.5% of them are moving parts, which to me is. My mind can't comprehend that. And so in that watch, there's so many firsts and so many world bests. So first, it's the most complicated time, only wristwatch ever created. So full stop. That's an amazing plot in and of itself.

[C]

That's a good superlative.

[B]

Yeah, we're gonna start there and then next we're gonna go down running second on the minute hand. First ever for a freak, which is amazing. And I was talking with the team there and they said one thing. They said the first place that we thought to put it was where we put it. And to which I asked, like, well, there's not really much place else to put it on the minute hand. So in order to do that, they had to go back and retroactively engineer a lot of the elements in the Freak. And what I enjoyed hearing about it was the watch was assembled, disassembled, and then reassembled again, which is a feat of engineering that, again, I can't fully comprehend.

[C]

And as you put, there are so many moving parts in that watch to get that all to work as well with the grinder system to get to be able to adjust the time. And, you know, if you need to wind that watch like it's. It's a very apt name, the Super Freak, because it is a freaky watch.

[D]

Yeah, there's nothing like it.

[A]

This special episode of the Hodinkee Podcast from watches and wonders 2026 is brought to you by Bulgari and the octo felicimo. Since 2014, the octo finissimo has redefined the limits of horology. And this year, the story reaches a new peak of maturity. Introducing the Octo Finissimo 37, a reimagined blank canvas of architectural precision that brings a new universal proportion to an icon. Discover the new chapter of octo [e-mail]

[B]

maybe staying with Independence here, Andy. We went over to Laurent Feria this morning.

[D]

Yeah, you know, we had a great time at l'. Enferrier. You know, we looked at the Sport Traveler in slate gray, and, you know, this is a really refined, cool iteration here. It is so comfortable and just, you know, sits lovely on the wrist. Really nice, beautiful piece. And that was certainly the highlight for me. What did you think?

[B]

I loved it. I think the aspect of the watch that I liked the most was I thought the Lume was really nice, obviously on the gray dial and the Lume very prominent, contrasting really nicely with the gray dial and then illuminated. It just really pops with the gray with the Lume. And I think it's just a really nice contrast. One of the other things I love about that watch is it's very symmetrical. Obviously you have the local time at 9 o', clock, you have the date at 3 o', clock, and you have kind of a sector dial in the middle. And I just love that. And in writing about the watch, and I don't know if this was intentional, I assume it was, but obviously you have the Laurent Ferrier mark at the top and then Sport Traveler kind of down below, kind of grayed out, hard to see, but it was kind of funny. I was looking this up. Sport Traveler, same number of letters as Laurent Ferrier. So the number of parallels and the symmetrical nature of the watch is down to like the letters and the name.

[C]

And yet Laurent Ferrier is also a watchmaker that isn't afraid to have very asymmetrical movements. I mean, when you think about the movement that's in. I think the Sport Auto is a great dichotomy because it's a very symmetrical watch too. Beautifully so. But then you have the off center micro rotor with a lot of empty space. No, it's a stunning piece, this year's piece. And I think what's so cool about Laurent Ferrier is no matter what metal they're working with, they all feel very substantial, reassuringly substantial. I think weight in watches can be such an odd thing because some people can get a titanium watch and be like, oh, that's nicely heavy. And some people will say, oh, that's nicely light. But I think there's something very precious about the way Laurent Ferrier watches feel. I mean, okay, if you get like a fully gold Sport Auto that weighs I think a pound, that's hard to ignore. But there's still something really elegantly robust about their titanium pieces as well.

[D]

Yeah, no, I totally agree. And the other interesting thing about that piece sort of, you know, reiterating in terms of the philosophy of the watchmaker is there's, you know, we were trying to get some images today and it was kind of difficult but you know, to capture the sort of feel and look of it because there's no anti reflective coating on the, on the crystal and. But you know, that underlines and underscores the specific aesthetics and feel that Laurent Ferrier is after and achieves really nicely with that piece.

[B]

They definitely delivered and what a great watch. And something that I've been thinking about, obviously there's a lot of anniversaries in watches and brands have big anniversary years and I think that there's a natural tendency, I think you have a big anniversary or you devote a lot of time and effort to make these releases great. What do you do the year after? Zendis is one of those brands last year celebrating 160 years. This year. How are they going to follow it up? I think they followed it up with a great sled of releases. Jamie, you want to.

[C]

Yeah, so I think it's a very good point because if you pull out all the stops for 160th, where do you go to next? And one piece that Zenith released last year at Watches and Wonders, which I'm on the record for being gushingly in love with, was the GFJ calibre 135 that came out last year, which was this, you know, platinum case, lapis lazuli plus dyed mother of pearl plus guilloche and a revival of the calibre 135, which is Zenith's other very famous movement that won all the chronometry prizes in the 20th century. And for me, that was such an exquisite piece, you know, a return to a form of watchmaking. Address your form of watchmaking that we haven't seen from Zenith in a while. How do you improve upon perfection? Well, first of all, you case it in tantalum. It's Zenith's first tantalum watch and there are still not that many watchmakers really working with tantalum. I was talking to Roman Marietta yesterday from Zenith about why now? Why why now for tantalum? And I think he feels like they've done almost everything else. Forged carbon fiber and sapphire and ceramics. The GFJ tantalum. It's again this really nice juxtaposition between quite an understated watch because tantalum has that unusual but low key. So blue violet hue a little bit, if you know, you know. But then it also has diamonds on the dial. It's got baguette diamonds as the indices onyx dial. The dyed mother of pearl returns and then the movement this time has been given a ruthenium finish instead of the brick guilloche pattern that they used last year. So it's again like, I just love it. Big words aside, it's a pretty watch and you can talk about all the objective reasons why it's cool, but like gut feeling is it's just nice.

[D]

And I think what they've done with it the next year here is showing that this is a model that they can iterate on is going to be, you know, that core high end part with the 135 movement as, you know, part of the collection. Right. And so, you know, so they did platinum to start with an awesome bracelet which cost just as much as the watch, but you know, they're doing it in gold and we saw the gold bracelet which was really also quite an achievement.

[C]

Yeah, they can't do a tantalum bracelet.

[D]

They cannot do a tantalum.

[C]

I did ask.

[D]

It's because it's working with the material,

[C]

I guess, so notoriously difficult to work with.

[D]

But it shows that the GFJ is here to stay and it's really exciting. It shows that Zenith has plenty of ideas on what to do to celebrate and Showcase the historical 1 through 5 movement in a very sort of high end Achievement iteration here.

[C]

And the other thing they've done which is less sexy than the GFJ is that on the Chronomaster Sport skeleton, they've now also introduced a new clasp. And I think on some of the Chronomaster Sports, a piece of feedback that I've certainly heard from collectors is that the folding clasp has been a little insubstantial, but the redesigned clasp is the opposite. Not only is it a beautifully milled piece of metal, but it has a really great micro adjustment situation where you flip up the middle blade link part of the clasp to extend the micro adjust out. And first of all, having on the fly micro adjustment, great consumers really like that. But then it's a really nice, substantial piece of kit and they're willing to offer it to owners who already have Chronomaster Sports who want that clasp.

[D]

That is innovation and, and also offering value to the client. Right. I mean, yeah, there's many patents pending for the bracelet. It took them a long time to develop. It is kind of a game changer sort of bracelet for that model. It's really interesting and it's also a bit of a treat for customers own the existing models to be able to just buy the buckle. Basically that's a good deal.

[B]

GFJ's Quartermaster Sports, great year. I think we can all agree for Zenith this year. Andy, there's a watch that we were both excited to go check out yesterday and it was the Frederic Constant World Time.

[D]

Yeah, this is really quite extraordinary. I mean, you know, Frederic Constant, you know, this is part of their manufacturer collection and you know, they just kind of keep upping the game. Right. I mean, you know, manufactured stuff is what, you know, us watch enthusiasts sort of pay attention to and this is what gets them all the headlines. It's not all the volume for the brand, but, you know, the World Timer is just lovely. The case has shrunk down a bit. This is competing at a very reasonable price for them and they're showing that they can compete on every high end complication here.

[C]

It's a brand I'm quite fond of because I think that's a thing we've touched on already is that both innovation, but then also caring about the consumer as well and offering things that actually represent value. The World Time is stunning. Niels and the team do a great job.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, you know, there's a lot of talk about offering value, demonstrating value, but you know, that's Frederic Canson's bread and butter. And I think with that model, you know, it really Takes them to another level Then the other thing that we saw there was Alpena Alpine is this extraordinary sort of historic Swiss brand. They've with their pilot watch, they've got a new iteration of that, a little thinner, but it's really on the dial where we really see things change. Great big loomed Arabic numerals. It is a really handsome watch. Black, blue, green. And you know, the comments that we've seen on the story on Hodinkee, I mean, you know, people are. People are excited about people, you know,

[B]

less than $10,000 world timer from Frederic Constant. One of my personal favorite from this year as well. Another brand that we got to touch on that I feel like is really coming on strong as of late is Gerald Charles.

[C]

Yes. They've got a perpetual calendar. And I think what's really cool about that perpetual calendar is if you're not familiar with the brand, obviously it was the. The last brand that Gerald Genta founded before. Before his passing. And the Maestro, which is the. Their signature model. It has an unusual shape with a bit of a half moon kind of not an aperture, but sort of bump down the bottom. And it's an interesting stylistic detail. But now with the perpetual calendar, it serves something more of a. It's slightly more functional because you have a calendar display taking up part of that bump. Beyond that, it's cool to see them do a higher complication like that.

[B]

In the booth. The basis of that watch was on display. They had the original one there and on the case back it was signed

[D]

by Gerald Genta himself and had these amazing coral indexes. I would really like to see something in that sort of iteration Colorway come back early.

[C]

Gel trials had some great colors and they also had some very kind of skeuomorphic cases. Like they've never been afraid to play around with unconventional case shapes. The other thing that they've got, which I don't think was strictly new for the fear, but they have another iteration on their tennis watch that's all white. So it's. I think they're trying to do different surfaces and different Grand Slams. So this one's all white For Wimbledon. The first tennis model was yellow like a tennis ball. And I mean, shameless Aussie plug here they've signed Alex Diminore, Australian tennis player. And I was having a chat with him and he loves it and it was really interesting to hear the perspective someone like a tennis player who actually plays wearing the watch.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Because there aren't actually that many watches you can play tennis with because the amount of g Forces and stuff that you're exerting on the Watch is insane. So, yeah, the brands within the Maestro, they're doing lots of different things. They're doing sporty, they're doing complicated, they're doing classy, they're doing skeletonized. You know, I like that micro rotor caliber. I think that's a Vausher caliber base. But yeah, it's a cool brand with a good energy.

[D]

Yeah, no, absolutely. And yeah, I mean, you know, that sporty element, you know, this is a QP that they've created this year. It's got 200 meters of water resistance. Right.

[B]

Really?

[C]

It's 200 meters water. Okay, okay.

[B]

If you need it, you got it.

[D]

Yeah, I mean, you know, that's a. That was important to them here.

[B]

And we'll get out of here on this. Zen, I didn't get a chance to go over there. I know. Andy, you visited Zen. What did you see over there? What were your favorites? What's the vibe over there these days?

[D]

We did. So this is the first, you know, this is more about that, you know, that Watches and Wonder expansion, that Watches and Wonders sort of, you know, welcoming more, whether it be from AP to, you know, Frankfurt, Germany based Zinn. Zinn is known obviously for their, for their tool watches. And so, you know, the one that stuck out for me is this new iteration just on a, you know, a time only. It's called the 544. Just a lovely, you know, straightforward steel case. You have a white seconds hand or an orange seconds hand. And it's just, you know, I think it's under €2,000. The folks at Zinn were saying that, you know, they are super happy with, you know, their experience so far at the fair. They weren't always at this fair, they were at other places and they're enjoying the upgrade for sure.

[B]

The truth of the matter is we can sit here all day talking about watches. It's our job. We love it. We saw a ton of great stuff this week, but we're going to have to call the podcast right here, right now. But listen, we're going to have more coverage coming across the web across Hodinkee. Hodinkee, Australia Hoeniki, Japan and so that's it. That's it for us from the Hoeniki team here at Watches and Wonders this year. Hope you've enjoyed the coverage. We've really worked hard to bring it to you. So on behalf of the team here at Hodinkee, we'll see you next year.