TBWS on YouTube
Alpina’s New Startimer Pilot Automatic Leans Further Into Its Military Watch Roots
Alpina has been a longtime favorite around here, so any update to the Startimer Pilot tends to get our attention. The brand just announced a refreshed version of the watch that originally launched in 2011, and the changes go deeper than a typical mid-life refresh. Sizing has been reduced, the dial has been reworked, and the case profile has been cleaned up in ways that should make the watch easier to live with day to day. At first glance, this looks like one of those updates the line was probably overdue for.
One of the Best Affordable Military Watches Just Got a Serious Upgrade
While the rest of the watch world has its eyes glued to Watches & Wonders 2026, Marathon dropped something pretty dang cool. The brand has announced two new versions of its beloved Pilot’s Navigator, the NAV and NAV-D, and while they look familiar on the surface, the real story here is underneath. Marathon is introducing a proprietary case material it’s calling CeraShell, and it marks the first major construction change for the non-steel Navigator in roughly three decades.
Oris Built A 35mm Reissue That Actually Earns Its Heritage
Something has been pulling me toward simple, smaller, white dial watches on leather lately. I can’t fully explain it, but when I saw the new Oris Star Edition announced for Watches and Wonders 2026, it felt like someone had been reading my mind. Oris isn’t a brand I’d accuse of leaning on reissues as a crutch. Even with the annual Hรถlstein Editions and the occasional heritage callback, the brand tends to push forward. So when Oris does reach into its archives, you can usually trust that the model it’s pulling out actually means something.
Tudor Releases The New Black Bay 54 With A Blue Dial
When Tudor introduced the Black Bay 54 back in 2023, it felt like the brand was doing what it does best: taking a risk that Rolex probably never would. A 37mm dive watch in a modern lineup of larger cases was a bold move, and one that paid off quickly. The watch became one of the harder pieces to get your hands on at a Tudor AD. Now, Tudor is following a familiar playbook at Watches & Wonders 2026. Much like what we saw with the Black Bay 58, the Black Bay 54 is getting its true blue colorway, and it arrives in what the brand is calling “Tudor Blue.”
After Years Of Asking, Grand Seiko Finally Brings Us a Smaller Spring Drive Diver
If you’ve spent any time around Grand Seiko fans over the past few years, you’ve probably heard the same request on repeat: make the divers smaller. The brand’s dive watches have been impressive on paper but difficult for a lot of wrists to live with, coming in at 43.8mm and north of that in some cases. At Watches & Wonders 2026, Grand Seiko finally responded. The new SLGB023 and SLGB025 are completely redesigned Evolution 9 divers in blue and green, built around a 40.8mm high-intensity titanium case and powered by a new U.F.A. Spring Drive caliber. It’s a big shift for the collection, and one that’s been a long time coming.
