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Orient’s Affordable Dress Watch Finally Fixes My Biggest Complaint
I’ve considered buying an Orient Bambino several times over the years. The appeal has always been pretty straightforward. You get an automatic movement, traditional dress watch styling, and a price that doesn’t require much financial soul-searching. Still, the larger case sizes have always given me a reason to hold off. Orient’s latest release might finally change that, with a new Bambino Version 7 measuring just 36.4mm across.
Breitling Superocean Hands-On: A Bold Dive Watch With One Big Drawback
Breitling has always been a somewhat polarizing brand for me. Over the years, I’ve come close to picking up a handful of their more unusual old models, like the Aerospace and some of the smaller chronographs from the ’90s that seem to pop up on eBay regularly. I’ve always appreciated the appeal of that era of Breitling, even if I’ve never quite managed to pull the trigger on one. I’ve also never fully understood how much criticism the brand tends to attract. Granted, there was a stretch when some of Breitling’s contemporary offerings, particularly in the aviation category, became comically oversized and gaudy.
Our Favorite Citizen Watches of 2026
Back in May, I picked the five best Citizen releases of 2026 so far and argued that Citizen was finally loosening up. The second half of the year kept that going. Eco-Drive turned 50, and Citizen marked it with structural-color dials, washi paper, and a purple titanium Attesa. It also kept shrinking cases toward sizes I’d actually wear, from a 39.5mm Promaster GMT to a 37mm Tsuyosa. The frustrations held steady too. Some of Citizen’s most interesting watches this year stayed in Japan, and a few of its priciest ask buyers to rethink what quartz is worth. Every pick here has a confirmed US price, and they run from $495 to $3,095. Here are our favorite Citizen watches of 2026, in the order they arrived.
Jack Mason’s Strat-o-timer Has Rolex GMT Looks and Its Own Personality
The Rolex GMT-Master II with a meteorite dial has always been a pretty ridiculous watch to me. White gold, a red-and-blue ceramic bezel, and a dial cut from an actual meteorite. It’s a combination that works remarkably well, even if the price puts it firmly outside what most of us would consider reasonable. With Rolex discontinuing the reference earlier this year, Jack Mason’s latest Strat-o-timer GMT arrives with some familiar styling and a considerably more approachable price.
Rolex GMT-Master Fans May Want to See HTD’s New Affordable GMT
I have a habit of saving watches I come across on Instagram, usually with the intention of looking into them later. Most get forgotten almost immediately. The new HTD Aquatic GMT managed to hold my attention a little longer. The Rolex GMT-Master influence is obvious, especially with the Pepsi bezel, and I think that’s part of what initially drew me in. After digging into the details, there’s a little more to appreciate here.
