Breitling relaunches the Chronomat collection with updated versions of its all-purpose sports watch, including a slimmer B01 chronograph, a new 40mm time-and-date model powered by the manufacture Caliber B31, and refined 36mm automatic editions.
Bulova scales down its Lunar Pilot chronograph to 41mm and introduces a new dial execution built around an ultra-dark coating and subdued gray accents.
At Watches and Wonders 2026, high-end spectacle dominated, but value hasn’t disappeared. Amid six-figure showpieces, thoughtfully designed, mechanically engaging watches stood out for staying under $5,000. Here are five that caught my eye.
Following renewed global attention on lunar exploration and the Artemis mission program, Breitling earlier this month introduced the Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Artemis II, featuring a meteorite dial and a serving as a direct link to its historic role in spaceflight.
From cockpit instruments to contemporary icons, Bell & Ross’s square watches transformed an unlikely shape into one of modern watchmaking’s most recognizable design signatures.
From Philip Van Horn Weems’s second-setting innovation to Charles Lindbergh’s Hour Angle watch, Longines helped aviation pioneers master navigation in the sky. This feature explores the watches that guided early flight, including the Majetek, the Avigation BigEye, and more.
Forged from a rare Le Rhône 9C rotary engine, the Sopwith Aero Marquis Thomas-Morse Scout Limited Edition transforms First World War aviation history into a 30-piece watch defined by material scarcity and elevated specifications.
With a redesigned 40-mm case, new dial aesthetics and a La Joux-Perret–based automatic movement, Alpina relaunches its aviation-inspired Startimer collection for 2026.
A limited-edition chronograph pairs a historic Valjoux 23 movement with contemporary titanium engineering and a striking salmon dial in the Altitude collection.
With a new limited-edition tribute to the legendary Concorde and two highly complex perpetual-calendar chronographs, Breitling underscores the enduring relevance and technical breadth of its iconic Navitimer collection.
