Round-up of watch news (May 2026)

Tags: News | Classic

5.6.2026

What’s happened in the watch world over the past month? Plenty of new models, timepieces built for space travel, a celebration of independence, and Omegas straight out of a Bond story. Wait a minute...

James Bond in-game with an Omega on his wrist

May saw the release of a new IO Interactive game about a young James Bond. The plot revolves around his training—essentially, the path to becoming a 00 agent.

If you’re a fan of the film franchise, you know he’s worn Omega exclusively since 1995. He sticks with the brand in the game too—only this time, for the first time, he’s wearing an Omega chronograph.

And the best part? There’s a real-world version: the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Chronograph 007 First Light.

The most direct nod to the game is the caseback engraving. But even without the tie-in—they look fantastic!

More additions to Seiko’s 145th anniversary

Seiko turns 145 this year. I like to imagine a daily party with delicious cocktails—but reality is probably more restrained, much like the two new Presage pieces.

The elegant HCC004J1 and HCC007J1 come in blue and white. The former measures 36 mm with a white textured dial and contrasting blue hands, offers 100 m water resistance, and a 72-hour power reserve—exceptional specs for a dress watch.

The second model, at 39.6 mm, stands out for its dial: the famed Arita porcelain crafted by master artisans in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The cobalt-blue hue is stunning. Thanks to the handcraft and the complexity of the enamel, every piece in the run of 1,500 will be unique.

Photon and 50 years of tech Citizen has perfected

Citizen is the master of solar watches—everyone knows that. They’ve been at it for 50 years and are celebrating in style. The Photon models prove the brand still has fresh ideas.

The dial is the clear highlight. Citizen cites the double-slit experiment— the famous physics demonstration of light’s interference pattern and wave behavior—as inspiration. Honestly? I couldn’t tell you exactly what that entails, but the idea is that the dial’s layered construction and interaction with light produce an optical sense of motion (a moiré effect).

This one needs to be seen in the metal. They’re slated for autumn release. Both models will be limited to 5,000 pieces, in titanium, with a design that commands attention all on its own.

Feeling radical? Rado will get you noticed

The DiaStar was a design outlier back in the early ’60s. Today, we like to think nothing can surprise us anymore. But this new Rado is bound to stir emotions, isn’t it?

Too much for some; for others, the ideal companion for every summer escapade. Three new eccentric takes will pull you into a different dimension of seeing watches as personal accessories.

A Ceramos bezel, a curved sapphire, bold color combinations, and assertive rubber straps, all in a 555-piece limited run. Yep—these take guts to pull off.

Citizen Shore in stock!

Good things come to those who wait... and for summer, that means a diver-style Citizen Tsuyosa—well, the Citizen Shore. It’s derived from the Tsuyosa bestseller, but leans more overtly sporty.

With a dive bezel and 100 m water resistance, they’re ideal summer companions—especially at this price. How do they wear? How do they run?

Exactly as expected. Despite the integrated bracelet, they sit nicely on the wrist, and the robust Citizen automatic movement can take a beating. We’ll see whether the Shore matches the success of the popular Tsuyosa and Zenshin.

Glashütte Original confirms purple is a 2026 trend

I still maintain that purple is one of this year’s colors. Bold? Absolutely. But don’t tell me you can’t picture it—I certainly can. And even more so after Glashütte Original’s latest from the Sixties collection.

The brand releases a new color edition every year, and I don’t believe purple is a coincidence. In a 42 mm chronograph case, there’s ample room for this saturated shade to shine.

Frederique Constant does solar. And how!

Dressy, elegant, with design cues from the Moneta. Solar power is highly efficient and also keeps the case under 9 mm thick.

Beautiful dial texture, a faceted case, and two straps in the box—a leather strap for a formal look and a Milanese bracelet for something more relaxed. It’s a package we’ve truly fallen for here.

Longines Legend Diver 59 returns to 42 mm with a design refresh

The Heritage dive collection from Longines never gets old—it’s worked on wrists since 1959. Back then, 42 mm was quite something.

We’ve seen a few reissues and design tweaks since—the last arriving in 2023 (in 39 mm). This year, Longines brings the model back at 42 mm with a matte dial and a new mesh bracelet.

If you’ve passed on these legends because they seemed too shiny or too small, now’s the time to take another look.

Barrelhand builds a true space watch, with The Little Prince on a disk

With space programs ramping back up, the question of watches that can handle the harshest conditions—including IVA/EVA—has resurfaced.

Omega Speedmasters will always be there, but Barrelhand has introduced the Monolith, purpose-built for spaceflight. From a construction standpoint, it’s almost alien in its sophistication.

The aluminum alloy used is specifically developed for 3D printing and commonly employed in aerospace. It boasts high tensile strength as well as resistance to temperature (from -120 °C to 120 °C) and corrosion—while weighing just 31 grams.

The dimensions are 38 × 45 × 11.8 mm, and legibility is flawless. This is a first iteration that should allow add-ons in the future, such as a chronograph. The movement inside is based on the Sellita SW300, regulated to ±5 seconds.

And a further curiosity: the caseback integrates a memory-disk module carrying 286 translations of UNESCO preambles, curated global artworks, a visual sound artifact by Richard D. James, children’s drawings from R.O.C.K., and the original French edition of Le Petit Prince.

The price is 9,750 dollars, and Barrelhand is seeking additional partners from space and other programs to keep pushing the Monolith’s functional limits. Only one thing comes to mind—I need to put on 2001: A Space Odyssey tonight or dive into The Little Prince.

The USA marks 250 years since its founding—and watch brands join the celebration

America is preparing to celebrate 250 years of independence, and more than a few watch brands are joining in. First up is Hamilton with a special Khaki Field edition in the original case size—underlining the brand’s genuine American roots.

The second model comes from Zenith with an El Primero. True, Georges Favre-Jacot founded the brand in Le Locle, Switzerland, but it was his trip to America that shaped how he wanted his company to operate. Industrialization was key, and Zenith was among the first Swiss brands to grasp it.

The Liberty II measures 37 mm by 12.6 mm, powered by the El Primero caliber 400 beating at 5 Hz with a 50-hour power reserve. It channels the famed A384 chronograph from 1969—among the first automatic chronographs in the world. The steel version is limited to 250 pieces at 10,600 dollars, the forged-carbon version to just 25 pieces at 13,400 dollars—both US exclusives.

Welcoming a new brand to 365—Robot

The Czech brand Robot is rightly proud of its origins. Every watch they make hides—sometimes quite literally—thousands of details tied to a specific story. Stories rooted in Czech tradition, achievements, or historical moments.

And we’re now welcoming them to our lineup as well. You can already explore a cross-section of Robot’s collection at our Hodinky 365 store in Ostrava.

Sources: monochrome-watches.com, hodinkee.com, fratellowatches.com, Hodinky 365