The Wind Up – Watch News #324

Welcome back to The Wind Up, our weekly series highlighting the newest watches of the past seven days. With Watches & Wonders 2025 now in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to set our sights on the future. The world’s biggest brands, sans-Swatch Group, of course, have unveiled their novelties for the year, and it’s shaping up to be a monster 12 months in the watch world.

However, despite the annual showcase coming to a close and much of the mystery surrounding the industry officially ending, there is still much to discuss. Fresh off a series of grandstanding novelties, the world’s biggest watchmakers—and a few budding independents—have kept the good vibes rolling. In this week’s rather stacked and varied line up, we have a range of new watches from the likes of Tudor, Ulysse Nardin and Oris, while Swatch unveiled five awesome dive watches that are as light in weight as they are on your wallet. Happy reading, gents, and have a great week ahead.

Tudor Pelagos FXD Chrono Pink “Giro d’Italia” Cycling

• Brand: Tudor
• Model: Pelagos FXD Chrono Pink “Giro d’Italia” Cycling
• Reference: Ref. 25827KNRS
• Diameter: 43mm
• Thickness: 13.20mm
• Material: Carbon composite
• Movement: Calibre MT5813
• Power Reserve: 70 hours
• Water Resistance: 100 metres
• Price: €5,550 (Limited to 300 pieces)

Tudor continues to expand its chronograph base with the new Pelagos FXD Chrono Pink “Giro d’Italia” Cycling. Inspired by the colours of the Maglia Rosa, of the pink jersey which is offered to the winner of the Giro d’Italia cycling race, the new Pelagos FXD Chrono Pink “Giro d’Italia” Cycling is a discreet yet wholly cool piece from Tudor. Well…as discreet as a bright pink watch can be.

The timepiece’s case is crafted from carbon composite, a reference to the fact that the fastest bikes on tour are made of carbon fibre; however, there are also elements of titanium throughout. At 43mm, the black matt-finished case isn’t exactly small, but the larger diameter lends itself well to the design—particularly in reference to the fixed bezel with 60-minute graduation.

I really like the black and pink colour palette. It’s a combination that just works, accentuated by the black and pink fabric strap. With the use of carbon comes a higher price tag, and add to that the label of exclusivity, and what you get is a watch that is rather expensive but still bang on the money, as per usual from Tudor.

Ulysse Nardin Diver Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition

• Brand: Ulysse Nardin
• Model: Diver Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition
• Reference: Ref. 183-170LE-3A-HAMMERxx
• Diameter: 44mm x 14.81mm
• Material: Titanium
• Movement: Calibre UN-118
• Power Reserve: 60 hours
• Water Resistance: 300 metres
• Price: CHF11,500 (Limited to 300 pieces)

New from Ulysse Nardin is the stunning Diver Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition. The recently unveiled timepiece exemplifies the very essence of the dive watch category, complete with a bevy of bells and whistles that are likely to go unused but deeply appreciated by whoever snags one. Designed to remind us all of Ulysse Nardin’s ocean-faring capabilities, the Diver Hammerhead Shark arrives clad in titanium with a blue PVD coating, looking and feeling as though it belongs on the wrist of a true professional.

Inside, the Diver Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition is powered by Ulysse Nardin’s manufacture calibre UN-118; a high-powered movement that beats at a frequency of 4 Hz and boasts a power reserve of 60 hours. Like all good dive watch hearts, the flagship manufacture movement is self-winding and features an escapement—this time made of DiamonSil.

The Diver Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition comes on a blue rubber strap, along with a blue and red fabric strap to interchange with. Best of all, the watch’s blue-PVD-coated titanium case back is engraved with a Hammerhead Shark motif and red detailing indicating the model number, limited edition and 300-metre water resistance. Look hard enough and you’ll even find a teeny, tiny engraving on the back of the single titanium link that sports the 1% for the Planet logo. Outrageous.

Oris Aquis Date “Ben Bridge Limited Editions”

• Brand: Oris
• Model: Aquis Date
• Diameter: 36.5mm / 43.5mm
• Thickness: 11.95mm / 13.1mm
• Movement: Calibre Oris 733
• Power Reserve: 38 hours
• Water-Resistance: 300 metres
• Price: USD$2,500

Oris has teamed up with Seattle-based Ben Bridge Jeweler to create two distinct limited edition iterations of its much-loved Aquis Date model. Bright, bold, and still boasting a stellar inner movement, the new versions feel every bit a worthy continuation of Oris’ growing portfolio of impressive timepieces. For these specific models, Ben Bridge has crafted an exquisite purple mother-of-pearl dial that offers surprising levels of legibility and somewhat unsurprising amounts of fun.

The first model measures in at a reduced 36.5mm, offering a more streamlined approach to the classic Oris diver silhouette. This is offset, however, by the bulked-up 43.5mm iteration that takes pride of place next to its slender stablemate. The former is limited to just 40 pieces globally, with the latter boasting a run of 125. Despite this, both of the Oris Ben Bridge Jewellers’ Aquis Date models are priced at USD$2,500.

Further to this, the new models also feature a stainless steel case with brushing and polishing found throughout, alongside screw-down crowns and a seriously impressive 300 metre water-resistance rating. Aside from the purple dial being a distinguishable point of differentiation, these two limited edition models both feature a mineral glass caseback signed Ben Bridge.

Swatch SCUBAQUA Dive Watches

• Brand: Swatch
• Model: SCUBAQUA
• Reference: Ref. SSCU09R100 (Lion’s Mane) / Ref. SSCU09B100 (Black Sea Nettle) / Ref. SSCU09J100 (Egg Yolk) / Ref. SSCU09S100 (Blue Fire) / Ref. SSCU09K100 (Aurelia Aurita)
• Diameter: 44mm
• Thickness: 15.4mm
• Material: Bio-ceramic
• Movement: Quartz
• Water-Resistance: 100 metres
• Price: AUD$245

Five new models in five distinct and rather funky colourways with five equally as interesting names, Swatch outdid themselves with these new dive watches. With names like Black Sea Nettle, Egg Yolk, Aurelia Aurita, Lion’s Mane and Blue Fire, it’s safe to assume that these are about as fun as fun can get for a wristwatch.

As we noted upon release, the SCUBAQUA collection doesn’t simply rest on its colourful laurels. The new range sports a refined, upscale design that speaks to a more sophisticated approach, and there are nods to diving history littered throughout. There is a nicely accentuated crown that Swatch has rightly positioned at 10 o’clock that helps to enhance safety and offer greater ergonomics for the bulky 44mm case size.

With each model, you get a Quartz movement, a water resistance rating of 100 metres, a Bioceramic case and a translucent dial. With a recent history of creating watches in collaboration with well-known Swiss watchmakers, I think it’s refreshing to see Swatch strutting its stuff without any outside influence. And the price. Wait for it. Two hundred and forty-five Aussie dollars. Yep, $245. Ripper!