Studio Underdog’s new beginnings, Patek Philippe’s lasting legacies, and more record-breaking auction results
Tom AustinAs I spend most of my week writing about the latest watch releases, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing the hobby is all about what’s coming next. But every now and then, a week comes along that reminds you just how many different moving parts make up this interesting little world of ours. This week, we’ve got a beloved British brand opening its doors to enthusiasts in a way few microbrands ever have, the loss of one of the most important figures in modern watchmaking, and an auction result that proves collectors are still chomping at the bit to chase the best vintage pieces when they appear. It’s a reminder that watches aren’t just tools for telling the time. They’re people, stories, communities, and a hobby that’s shaped as much by its characters as the watches themselves, and it’s ready to be unpacked in this week’s Wind Down.
Studio Underd0g finally lets us scratch behind its ears, as The D0ghouse is unleashed
Studio Underdog has spent the last five years building one of the most recognisable identities in independent British watchmaking. With dials as vibrant and playful as the stories behind them, mixed with a healthy disregard for convention, Richard Benc’s brand has helped carve out a loyal following, but until now, that world has largely existed online. That’s now set to change with the opening of The D0ghouse, a new, Maidenhead-based facility that not only brings watchmaking in-house, but also gives enthusiasts a chance to step directly into the peculiar and wonderfully eccentric universe Studio Underd0g has created.
Bringing assembly in-house is a significant move for a young British brand, particularly one producing more than 14,000 watches per year. The D0ghouse represents a seven-figure commercial investment and will allow Studio Underd0g to increase production while training future watchmaking talent, but what makes the project particularly interesting is that it isn’t simply a workshop tour. Visitors can book appointments to explore the space, experience the collections in person, and discover that Richard has approached the whole thing with the same imagination that’s made his watches so popular. There are hidden doors, playful details and carefully crafted surprises that all seem to be part of the experience, making it feel less like a traditional manufacture and more like something created by a watchmaking Willy Wonka.
Earlier this week, our very own Andrew McUtchen was among the first to step through the aubergine door of The D0ghouse, getting a closer look at what Richard and his team have been building behind the scenes. We’re keeping the details intentionally under wraps for now, but let’s just say a few golden-ticket moments are waiting for those lucky enough to secure an appointment. The full report will land soon, offering a closer look behind the curtain.
Remembering Philippe Stern
The watch world lost one of its most influential figures this week, with the passing of Philippe Stern, former President of Patek Philippe, at the age of 88. While his son Thierry has become the public face of the brand over the last couple of decades, it was Philippe who steered Patek through one of the most turbulent periods in Swiss watchmaking history. Taking the reins during the Quartz Crisis, when several traditional brands were abandoning mechanical watchmaking or ultimately disappearing altogether, Stern doubled down on the idea that craftsmanship, heritage and long-term thinking mattered most.
What makes Philippe Stern’s legacy so significant is that he helped define part of what modern, high-end watchmaking would become. During his tenure, the manufacture consolidated its operations under one roof, established the beloved Patek Philippe Museum, and championed the introduction of the Patek Philippe Seal, all moves that reinforced the company’s identity as a custodian of traditional watchmaking, rather than a brand focused on chasing trends. In an industry that often heavily draws on heritage, Stern was one of the few leaders who actively helped construct those very stories. Whether you’re a Patek Philippe fan or not, the modern watch industry would look very different without Philippe Stern’s influence, and that’s a legacy that few can match.
Philips shatters records for the second time in six months
If anyone was wondering whether enthusiasm at the very top of watch collecting had started to cool, Philips has provided a pretty emphatic answer. Its New York Watch Auction: XIV achieved a staggering US$75.8 million in total sales, making it the most successful watch auction ever held in the United States, and breaking a record that Philips itself set only six months ago. Even more impressively, all 158 lots found buyers, underscoring the depth of collector demand for exceptional watches and securing another white-glove result for Philips.
Leading the sale was an F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance Souscription No. 007, which achieved US$13.9 million, setting new auction records for both F.P. Journe and any independent watchmaker. Elsewhere, Eric Clapton’s unique Patek Philippe Ref. 5004G-020 sold for US$5.2 million, while a total of 16 watches crossed the million-dollar mark. More than anything, the results show that while the wider market may have settled into a somewhat flatter rhythm, collectors are still competing fiercely when genuinely remarkable watches come to market.
Want to help shape how the world experiences watches? Time+Tide is hiring a Social Channels & Platforms Manager
If you’ve ever wanted to help shape how one of the watch world’s fastest-growing media and retail businesses connects with its audience, now’s your chance. We’re currently looking for a London-based Social Channels & Platforms Manager to oversee and grow Time+Tide’s expanding ecosystem across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. If you’re equal parts watch nerd, platform strategist and growth-minded operator, we’d love to hear from you. Check out the full job listing and application details on the Time+Tide Careers page.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Tom and the Time+Tide Team
Tom’s Time+Tide take of the week: Quartz has gone from watch collecting’s villain to its new obsession
Collectors have always had a habit of rediscovering the things that previous generations dismissed. Vintage tool watches were once just old watches. Neo-vintage spent years sitting in an awkward middle ground before collectors began to appreciate the slimmer proportions and pre-modern design language. Even several watches from the early 2000s are beginning to enjoy a resurgence, despite having felt dated not that long ago. Increasingly, it feels like quartz is following exactly the same path. After decades of being written off by the hardest enthusiasts, vintage quartz is subtly becoming one of the most interesting corners of the hobby.
For years, collectors convinced themselves that mechanical watches were inherently more desirable. Mechanical stood for craftsmanship, while quartz meant compromise. The reality, however, is far more nuanced. Many of the most ambitious watches of the late 1970s and 80s were quartz-powered because quartz represented the cutting edge. It enabled thinner cases, remarkable accuracy, and some of the boldest watch designs the industry has ever produced. Integrated bracelets, sharp, geometric case shapes, and unapologetically futuristic styling all flourished during the quartz era, yet many of these watches were overlooked simply because of what lay beneath the caseback.
I suspect affordability is helping fuel the shift. As vintage mechanical prices continue to climb, collectors are naturally looking elsewhere for excitement. Vintage quartz still offers the chance to discover genuinely interesting watches from major brands without competing for the same references everyone else wants. More importantly, it remains one of the few areas of the hobby where it still feels like there are discoveries left to be made. Quartz may have spent decades as watch collecting’s villain, but it’s slowly becoming one of its most fascinating hunting grounds.
Wrist shot of the week: Get your Freak on
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Vamps guitarist-come-watch-influencer James McVey shares the latest, updated Freak X from Ulysse Nardin, this time sporting a toned-down, more traditional all-metal look. The new case clearly wears well, now 41mm with a 47mm lug-to-lug span compared to the previous 43mm case, and twice as water-resistant with a 100-metre depth rating.
Time+Tide Shop pick of the week: Awake Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf “Union Jack”
Awake has built its reputation on creating some of the most captivating dials in the microbrand space, and its latest might be one of its most interesting yet. Limited to just 50 pieces, the Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Union Jack combines traditional Vietnamese lacquer work with a subtle tribute to the UK, hiding a hand-chiselled silhouette of Britain within the dial’s intricate layers of blue, red, silver and white. Powered by the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic movement, and housed in Awake’s beautiful 39mm stainless steel case, it’s a watch that rewards a closer look.
The Awake Sơn Mài Frosted Leaf Union Jack is limited to 50 pieces, and is available to order online from the Time+Tide Shop and the Time+Tide Watch Discovery Studios in London and New York City. Price: £2,400/US$3,230
Our favourite Time+Tide coverage of the week
Every TAG Heuer Monaco model in the range, direct from Monaco
Andrew McUtchen recently caught up with TAG Heuer at the Monaco round of the Formula 1 championship, and was kindly invited to speak with TAG Heuer’s Group Product Manager, Laurent Kervyn De Meerendré, about the entire TAG Heuer Monaco lineup, from the entry-level model, all the way to the top-spec Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph Air 1.
Certina goes deep with the new DS Super PH2000M diver
Some watches are just made for diving, others are made to take on anything you throw at them, and this new Certina DS Super PH2000M is set to handle the harshest conditions imaginable. Check out our full hands-on review here.
5 unexpected Vacheron Constantin timepieces that will shock you | Inside the Archives Ep. 1
In the first episode of the Vacheron Constantin: Inside the Archives series, Andrew McUtchen and Justin Hast join Vacheron Constantin Style & Heritage Director Christian Selmoni to delve deep into some of the brand’s most unexpected creations.